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\n\u201cAll work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.\u201d As an adult, you carry a lot of weight on your shoulders. There are bills to pay, mouths to feed, and needs to meet, but at the end of the day, what is most important is taking care of yourself. One way to do that is to take some time to embrace your inner child. Pull out the coloring books, unpack your old board games, and enjoy the activities you did when you were a kid.<\/p>\n
Color Get Crafty Build Something Put Together a Puzzle Play a Board Game Play a Digital Game Conduct an Experiment Read a Picture Book Keep a Diary Dance Give Yourself Permission to Feel Like a Kid Again
\nCrayola recently came out with a line of adult coloring books<\/a>, but they\u2019re not the first to jump on the adult coloring bandwagon. For years, adults have found coloring to be a great way to relax and work through complex emotions.<\/p>\n
\nRemember when you created handprint turkeys and cotton ball sheep in elementary school? You can do the same now too, just in a more refined way. One of the reason Pinterest has become so popular is because so many recognize the fun that comes from creating something. Even if your creation becomes the latest Cake Wreck<\/a> or Pinterest Fail<\/a>, you\u2019ll still have a lot of fun in the process.<\/p>\n
\nAlong the same lines, take your playing with building blocks to the next level and actually build something you can keep. You don\u2019t have to build anything big, but you can make a simple wood shelf or a step stool without spending too much time or money. Some companies even create building blocks for adults<\/a> so you can create LEGO-inspired furniture for your home or you can use the LEGO Architecture series<\/a> to re-create famous landmarks to display around your home.<\/p>\n
\nIf look at the puzzle shelf of a toy store, you\u2019ll find that most of the puzzles weren\u2019t designed with kids in mind. Whether it\u2019s a simple 100-piece puzzle that you can just throw together to clear your mind or a 2,000 piece challenge, you can find an inexpensive puzzle to complete. Don\u2019t want a lot of puzzles cluttering up your house? Look for a local puzzle exchange to swap puzzles with other puzzle lovers.<\/p>\n
\nGames like Monopoly, Sorry, and Chutes and Ladders aren\u2019t just for kids. Adults can enjoy playing them too. Play a round or two with your kids or invite a few friends over for a game night. You\u2019ll soon find that you\u2019re just as competitive as you were during your younger days.<\/p>\n
\nKids aren\u2019t the ones playing Facebook games and racking up millions dollars in in-app purchases for games like Angry Birds and Candy Crush. Adults love these games too. Not only are they addicting, but they offer a bit of mental release during the day. If you\u2019re not a big fan of the newer games, go back to some of the classics. You can play games like Oregon Trail<\/a> and Number Munchers<\/a> online.<\/p>\n
\nWhy should kids be the only ones who can put Mentos into Diet Coke or use smoke to suck an egg into a bottle? The same science experiments<\/a> you performed in elementary and middle school are just as fun as an adult. You can also come up with your own science experiments or play around with a Makey Makey kit<\/a>. Just remember that safety always comes first. You want to have fun, not end up as the latest posthumous recipient of a Darwin Award.<\/p>\n
\nReading a special picture book can transport you right back to when you were a child and read that same picture book with a loved one. Not only are picture books connected with special memories, they are also full of timeless themes and examples that even adults can learn from. So if you\u2019ve lost a pet, you can pick up a book such as The Tenth Good Thing about Barney and remember that when you\u2019re sad, it helps to think of the good things. Or if you\u2019ve had a bad day, you can pick up Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day and learn that \u201csome days are like that. Even in Australia.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nIf you were ever an angst-filled pre-teen, you know the importance of the pink diary with the little lock and key. Whenever something bad happened, you raced to your room so you could pour your emotions on the page. However, angst-filled pre-teen girls aren\u2019t the only ones allowed to keep a diary. Buy a special journal or get a cheap spiral notebook and take time to regularly write down your thoughts. If you\u2019re not sure what to write about, write a response to a specific response to get your thoughts flowing. Keeping a diary can help you get out many of your heavy emotions, make you more self-aware, and serve as a great memento for your kids to read one day.<\/p>\n
\nWhen was the last time you turned on some music and danced like no one was watching? Maybe you spend some time dancing every day. If so, great! If not, why not? Kids dance all the time and so can you. Not only is dancing fun, it\u2019s a great way to get some exercise and rid yourself of the stress from your day. Dance in the car. Dance in the grocery store. Dance while you\u2019re cooking dinner or cleaning the house. Don\u2019t worry about being seen, just let the music take control<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\nAt the end of the day, you just have to give yourself permission to be a kid again. If you see kids doing something and think, \u201cHey, that looks like fun,\u201d don\u2019t just stand on the sidelines and watch. Instead, join in and have fun with them. You\u2019ll be glad you did.<\/p>\n