Play reduces stress and lifts wellbeing
Play reduces stress and lifts wellbeing – and adults benefit as much as children do Somewhere along the way to adulthood, time to play fades away. We tend to trade silliness and imagination for seriousness and busyness. Yet there is clear evidence that adults benefit from playfulness just as children do. Research shows that adults who engage in playful activities tend to cope better with stress, experience more positive emotions, show greater resilience when facing challenges, and report higher levels of life satisfaction. Our research with New Zealand families highlights how supporting unstructured play can help adults feel less stressed and more connected, while also normalising playfulness in everyday family life. In a world that demands constant busyness, play offers essential qualities we are at risk of losing: spontaneity, togetherness and the freedom to have fun. Play in adulthood can look different from play in childhood. It is less about toys or games and more about how we ap...
