Play is essential for both children and adults, offering numerous benefits that go beyond simple enjoyment. For children, play fosters cognitive, emotional, and social development, helping them explore the world, learn new skills, and build resilience. It’s how they practice problem-solving, creativity, and self-regulation, laying the foundation for lifelong learning.

For adults, play is equally important but often overlooked. Engaging in playful activities relieves stress, boosts creativity, and enhances problem-solving abilities. It allows adults to break free from the pressures of daily life, reconnect with joy, and tap into their imagination. In both children and adults, play nurtures well-being, enhances relationships, and creates space for personal growth.

As adults, we often get caught up in the responsibilities and pressures of daily life, leaving little room for play. Yet, play isn’t something we outgrow—it’s a vital part of our well-being. To truly thrive, we need to give ourselves permission to play, and consciously make time for it.

Play allows us to reconnect with our inner joy, sparking creativity and imagination. It offers a mental break from the constant pursuit of productivity and helps reduce stress, bringing a sense of lightness and wonder back into life. When we play, we step outside the confines of rigid expectations and rediscover the freedom to explore, laugh, and be present in the moment.

Giving yourself permission to play means letting go of the idea that it’s frivolous or unimportant. It’s a powerful form of self-care that nurtures emotional resilience, sharpens problem-solving skills, and even deepens our connections with others. Taking time to play, whether through creative hobbies, sports, or spontaneous activities, rejuvenates our spirit and allows us to approach life with renewed energy and perspective. As adults, it’s easy to prioritise work and obligations, but by embracing play, we unlock innovation, and fulfillment.

My imagery is often whimsical and fun, that is when I find the inner child and just let my imagination roam.

Here is a collection of my favourite quotes about PLAY.

• "Play is the highest form of research." – Albert Einstein

• "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." – George Bernard Shaw

• "To play is to let go of outcomes and simply enjoy the process." – Brené Brown

• "Adults need to play more; it’s not childish, it’s essential." – Stuart Brown

• "Play is the purest form of creative expression." – Leo Buscaglia

• "There is virtue in work and there is virtue in rest. Use both and overlook neither." – Alan Cohen

• "The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct." – Carl Jung

• "You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation." – Plato

• "Embrace play as a form of self-care; it’s how we reconnect with our joy." – Sandra Dodd

• "Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning, and for adults, it brings back the magic of learning itself." – Fred Rogers

• "When we play, we open ourselves up to the possibilities of joy and wonder." – Julia Cameron

• "Letting yourself play brings a freedom that unlocks creativity and innovation." – Sir Ken Robinson

• "Laughter and play are the gateways to a life well-lived." – Marianne Williamson

• "Play keeps us vital and alive. It gives us an enthusiasm for life that is irreplaceable." – Lucia Capacchione

• "Play is not just an activity; it's an attitude." – Pat Kane

• "The true object of all human life is play." – G.K. Chesterton

• "Every time you allow yourself to play, you give yourself permission to grow." – Gabrielle Roth

• "As adults, we must play to discover what remains hidden behind the seriousness of life." – Jacob Nordby

• "Play is our brain’s favorite way of learning." – Diane Ackerman

• "There’s a part of all of us that never forgets how to play, even if we’ve forgotten how to access it." – Dr. Stuart Brown

• "Adults should play more, not less; it’s where our creativity lives." – John Cleese

• "Play brings a lightness to life, a way to release the burdens we carry." – Melodie Beattie

• "Playing is a necessity, not a luxury, for it restores us to our full selves." – O. Fred Donaldson

• "It is a happy talent to know how to play." – Ralph Waldo Emerson

• "Playfulness is the essence of true creativity and innovation." – David Bohm

• "To play is to act in defiance of life’s rigid expectations." – Jonathan Fields

• "Play is the bridge to creativity, happiness, and emotional resilience." – Tami Forman

• "When adults play, they reclaim the freedom to explore, create, and imagine without boundaries." – David Elkind

• "Play is not an escape from reality; it's a portal into the wonder of being alive." – Donna Farhi

• "Giving yourself permission to play as an adult is giving yourself permission to live fully." – Alan Watts