Are you up for The Play Challenge????
Recently at my neighborhood airport waiting for my flight for an educational consulting job I was traveling for, I ran across this magazine, Live Happy, and bought it. I read it cover to cover like a mad woman. This particular edition was all about play. It is fantastic!!!
My favorite Harvard Happiness expert Shawn Achor writes for this magazine along with his wife. I recently read Mr. Achor's Before Happiness which was excellent.
Another author I recognized who writes for this magazine is Gretchen Rubin of The Happiness Project which I just read recently and also loved.
After reading this Live Happy magazine all on the topic of play I was inspired when I returned home a few days later to have a family meeting and share my PLAY CHALLENGE. At first when the kids heard that we were having a family meeting, they thought they were in trouble or that we were enforcing some new cruel rule (in their eyes). But I assured them that this was something fun.
I showed them the magazine and the research supporting how important play is for our mental and physical well being. Just between you and me, I was sick and tired of how addicted one 7 year old boy in our household is to his ipad and that Minecraft app! I know, I know, we are the parents and it's our job to monitor and limit his screen time but I secretly WANTED him to want to do something else. I wanted to inspire him. Plus I know a little 9 year old girl who says, "I'm bored" too much for my liking. I want those rascals to use their brains and their creativity and PLAY PLAY PLAY. Between the homework, the piano practice, the vocabulary word practice for school, the spelling word practice for school, the required reading for school (ALL very important stuff...after all, I'm an educator too, I get it) but they need some fun and play in their lives! And specifically I am wondering if their play needs to be diversified and varied (versus hours and hours on Minecraft).
Another secret motive to The Play Challenge was to inspire my husband and myself to find a few minutes each and every busy day (just like every other family in America) to have a little fun, burn off some energy, be creative, honor our silly selves, and PLAY PLAY PLAY. Then when we return to work, we are more energized, happier, and more creative.
Okay, I know what you're saying, okay, okay Megan, get on with it, what's this all about?
What is The Play Challenge?
I used a large piece of chart paper and markers to divide up the chart into fourths (there are 4 family members in my family) and we all wrote our name in our zone. Then I challenged everyone to brainstorm as many different ways to play that they could think of. I cautioned that there would be no judgement....what one person considers play might not be another person's cup of tea...no problem.
Here's the challenge...find a different way to play every day for a week. At dinner, we will share how we played that day.
How are we doing so far?
Yesterday was Day 1 and my husband won the challenge by leaps and bounds (though of course, it'n not a competition) but he really got into it!!! He actually ROCKED IT!!!! At dinner he was able to share many different ways that he incorporated play from shooting basketball hoops for 30 minutes to working in the yard (he LIKES to work in the yard, seriously!). After all, it was a Sunday, so he had more free time on his hands than normal. But the kids and I were able to verbalize 1-2 ways we played that day too.
It's Day 2 now and after walking to school to pick up the kids, I'm secretly smiling seeing all of the ways the kids are playing without me saying a word and having fun! In fact, no one is complaining about the piano lessons or the homework that are happening today too. Amazing!
This Play Challenge might be something we continue for the month of February...I'll keep you posted.
What are you? Are you up for The Play Challenge? What would be some ways you would 'play'?
I'd love to hear from you.
Here's to PLAY!
Hope you're having a terrific week-
Megan
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