Summer is here! When I was a kid, summer meant being outside, almost all day. Bike riding to create a breeze, dancing through the sprinkler on a hot afternoon, flagging down the ice cream truck for a popsicle, slurping watermelon fresh from the fields, skiing on the lake, catching fireflies at dusk, and on some lucky occasions… a trip to the beach. We didn’t care about what we wore or how we looked (or smelled). It was all about…fun.
In this column, we have talked about various enriching activities and good habits to improve our wellness. With summer here, fun feels like it should be on the menu. Perhaps we need an adult recess period. How do we make that work?
B. Duke created in Canva.Playtime is incredibly good for you at any age. It boosts brain function, improves mental health by reducing stress and releasing endorphins, and strengthens relationships through shared connection. Playing with your dog is the ultimate bonding experience! It releases oxytocin, provides necessary physical and mental stimulation, and improves obedience. The best approach involves clear rules, safe games, and active participation.
In February, we talked about the long-standing relationship between dogs and humans. In a recent Technology.org article, the fun and bond we need might be with your dog. There’s factual evidence that playing with your dog is not only good for you but also creates a stronger bond. “The results showed a statistically significant causal relationship where the emotional bond to the dog is improved by increasing the time of play.” Karen Pryor Academy agrees with the importance of play as a vital part of the emotional health of your dog. Canine Revolution Training has some excellent recommendations to make sure the play is fun and within some good boundaries.
Dogs aren’t the only ones that need to play to develop more effectively. For children, play is the primary way they learn, build physical coordination, and develop social skills like sharing and negotiating. The Starlight Children’s Foundation shared the value of play for kids in hospitals. Brown Health recommends “some ideas for parents to set the groundwork for creative play:
- Gather a bunch of objects that could combine to make an obstacle course and let the kids take it from there.
- Take kids to a local park with woods and let them make a fort out of sticks. Being surrounded by nature and hearing the forest can be both soothing and stimulating.
- Take children to a shoreline and go “treasure hunting” for shells and interesting rocks. Create a fun collage with the items found.
- Provide minimal props like chalk and a chalkboard to encourage school age children to pretend play “school,” with one child being the teacher and others being the school children.
- Provide paints and paper, clay, or beads and allow your children to create from their imagination.”
Since 2024, the United Nations General Assembly adopted June 11th as the International Day of Play. Their site says, “Global research surveying more than 25,000 children across 36 countries reveals that as many as 73% of children don’t believe adults take play – and how it can help them learn – seriously.” The Right to Play initiative has program information, research, and ideas to help integrate more play in your life.
Perhaps all the outdoor playing and pretending that we did as kids was more valuable than we knew. Imaginary school, cooking up “pies” from mud, and “treasure hunting” in the woods was a foundation that none of us knew we needed. If you have a kid and a pet, that seems to be a bonus for the fun factor, but don’t let that hold you back if not. I hope you’ll have some fun this summer.
If you need me, I’ll be on the porch enjoying a popsicle or watching fireworks from the bed of a pickup truck. Have some fun!
Barbaree Duke
Geospatial Crusader
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