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Brett and Kate McKay<br />

There’s definitely an aspect of play with video games, but for the sake of<br />

stretching yourself today, pick something a little more creative and openended.<br />

Play a pick-up game of basketball with your friends, a board game<br />

with your wife, or a game of catch with your kid. Jam on your guitar or dust<br />

off your skateboard. Take a hike or ride your bike.<br />

Do something that society says you’re too old for, but you know deep<br />

down absolutely still gives you joy. Make a slingshot; play with fireworks;<br />

build and fly a paper airplane; play table football; skip a stone; fly a kite.<br />

Keep in mind that some of the best play involves novelty, curiosity, and<br />

most of all, exploration, whether of the limits of your body, new physical<br />

locations, or the corners of your mind.<br />

Remember, the purpose of play can’t be more important than the pleasure<br />

you get from it. So you can go for a run, but you can’t bring a watch or<br />

try to set a new PR. And you can tinker in the garage, but not because you<br />

need to check changing your car’s oil off your to-do list. It must be something<br />

that you’re doing simply for the fun of it.<br />

For ideas about what to do for play, Dr. Brown recommends thinking<br />

back to your fondest childhood memory of play and linking that memory<br />

back to your present life. For example, if you used to love tag and kickball<br />

then go play a pick-up game of some sport. And if you used to love being<br />

read to at night, then read to your kid. If your favorite thing to do as a<br />

kid was climb trees, go scramble over some rocks. If you used to endlessly<br />

tinker with an erector set, work on a craft.<br />

But of course don’t overthink this task too much; it’s play after all! Just<br />

think about something that sounds fun and do it.<br />

Finally, while today’s task it to set aside time for play, you should ideally<br />

strive to make play an integrated part of your everyday life.<br />

Now go play!<br />

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