Activities for Relieving Stress

Childhood activities that help you relax

Many of us are under stress on a daily basis, and perhaps we have tried everything to relieve it without success. There is little doubt that an overt amount of stress has the ability to create havoc with our health, and unless we can do something about it, we are destined to live a lifetime with severe stress-related health problems. What is the answer? Before you ponder on that thought, ask yourself why children do not suffer from the levels of stress that adults do.

Stress and Children

One of the questions we should ask ourselves is why children do not suffer from stress like adults do. That doesn’t mean they have free of stress because they do have expectations in school that can create some stress, but in most cases, it is short-lived. Is there something our children do that prevents them from succumbing to the effects of stress on a lower scale than adults? What can we learn from watching our children? In order to answer those questions, we need to think back to our childhood and remember what we did then that we do not do now. 

Act Like a Child and Relieve Some Stress

Have you ever been under so much stress that you didn’t have any idea if you were going to be able to relax enough to go to sleep? It is during these moments of stress that you need to sit down, take a deep breath and forget the cares of the world. One of the best ways to do that is choose a childhood activity and run with it. Yes, you are a grown adult, and though it may sound silly, it actually does work. Children know how to have fun and enjoy life, something we have forgotten as adults.

If you think back to when your children were little, and you played with them, you will also recall how free you felt. In fact, having children gave you an excuse to play kids’ games without having to explain yourself. You could watch cartoons and tell everyone you were watching with the children. On the other hand, why do you have to pretend? Childlike activities are better stress relievers than all of the vitamins and tranquilizers in the world. Best of all, they are cheaper than taking a holiday away from everything!

Choosing an Activity

The activity you choose is not as important as it is to find something that helps you relax. Personally, I enjoy swinging on the swings, but that is an activity you can’t do all year. I also love watching cartoons, and I never pretend that I’m not doing it. It’s fun, it’s relaxing, and it doesn’t cost anything. If you have young children or grandchildren, you have the perfect way to relieve some of the stress of daily life while you enjoy time with the children at the same time.

Stress can be debilitating if you let it take over your life, so it’s essential to take some time to relax. If that means reliving your childhood by playing with children’s games, dolls, or playing in the park, then that is what you need to do. Children know how to have fun, and it’s time we took some lessons from them.

Childhood Games or Stress: Which Do You Choose?

The next time you feel stressed, go to the park and play on the swings or play with some toys cars or dolls—watch some cartoons to take your mind off your stress. If you can relieve stress by doing something childlike, you certainly have no need to hide it from other family members or friends. It is not important what activities you choose to relieve stress, but it IS important that you do SOMETHING.

Christine Perry