Recreation, humor, and play not only feel good, but also do us good

We all benefit from relaxation, humor and play, and researchers are beginning to understand why.

Playfulness is built into our biology. Youngsters of many species—from cats and dogs to monkeys and chimpanzees—spend large amounts of time playing, and in the process they learn and grow.

For children, play is more than just a way of having fun. It’s also a way of experimenting and trying new things; of testing themselves and expanding their limits, of training muscles and developing minds. Play is also a way of learning how to live together, of learning how to compete and cooperate, to make friends and acquire social skills. Yes, play is fun, but for children it’s also an integral part of learning and growing.

Adults also benefit from play, and the many benefits are summarized nicely by the word recreation, or re-creation. With recreation and play we re-create, refresh, and revitalize ourselves. We speed our recovery from work and stress, reduce painful emotions such as anxiety and worry, and foster feelings of happiness and joy. No wonder recreation and play are so good for us both physically and emotionally.