Why Playtime with Kids Can Boost Your Own Health

It has been reiterated time and time again how important play is for children. By play here, we mean going outside and enjoying physical activities, or having mental activities that don’t necessarily involve the computer, tablets or other mobile devices.

However, playtime is not just a kid’s thing. Did you know that parents who spend time with their kids don’t just help with their child’s growth and development, but also benefit from these activities? Yes, by enjoying a few hours playing with your kids, you are also boosting your own health.

Here are four reasons why playing with your kids can help you become healthier:

1.       Playtime can help you relieve stress

With our daily routine of looking after the kids, doing the household chores and going to work, it’s no surprise that many parents barely find time to relax. But what we may not realise is that, playtime is the perfect way to relieve stress.

So instead of making stress as an excuse to not play with the little ones, make this the very reason to have fun with them. Why not set a weekend to help them build their soccer playground in your backyard and start your own mini-tournament? Perhaps go for a bike ride around the neighbourhood, or spend a few minutes playing tag outdoors. These and all other activities – big and small – can help you unwind and forget about the things that stress you.

2.       Games can help you become physically active

Running around the backyard, climbing up the playhouse and swinging the tennis racquet can help you stretch and tone your muscles. It may cause some pains at the start (especially if you’re not used to being so active), but it will eventually train your body and encourage you to become more active. And we all know that being physically active can promote health in more ways than one. This means getting some exercise without even having to sign up for a membership at the gym!

3.       Mental activities can improve your memory and brain function

Who doesn’t love puzzles? Or an afternoon game of scrabble? Both children and adults love memory games and mental challenges, so this should be on your must-do activities with the kids. It does not only promote brain development in children; for adults, it also helps improve memory, focus and brain function.

Don’t have a scrabble or puzzle board? Simple games that tickle the brain – such as adding the number of vegetables in your kitchen, listing random numbers and rounding them off, or multiplying the dates of your birthdays can be just as fun.

4.       It develops your bond and improves your social skills

Spending time with the kids will ultimately strengthen parent-child bond, which will prove to be important as the years go by. But other than just having a great relationship with family members, your time together can help improve not only your child's social skills, but as well as yours and the way you interact with other people, whether at work or in your local community.

So while we’ve always been told that we, parents, are our children’s first teachers, we often fail to recognise that our kids can also be our teachers. With their youth and love for life, they teach us how to have fun and find balance in life.