The rise of the KIDULT!

Just lately, life all got quite serious, quite quickly.

With the heavy focus on work and family commitments, coupled with skyrocketing stress and worry, it’s not surprising that play time has become almost obsolete.

Even before lockdown, the chances are that most of us were already tipping the scales of ‘play deprivation’ (such is the modern way), but this latest blow by the fun police threatens some fairly significant repercussions.

The spotlight, in particular, is shining on the mental health side effects of our increasingly digitalised down time, and the distinct lack of unstructured fun in our everyday lives. What's missing, specifically, is the kind of fun we likely enjoyed as children, but which all but dissipated with every advancing year.

With 72 per cent of grown-ups admitting playing makes them happier, there’s now a case more than ever for making more time for games, puzzles and other bygone pastimes.

These represent an important and widely untapped source of relaxation and stimulation, helping us to reclaim the playful natures (and related wellbeing benefits) that are lost to our detriment.

It’s within all of our capacities to get this quality back, with the advice being to try and remember first of all, what you loved doing most as a child, as develop ideas from there. 

In light of this, it’s good timing that the makers of the infamous retro Pass the Pigs game have just launched an adult/ garden size version to help us grown ups tap back into the joyful pig hurling abandon of our childhoods.

Pass the Pigs is, of course, just one example of the kind of social, light hearted games we might all do well to throw ourselves into over the coming summer months.

For facilitating relaxation and strengthening social bonds, there’s certainly nothing to lose… even if you don’t win!