Twice a year at my high school, our school hosts a “Play Day” in which activities are set up all around the school and students are given the freedom to let loose and enjoy their time outside of class. While many might see this as a childish waste of time, the reality is that it is one way that our school goes about improving our mental health and promoting the importance of play. 

As people grow up, there is a stigma that it is immature and that there is no time nor need to have fun. While it might be true that our time to engage in these activities are lessened as we grow busier schedules, the idea that we “don’t need to have fun” is completely false. By cutting off sources that can stimulate amusement and joy within ourselves, we are fully immersing ourselves in a state of constant stress. This ultimately leads to a great decline in our mental health as these feelings of pressure start building up within us, yet we have no place where we can release them. This is where the element of play comes in and why it is so crucial that we incorporate it into our everyday lives. By engaging with play after a stressful period of time, it acts as a positive outlet where we can let these feelings go and collect ourselves before coming back to whatever needs to be done. And by coming back with a fresh mindset, we are able to act even more efficiently because our actions mirror our internal feelings.

Contrary to what it seems, the “Play Day” at my school is more than just doing chalk art and blowing bubbles. Instead, it is a helpful way that our school goes about to take our minds off of the stress of any finals, tests, or exams and stimulate a positive mindset that we can then take to effectively apply to ourselves.