My kitty, Rusty, turned 4 years old in April. You can read our story on his page. He has always been a sweet boy, but I noticed he was sleeping more than usual. Catnaps are normal, with most cats taking between 12 to 20 naps a day!
But somehow he seemed more lethargic, maybe even depressed. After some thought, I realized that as my attention to writing had increased, our interactions had decreased. Time for action!
I retrieved one of his favorite toys from underneath the bookcase; I pulled out his hairbrush, grabbed the treat jar, and shut down my computer.
It was time to play!
Amazingly, after a round of chasing, a good brushing, and a couple of treats, zoomies followed by cuddles resumed, and my sweet kitty was back to his old self. Play has become an important part of our routine.
Perhaps you have also neglected play in your day. According to the National Institute for Play, all mammals play, and it is an essential part of our development and mental well-being. In fact, eliminating or limiting play for children can have dire consequences such as personality instability and tendencies towards antisocial behavior. Even as adults, our mental health can suffer without play. (Yes, there’s a whole science behind it!)
The NIFP has done extensive research on the types and value of play, and it names 10 types of play. We are all naturally drawn to certain types of play that are important for our unique development and mental stability.
Here are some ways I compared their types of play to my experience with Rusty:
- Engage with someone,
- be active,
- reward yourself with a treat,
- try something new to get out of your routine, and
- make play a part of your everyday self-care plan.
Over in the Mindful Caravan, check out Rusty’s Advice on Play. Teawater, with Rusty as a consultant, helped us translate the NIFP’s 10 types of play with human and feline (or canine) examples of each. I hope you pop over for some great ideas to learn what play style you like best.
There are so many ways to add fun and self-care to your day. Recently I wrote about the benefits of reminiscing for our mental health. If you missed it you can read it here. I decided to combine creative play with memories by producing a Blast From The Past slideshow. Have a look and see how many of my memories you share!
🐱 Please note: The feature links are to a page. Often, but not always, I place new features at the top. You might need to take a little scroll to find the features mentioned here. Enjoy the journey; you may just discover the perfect encouragement your playful spirit needs! 🐶
Happy Playing!
“A cheerful heart does good like medicine, but a broken spirit makes one sick.” Proverbs 17:22
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