Did you know that summer officially begins this Friday with the Summer solstice?

You may be feeling it already — sunlight feels more generous, schedules shift, and the world seems full of invitations to play and have fun.

And yet, play often gets labeled as 'childish' or a 'waste of time' in the face of our “real” responsibilities to be productive.

This week, we’ll be talking all about play, why it’s important, and how to embrace it this summer (and beyond)! 

Dr. Stuart Brown, the founder of the National Institute for Play, says play is time spent without purpose — a state of being that is fun and pleasurable, that lifts you out of time. This week, we’ll practice that by remembering how to play.

We all have our own unique way of playing, even if we have lost track of it in all of our adult responsibilities. 

If you’re feeling disconnected from play, don’t worry! In this post we have lots of ideas to help you reconnect with your own personal practice of play, plus practical tips to incorporate it into your life. 

Play Challenge #1:

🧩 Think of one thing you used to love doing just because. No outcome, no goal. Could you make space for even five minutes of that today?

🛝 Bonus: What's your Play Personality? Take this short quiz to find out.

Why Play Matters

Play can be an important source of both relaxation and stimulation for adults.

Research shows that play relieves stress, fuels creativity and problem-solving abilities, and facilitates happiness and well-being. 

Play can also be a vessel for meaning.

When we play in ways that align with our values, we create more harmony between our inner worlds and our outer actions. Joy often becomes deeper when it's connected to our purpose. 

With all of these benefits, our challenge for you this week is to consider play as a vital life force on par with nutrition, sleep, movement, and connection with ourselves and others.

Pick one value you hold, and do something joyful to honor it today so you can put your values in motion.

Play Challenge #2

🧩 Pick one value today — such as creativity, friendship, kindness, or freedom — and do something joyful to honor it: take a silly or weird photo, make a 30-second poem to send to a friend, or rework your schedule to have a few more moments of freedom and unstructured time.

Practical Ways to Play

The truth is, with the way many of our lives are structured… reintroducing play into your life can take work. 

It may require you to step outside of your comfort zone, and let go of what you think you "should" be doing instead.

Once we remove some of these barriers and limitations, then we can truly experience all the benefits of play.

One important point: play doesn’t require extra time or money — just permission.

You can build wonder right into your day as it stands. Try a photo walk and capture five things that make you smile, or take a new route just for the thrill of detouring.

These small breaks from routine create the kind of mental space that we all crave.

You can schedule play into your day and allow yourself unstructured time purely for the joy of it. But if you don’t have time for that, you can also adopt a playful spirit as you engage with everyday activities — and try to indulge in the small things that bring you joy.

Play Challenge #3

🧩 Name one way you can nourish your spirit today — even if it looks like “doing nothing.”

✨ Need more ideas? Here are more sources of play: going on an "Artist Date", exploring positive childhood memories, getting outside into nature, picking up a new hobby you always wanted to try.

Playing in Community

In addition to our own well-being and personal growth, play can also increase our skills in empathy and communication, and improve our relationships.

In a time when loneliness is on the rise and so much of our interaction happens through screens, play gives us a real, in-the-moment way to feel seen and connected. 

Whether it’s laughing over a game, dancing with friends, or even just being silly together, these moments matter.

They remind us that we’re not alone — and that joy is something we can co-create. 

For today’s challenge, we invite you to bring someone else into your practice of play! Can you think of someone you know who would benefit from a shared laugh or moment of joy?

Play Challenge #4

🧩 Find a way to playfully connect with others around you, whether it’s a loved one, a coworker, or a fellow focused space member!

💞 Don't forget: play connects us to one another

Playful Reflection

In the midst of all our responsibilities and the state of the world, play can feel irrelevant — but it's more needed than ever. Play helps us stay human.

Here's a question you can ask yourself: do you find it hard to play, or is it something that comes naturally to you?

We’d love to leave you with this: Play isn’t something to earn. It’s something to live.

This summer, don’t work towards play. Live through it.

Our Final Play Challenge

🧩 Design a personal “play ritual” for the summer — five minutes a day, or one hour a week — whatever feels real and right for you.

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We hope our theme this week helped you discover new ways to incorporate play into your life!

P.S. If you could use help accomplishing your goals this month with support from our amazing community, please join us at one of our live guided work sessions, or morning planning sessions!

Take care,

— Kaila, focused space host