Why  is play important?  Why is happiness important? They are the same question to me.

If we talk about kids, most would agree it is necessary for children to play.  It plays a significant role in how they develop socially, their physical well being, and cognitive development.  But why is it just good for kids?  Play is just as important for adults in my opinion.

What are the benefits of play?  Once I learned how to play, there was an avalanche of benefits.  Of course, there is the fun and joy that I often get from play and I am always happy to have more of that in my day.

I had greater sense of relaxation in my life because play helps me shake off stress.  Peace.  Yes peace.  When I have strong emotions, art play helps me let them out to process those feelings leaving me with a sense of peace instead of turmoil. But to get all these benefits I had to be able to play.

Play time is also practice and explore time with techniques.  It was through play that I taught myself 
 So when I started relearning how to play I had a few big questions.  Exactly how much time do you need to play?  Exactly what supplies did I need for play?  Exactly what finished project must I create for it to be play?  Exactly how do I feel all sunshine and lollipops when I play?

You can probably hear the freaked out adult talking there.  At first, relearning play freaked me out (at least the grown up part).  Along the way, I found the answers to all of these questions.

• Exactly how much time do you need to play?  Whatever time you have is perfect.  5 minutes? Perfect!  30 minutes? Perfect!
• Exactly what supplies did I need for play?  Anything you have around you is perfect.  Play has nothing to do with the supplies.
• Exactly what finished project must I create for it to be play?   There doesn’t have to be a finished project EVER when you play.  The goal of play is to play.  Anytime there is a finished project, it is a BONUS.
• Exactly how should I feel when I play?  Should it be all sunshine and lollipops the whole time?  Play isn’t always happy.  The whole spectrum of emotions have shown up for me when I play because sometimes I am processing feelings that aren’t always happy.  I prefer happy, but sometimes I need to process shadow feelings while playing.

How do you embrace play?  There is no “exactly” how to do it. Taking a line from Pirates of the Caribbean…it’s more like guidelines.  Each month during 2016, I am going to be focusing on one of the ways I use to embrace play.   Every Tuesday of that month, I’ll share with you a different way I interpret that month’s theme/challenge.

I’d love for you to share your play when you’re ready in the weekly link party, because when others see that you’re playing it encourages them to let themselves play.  It’s the best kind of contagious!  Everyone, no matter where you are on your creative journey inspires everyone else.  Truly!  To share whatever you’re creating whether it is from the monthly challenge or not, just use inLinkz below from Flickr, Instagram, your blog, G+, or you upload directly.  If you’re new to link parties, you can find out how they work as well as technical help here.

Giveaways!  In celebration of the play, each month, one randomly selected winner will receive a $50 gift certificate for their play.  Want to win?  Link up your play using inLinkz below (you get a bonus entry in the giveaway every time you link up in inLinkz- limit 3 per week please) or you can leave a comment telling something that  you liked about one of the photos shared.  Each month, random.org will pick one lucky person from all of that month’s link ups and comments.  Winner will be announced on the first Tuesday of the following month.

The January theme/challenge is to use something that would have been thrown away.  I’m using junk mail…or more specifically, the envelopes that come in junk mail (and a few from bills too).

How will this help me play?  It takes the pressure off that I will ruin something important or precious.  It’s junk mail that gets thrown out all the time!

Watch Rediscover Ways to Play in a Monthly Challenge on YouTube.

Supplies Used: Mixed Media Mail stencil and Mini Blade.

This month’s giveaway is a $50 gift certificate to Dick Blick!  Link up what you’re creating (and you get a bonus entry into the giveaway for sharing your play) or leave a comment telling something that you liked about one of the photos shared. One comment per person.  Giveaway closes Sunday, Jan 31st at Midnight PST and will be announced the following Tuesday.

This post is just one of many Let’s Play link parties and each one has a video all about creative art play!  Click here for a list of them all and the most recent one will be at the top of the list so you can jump right in and share what you’ve been creating!

[inlinkz_linkup id=595422 mode=1]

This post is just one of many Let’s Play link parties and each one has a video all about creative art play!  Click here for a list of them all and the most recent one will be at the top of the list so you can jump right in and share what you’ve been creating!

Link up etiquette  

• If you see something you like, leave a comment on their photo or blog post and show some love – let them know they inspired you! 
• Share your recent play (any form of creativity is welcome) that hasn’t been linked up to a Let’s Play before ( limit 3 per week please)
• Add a link back to to this post so that others can find it, be sparked, and join the fun!
• New link party begins each Tuesday 
• Enter the giveaway for the $50 gift certificate by linking up (and you get a bonus chance for sharing your fun) or by leaving a comment telling something you liked about one of the photos shared in the link party. One comment per person on this week’s blog post.  The winner will be announced on the first Tuesday of the following month. You can find all the details about Let’s Play here.

You can upload a photo or use a URL or Instagram.  Not sure how to find a URL or link up? Check out this page of Let’s Play FAQs.

Want to put the button your blog? Just copy all of the the code from under the button.

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You just never know who will show up when you play with paints.  These 3 characters are peeled paint.  Yes, paint I randomly peeled off of a very messy paint palette.  I was the kid in school who liked to pull glue off my hands…

As I pulled the paint up, I did not try to make any shapes let alone characters…but when crazy friends come over to play, I always open the door to welcome them!  I see the 3 Musketeers in this, ready to bring color and play into 2016!

Thank you for being a part of 2015 and wishing you a magical 2016 full of color and  joy!

As always…thinking about the coming year gets me looking back at the previous year.  Here are some of my favorite favorite Instagram posts from 2015! Click on any of them to see it on Instagram.  Want to see what will happen on this colorful journey in 2016? Hit that follow button!