My daughter is fond of telling me, “You are such a 5-year-old,” when I do something silly to tease her. I know she’s playing; and really, I take it as a compliment. So, I just smile and do something else to confirm her accusation, even if it’s telling a “dad joke.” It’s a short example of verbal playfulness. And really, what’s so bad about verbal playfulness? Nothing. Play of all kinds has great benefits for us as individuals, couples, families, and communities. In fact, Peter Gray, a research professor at Boston College, suggests that play makes us human. What better way to “become human” than by doing something we truly enjoy, like playing?

Play refreshes our minds and our bodies. Play alters our awareness for a period of time, giving us a short respite from the stress of everyday life. Play draws us together, building bonds of attachment that increase our ability to resolve differences when they arise.

Play helps children learn their physical limits and so increases their sense of safety. Play allows adults to maintain healthier physical and cognitive abilities. Play also allows children (and adults) to take risks, learning not only their limits but their abilities; and that can decrease anxiety. Running, jumping, climbing, and getting messy means learning to bravely face challenges beyond the safety of the couch and screen.

Play allows us to “try on” different social roles and emotions. We can learn which roles we enjoy and which we do not. We increase our ability to manage emotions by enacting them in play. And we resolve troubling emotions by reenacting them in play.

With that in mind, maybe we need to play more often with our children and our family. We can play with words through jokes, puns, word puzzles, gentle teasing (at appropriate times). We might even enjoy playful poetry and playful storytelling.

We can play together mentally by solving puzzles and riddles, completing jigsaw puzzles together, or playing strategic board games.

We can play physically through a variety of ways that I’m sure you already enjoy—sports, catch, skating, bike riding, wrestling, dancing…add your favorite to the list.

Most importantly, we can play together. We can imagine together, role play together, envision together, laugh together.

Overall, when we play as a family, we will grow more intimate in our relationship with one another. Our bonds will deepen and we will grow, not only as individuals but as a family. We will become better communicators and more empathetic. We will, as Peter Gray said, become more human.