Learning through adventure & play

It was early one Saturday morning and the forecast was cloudy with a chance of thunderstorms. We had plans to go to an outdoor Adventure Park that afternoon. We were going to participate in a fun ropes course that was going to test our patience, confidence and perseverance. There would be balancing, climbing and zip lining oh my!

The kids and adults were all in for 3 hours of fun, but the weather forecast was making us reconsider.

Should we postpone?

Should we plan for rain and dress accordingly?

Should we just cancel?

We all went back and forth for a bit trying to make the best decision. We landed on taking our chances and going to the park. We packed up our bags with extra clothes and set out to have a fun time. Even though the ropes course was challenging and there was some crying and bickering along the way, fun was had by all. The storms held out and the weather turned out beautifully. By the end of the day, 3 hours turned into 5, fears were faced, patience was tested, and memories were made that we are still talking about until this day.

Why do I share this story? Well, because I learned a few valuable lessons from it that apply to our every day lives as well:

• Play is just as magical for adults as it is for kids. More and more scientific studies are showing that we have a right and a need for play to keep us creative, energetic and motivated.
• There are opportunities for skills building everywhere we look, even when we are playing and having fun. This experience taught us effective communication, problem solving and coaching skills. It also built our confidence, endurance, empathy and determination muscles.
• Taking chances and trusting we'll figure things out if they don't go as planned are worthwhile skills to sharpen. It creates meaningful experiences, tons of fun, and challenging adventures.
• Resting is just as valuable as play. Integrating the two into our daily lives with a dose of meaningful work makes for a life well lived.

How do you integrate play and adventure into your life? What have you learned from those experiences? Please share in the comments. Let's give each other some additional ideas.