Healing the Inner Child

Prompt: Do you play in your daily life? What says “playtime” to you?

We all know that things change as you grow from child to adult. As a child, your job is to play. Playing is how you learn and grow, it’s how you figure out the world. As an adult, we like to think that we have things figured out. And, maybe you can have things figured out at age 22. But I can say from experience that every time I think I have the world under my belt, something comes along to remind me that things aren’t always what I think they are. In my experience, figuring out life as an adult is a lot like figuring out the world as a child. Accept that you know nothing and then you’ll be open to learn everything.

In other words, I have no idea what I’m doing. And that’s okay. If you have been exposed to the world of TikTok and other modern social media, you may be familiar with the term “inner child”. We all have one, even if we’ve forgotten about it.

When I think of “play” I think of that inner child. I think of all those toys and experiences I wanted as a child but never got to have. Not to say that I had a rough childhood, I’m grateful to have experienced one full of loving support. But it pains me to say that I know that isn’t the case for everyone.

That inner child who lives within you, they’re just waiting for the chance to feel loved. And as an adult, you are capable of giving that to them. You can heal yourself. Now, I’m not gonna go into the deep topics of self healing and psychological work that often comes with healing your inner child because this prompt is about play. So we’re gonna keep it light hearted and fun.

Adults “are responsible for one-fourth of all toy sales annually, around $9 billion worth, and are the biggest driver of growth throughout the industry.”

Playtime, to me, is anything that heals my inner child, or inspires me to connect with my inner child in some way. Play is anything that inspires me to feel or to see life as I once did: full of color and possibility.

You know how the world used to seem so much more vibrant and interesting during childhood? The light was brighter, the wind was stronger, scary things were scarier and happy things were full of all encompassing joy.

I feel that child-like vibrancy when I decide to paint with my fingers instead of a brush. Or I walk around my backyard in bare feet. I feel that childlike wonder when I buy myself those toys I never had but always wanted. And I’ve realized that a lot of other people do too. There’s a free sort of joy that comes with acknowledging your old, unfulfilled desires. Sometimes you realize they never really go away.

“Playtime” to me is: finger painting, reading my old favorite books, scrolling through Pinterest and making boards, looking up old toys from the early 2000’s to see if I can get my hands on them, surfing the internet and following what piques my interest, dancing around my room to my favorite music, baking cookies from scratch, making art projects from fun prompts I find online, sculpting with clay, playing with playdough, doodling, redecorating my room, laughing with friends, getting lost in recreational research, organizing my art supplies, having conversations with myself, and simply enjoying myself without guilt.

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