We have all heard about getting in touch with our inner child. With stress levels at an all-time high and the economy weighing heavily on every one's mind, what better time to relive some of the things you loved as a child? Better yet, try out some new things you wish you had done as a child but did not.

Does the thought of indulging in what is normally considered child's play embarrass you? Here are some things you can try on your own with some relative privacy:

1. Buy a coloring book and crayons. Keep them tucked away in your desk at work or in your sock drawer at home. Bring out as needed to express your creativity and reduce your stress.

2. Keep some bubble gum in the same drawer. How big a bubble can you blow?

3. Sketch or doodle on whatever is handy. This is acceptable behavior, yes?

4. Go to the play ground after dark. Swing, slide, play in the sand bare foot.

5. Go to a funny animated movie. If you feel silly doing this alone, take along your favorite child.

6. Make a snow angel.

7. Collect toys. Play with them when no one is watching.

8. Collect children's books and read them when you're feeling down

9. Buy comedy movies--laugh out loud

Let's say you don't mind at all indulging your inner child in the presence of others. Try all of the above, and experiment as well with the following:

1. Watch Saturday morning cartoons

2. Take up ice-skating or in-line skating if you've never tried them.

3. Sing, whenever the urge hits you...maybe not in a work meeting, but you get the idea.

4. Build something with Lincoln Logs.

5. Ask for a chemistry set or a paint-by-the-numbers set for your birthday.

6. Experiment with Play Doh. Build something colorful.

7. Build a kite and take it for a test run.

8. Have a costume party just for the fun of it, whatever the time of year.

9. Buy a puppy.

10. Write and illustrate a children's book just for fun.

11. Buy a model car to put together

12. Buy remote-controlled cars or trucks to race

13. Buy a child's craft set and make something beautiful.

14. Wherever you go with a child, join in the fun. Kids canmake fun out of anything!

15. Make an elaborate toy train set-up in your basement

16. Buy a bubble-gum machine for your office

17. Collect dolls or vintage toys

18. Buy a fish tank and take really good care of it

Care to incorporate some child's play into your relationship or dating life? Here are some suggestions of things to try:

1. Go to a water park or carnival

2. Eat at Chucky Cheese's or Craigs Cruisers and try some of the games

3. Play basketball or miniature golf

4. Go skating

5. See a kid's movie together or make your own movie with a cam-corder

6. Attend a children's musical or play in your area

7. Go to Build-a-Bear and create something unique as a relationship memento or a gift to donate to charity.

8. Take a stroll through the zoo

If you have children, but are usually too busy to interact much as a family, designate one afternoon or evening a week as "Family Party Time."

1. Go sledding or skating in the winter; go swimming and build sand castles together in the summer. If you have a gym membership, go as a family.

2. Take up a hobby as a family: biking, your favorite sport, visiting museums, library trips, putting together puzzles, learning a new language

3. Cook together as a family. Have a build your own sundae night, build your own pizza, make your own huge club sandwich night, cookie baking afternoon

4. Have a craft hour together

5. Watch a family movie or play a board game

6. Build a family scrapbook together

7. Study the family history of a foreign country

8. Play tag or plant a family garden

9. Reorganize your family room

10. Go shopping together to purchase one new thing to do as a family

11. Take turns reading and discussing a book together

12. Volunteer in your community as a family to do something you love

13. Take on of your family times to sort unused things you own to donate to a chairty

14. "Adopt" a child over-seas or a family in your community to help have a happier holiday or a better life

15. Write letters to those in our armed forces

16. Put together a collection of home-made cards for every occasion and you'll always have one handy

17. Each of you can write a story about your family and put it together in a beautiful binder. Add to it several times a year. Include photos.

There are dozens of your own things to add to these lists, I am sure. But next time stress is laying heavily on your shoulders, play, have fun, let yourself enjoy being childlike again at regular intervals. You'll find it makes a positive difference in many areas of your life.

Karen Robinson-Chaffee 2008 All Rights Reserved