“Mommy,” she asked one morning at breakfast. “When is Friday Fun Day?”
“It’s the day after pre-ballet. So only two days away.”
Clapping, she did a little dance in her chair. “Yay!”
As a preschooler, my daughter bubbled over with joy and delight at most everything. She brightened my days, made me laugh, and challenged me to live in the moment—with her.
When she grew old enough for four-day preschool, I dubbed Fridays as special: Friday Fun Day. It involved us going somewhere fun like a playground or park or inviting her cousins over to play.
Often we would visit her grandparents in their small town about an hour away. We loved being with Nana and Papa because they spoiled us both.
My daughter’s all grown up now and has been for several years, but lately I’ve been thinking about all those FFDs. It was a day that we both looked forward to, a day to do something outside our ordinary schedule that I knew we would enjoy.
Studies show that, for adults, having fun helps improve mental health, decrease stress, build community, increase creativity, and spark life-long learning. Who doesn’t want all that?
But for me, fun is just fun. And I want to have more of it.
So I’m planning to implement the Friday Fun Day tradition in my life again. What might that look like for me? It could be exploring a nearby town with Mart or a friend, going to vintage and antique stores that inspire me, or trying out a new coffee shop with really good tea (and maybe a scone).
What about you? When is the last time you had fun? What would it take to mark off one day a week to have fun, to do something that you enjoy? Even if only for a few hours.
As these last few days of summer give way to fall, think about what Friday Fun Day might look like for you. As temperatures turn cooler, maybe you’ll want to be outside more—planting bulbs for the spring or trying a new walking trail. Maybe there’s a museum or historical site you’d like to visit. Or a new hobby you’d like to try.
If Friday is a workday for you, you might need to be more creative about when you could add something fun to your schedule. Maybe you could splurge on a special coffee drink before work, eat lunch outside instead of at your desk, check out a new shop on your way home, meet friends for dinner, or take an evening dance class.
These are just a few ideas to get you started.
So what do you say? Why not pick a date—whether a Friday or any day—to have some fun? If you’re like me, making a plan, even if it’s simple, and putting it on your calendar or planner is the best way to insure that you follow through.
Because having fun is worth it.
Here’s to Friday Fun Days for us all.
You know I want to know about the fun you’re having so I can enjoy it vicariously, so tell me in an email or leave a comment below. And I just might add your idea or experience to an upcoming blog post. Wouldn’t that be fun?
Photos in this post courtesy of Unsplash.
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