In the midst of a busy life it's easy to overlook how important play is.
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It comes naturally for children, but not as naturally for parents, caregivers and adults who also need play in their lives.
Ballarat play therapist and Deakin University lecturer in play Bridget Sarah said play had benefits for children and adults.
"It may change form over time but its importance for emotional wellness never diminishes," Ms Sarah said.
"As adults, we may forget how to be playful, and dominating a child's play can decrease the child's sense of empowerment.
"We haven't inherently lost the ability to play, but the way we and our children engage in play has evolved with our busy lifestyles."
Ms Sarah said expensive toys were not necessary to provide quality play.
"Parents don't need to be going out and spending money to give children quality playful experiences," she said.
Instead, try things like:
- Building a cubby at home out of bed sheets and the couch,
- Allow children to direct the play,
- Going for a walk around the block to collect natural resources,
- Using items from the recycling bin to make a toy,
- Playing 'people games' like tickling, rough and tumble play, hide and seek, sing nursery rhymes with actions,
- Include a favourite doll or teddy in the daily life of the family - having them sit up for meals, go on outings etc,
- Play board games with older children,
- Doing craft activities together
- Getting involved in sport or doing active things together like kicking a ball or going for a family bike ride,
- Toast marshmallows in the back yard and tell stories
"Your relationship and engagement with a child is always more important than the toys, resources and materials," she said. "Often parents can get caught in that bombardment, the advertising telling us about all the things we need to be doing a good job with our children ... but they don't need much at all," Ms Sarah said.
"With any one play idea or activity, children are learning and developing in so many different ways."
And adults engaging in play with children helps build deeper relationships.
Ms Sarah said play was not just about fun, it was essential to developing skills, language and to a person's physical, emotional, social and spiritual wellbeing.
A renewed focus on the importance of play has led to the United Nations declaring Tuesday June 11 as International Day of Play.
An increasing number of schools and early childhood centres are adopting play-based learning particularly in younger year levels.
"Play supports physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development as well as our emotional health and well-being," said Deakin University school of health and social development's Associate Professor of Play Therapy Judi Parson.
"It enhances our quality of life, mental health, and cognitive abilities, including critical thinking skills, creativity, and counterfactual thinking.
'In a world where anxiety and depression rates are increasing, play offers a counteractive influence by fostering positive emotions."
Dr Parson said rich childhood play helped contribute to adaptability and stress coping skills in adulthood.
Ms Sarah said it was fine for parents to allow children to be bored and entertain themselves.
"Children can whinge and say 'I'm bored' and it's ok for children to have idle time because during that idle time they are free to use their creativity and problem solving to generate ideas. We don't always have to be providing that scaffolding of activities."
She said technology and devices had a place in children's time but there should be a focus on also providing other ways children can engage with the world around them and play.
"It's about promoting a mix of experiences," she said.
For adults, play is also important despite the fact many adults say they don't have time to play.
"I don't think adults forget how to play but it changes how it looks over time," Ms Sarah said. "We can lose touch with out playful self in adulthood ... when different things start to take priority
"Adults should still play ... but what is play for one person is different for another person ... but it's anything that brings an adult or child that sense of joy and fun."
