TRENDS: Games for kids and grown-ups

Playing and having fun is just as important for grown-ups as it is for kids. Discover on Design Italy a wide range of playful design items and take the time to relax and have fun even if you're not a kid anymore.

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, says the old English adage.

We all know that fun and creativity are hugely important parts of life and that playing is key to developing the mind, especially in the early years. When playing, children use their imaginations, invent stories and games, and learn to relate to others and to the world around them.

Yet having fun is equally as important for grown-ups, with playing and leisure activities taking on a variety of different forms as we age. Whether adults play board games, card games, party games, foosball or table tennis, participate in team or individual sports, put together puzzles, paint, or dedicate time to other hobbies, these activities develop creativity and often replicate real-life dynamics, proving to be valuable for personal and professional success.

Donald Winnicott – who was a famous British pediatrician and psychoanalyst – wrote the revolutionary book Playing and Reality (Tavistock Publications, 1971) regarding the origins of creativity. His book inspired companies, including Italian housewares and kitchen utensil company Alessi, to produce everyday objects with a playful spirit. Because when useful things are combined with more expressive elements, they instantly become more attractive. They remove the mundane from life and help us to see things with a brighter, more joyful outlook.

Design Italy invites you to be playful. Free time spent well helps us to relax, unwind after long days, forge team spirit, cement friendships, and definitely prevents us from becoming dull like Jack.