“Can you play with me?” This is what we hear from children all the time. They have the amazing ability to have fun and use their imagination to create something out of nothing. Give them a cardboard box and they will build a house. Give them crayons and they will draw a picture with-out hesitation. The energy, spirit and curiosity of a child is what I aim to bring to the Art Table every week. When we give each other permission to play, magical things can happen!

As adults we tend to forget that part of ourselves because we don’t place an importance on it. The truth is, play is essential to our well being. It stim-ulates our mind, boosts our creativity, reduces stress, regulates our emotions and cultivates a deeper connection to ourselves. The process en-gages our mind to the present moment, finding fun and pleasure in the process.

Every week in our Art Therapy group, we experi-ment with different art materials and techniques. Sometimes, we will play with unusual art supplies such as bubble wrap, foil, sugar or shaving cream. Other times, we learn different techniques such as paper weaving, water color resist, and scratch art. There are endless possibilities when we em-brace our inner child to experience the joy and laughter of the creative process.

Play is the purest expression of love and when we’re able to let our guards down in front of each other, deeper and more meaningful connections are created. Remember, you have every right to enjoy yourself and have fun no matter what age you are!
“We don’t stop playing because we’re old, we grow old because we stop playing” – George Bernard Shaw

~ by Erica Pang, Art Therapist