Poosh
There’s a version of you that existed before the group Slack chats and to-do lists, before filing taxes, renewing registrations, eating enough fiber, and the very adult habit of feeling guilty about doing nothing.
She was imaginative, unhurried, and genuinely delighted by small things like an amazing song, a late night with friends, and a s’more pulled off the fire at exactly the right moment (or even a little too late). Reconnecting with her isn’t just fun; it’s actually good for you.
Research suggests that playfulness is something adults can practice, not just something we lose after childhood. In one study, simple one-week exercises helped increase playfulness, support well-being, and reduce depressive symptoms. Consider this your permission slip to stop optimizing and start having a little more fun this summer.
Below, we share seven ideas to get you jumpstarted.
1. Have a sleepover.
No, not the kind where you stress-clean your apartment for three hours beforehand—the real kind. Think: blankets on the floor, pillow fort optional but encouraged, a movie you’ve already seen a hundred times queued up and ready. Wear the matching pajama set you’ve been saving. Order too much food. Light a candle. Let the night go a little later than it probably should.
Here, the snacks can really make it a moment.
The Unreal Peanut Butter Cup S’mores Kit consists of their bestselling dark chocolate peanut butter cup, beloved for its rich chocolate snap and creamy peanut butter core, sandwiched between two Partake classic grahams with a hint of cinnamon, alongside a Dandies fluffy vegan marshmallow for a treat that leans all the way into the theme.
It tastes just like the classic you grew up loving—gooey, crunchy, a little melty—but reimagined with a peanut butter twist and ingredients your current self can feel good about.
Set up a little s’mores station in your kitchen, living room, or backyard and let it be the thing everyone gathers around. Turns out you didn’t need to grow out of s’mores. You just needed better ones.
2. Take a nostalgic culinary adventure.
Food has a way of taking you somewhere. A specific flavor, a familiar smell, and suddenly you’re eight years old again at your grandmother’s kitchen table.
This summer, lean into that, put together a nostalgic snack board with friends, incorporating the classics, the throwbacks, the fun stuff you used to trade at lunch.
For ultimate convenience, Unreal’s Complete Variety Pack is an easy yes. Six bags of the candy classics like dark chocolate peanut butter cups, caramel peanut nougat bars, milk chocolate gems, and all made with real, fair trade ingredients and none of the artificial stuff. It hits every nostalgic note while actually being something you don’t have to feel guilty about.
Alternatively, pull out the family recipe box and actually make the thing you’ve been meaning to make for years. A recipe journal gives you a beautiful place to write it all down, with space for 85 recipes and room for notes, tips, and ratings. It’s the kind of thing that becomes a keepsake without trying.
3. Have a crafting night.
Creating with your hands has a way of bringing you back to your inner little-you. No screens, no scrolling,just you and whatever you’re making, whether it’s a friendship bracelet, a little clay pot or a candle.
The activity almost doesn’t matter. What matters is giving yourself unstructured time to be creative without any pressure for it to be good.
For the friendship bracelet moment, BaubleBar’s Bracelet Kit is a fun option. It’s the kind of thing that you open and then immediately dump everything out and leave your phone in the other room. Spread it around the table, and let everyone make something for someone else.
If physically shaping something is more your speed, Sculpd’s at-home kit makes it easy—no kiln, studio, or experience required. All you need is air-dry clay, sculpting tools, paint, and a desire to get your hands dirty while making a little vase, candle, or trinket dish.
4. Plan a field trip day.
Getting out of the routine that your parents or teachers set up for you always felt like such a novelty. That thrill is still available to you right now. Try stepping away from the schedule that work and society dictates.
Pick a local place you’ve never gotten around to visiting, like the museum you’ve driven past a hundred times, the state park that calls your name, or the historic neighborhood you’ve only heard about. Go on a weekday if you can swing it, and avoid the crowds.
Without an agenda or itinerary, just give yourself the permission to be curious and unhurried for a full day. Have fun learning things about yourself and getting out of your comfort zone, all while knowing there’s nowhere else you’re supposed to be.
5. Get outside and off social media.
Kids don’t need a reason to go outside; they just need to be there. The innate desire to connect with the earth is something we never really lose; we just forget. Recreate that energy with a loose, unplanned day outside. Take a hike, have a picnic with friends, play a yard game, or journal in the park.
The less you try to capture it by snapping tons of pics for your camera roll or Instagram stories, the more it lands. To make the phone-down part actually stick, try The Brick. It’s a small physical device that blocks your distracting apps until you physically return to it and tap back in.
6. Scrapbook your summer.
Give yourself a reason to print your photos this year. Snap the picnic, the road trip, the random Tuesday that turned into something, or the fleeting moments with your new niece. Then, spread everything out, and do something crafty, piecemeal, and totally individualized with it all. For a communal activity, invite your friends over to join the fun.
If scrapbooking isn’t a second language to you, a guide with prompts makes it easy. Start compiling your favorite snapshots, and think of what your future kids would want to see.
7. Try inner child journaling.
This one requires nothing but an hour to yourself, a journal, and a pen. Take some time to sit and write a letter to your younger self with prompts like: What made me happiest as a kid? What did I love doing just for fun? When did I feel most like myself?
Share what you’ve learned, what you’re proud of, what you wouldn’t believe you’d experienced, and what you wish you knew back then. It’s a surprisingly powerful exercise, and more than a little cathartic.
Your inner child is still in there, waiting for you to slow down a bit and connect with her again. This summer, try a little less optimizing, a little more being, more s’mores, more spontaneous sleepovers, more making things with your hands. Trust us, it’ll be as fun as you remember, if not more!
