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10 Great Ways to Find Your Inner Child

Remember those carefree days of running around in the park with your friends, swinging on swing sets and playing kickball? Remember snow cones and catching fireflies at dusk? Remember when the biggest worry in your life was which flavor of ice cream to eat? Well, even though those times might seem far-gone, just being able to revisit your inner child can do wonders for finding your good mood.

I’ve put together this list of things you can do to rediscover your youthfulness and get back in touch with your inner child.
 

1. Watch a Kids’ Movie – Whether it’s a new film just for youngsters or a classic film from your childhood, watching something lighthearted and fun with animated animals could be just the recipe for feeling like a kid again.
2. Draw a Picture – It doesn’t matter what you draw, just put pencil to paper and doodle. Draw with reckless abandon, because this exercise is just for you to feel youthful, not to be an artist. Don’t worry if it doesn’t look realistic or “right,” just have fun! (You can even put it up on your refrigerator when you’re done.)
3. Write a Story – All you have to do is start with the words “once upon a time,” and you’re on your way. It doesn’t matter how long it is or even if no one else ever reads it, just so long as you write the story you want to tell. Who knows, you might even like writing so much that you could end up writing a whole novel.
4. Make up a Game – There are a lot of fun board games out there, and you can always play some fun games with cards, but remember how much fun you had making up a game with your friends? There’s no reason you can’t do the same thing now. Just establish some simple rules, and the consequences of breaking them. The sillier, the better.
5. Start a Photo Scavenger Hunt – Get a group of friends together and prepare a list of things to find around town in a scavenger hunt. They can be as simple as “a brown dog” or as odd as “a misspelled sign.” Take pictures with a digital camera and award the winner by treating them to dinner.
6. Go to the Park – Whether you live in an urban or rural area, chances are likely that there is a spot away from the hustle and bustle of your hectic life that involves grass, trees and the sounds of laughing children. It’s nice to just sit and enjoy the outdoors, or if you are feeling adventurous, go exploring for a park you’ve never been to.
7. Go Camping – I love the outdoors, personally, and it always humbles me to have a couple of days to do nothing but get back in touch with nature on a camping trip. Looking at Mother Nature’s glory in your adulthood can really rekindle the spirit of youthful discovery.
8. Make up your own Mad-Libs – Remember how fun and ridiculous it was to insert crazy words into a story and laugh until your belly hurt? You don’t need a book of Mad-Libs to have fun, just write your own. Share with your kids or friends and let those chuckles take you back.
9. Go to the Zoo – Recently, I went to DC’s National Zoo and saw some of the most interesting and lively animals in the world. Seeing these beasts from all over the world really let me see animals in a new light. It’s amazing how much animals really are like humans. With lots of families around, it was also fun to see kids and parents discovering wildlife together in a carefree and youthful way.
10. Hang out with Kids – Whether you’ve got your own kids, or if you have friends with children, just being around kids can make finding your own inner child a lot easier. Children have a fresh look on things, and sometimes when we get in bad moods it is because we are so jaded with the world around us. Experiencing life through the eyes of a child can really do wonders for naturally rediscovering a good mood.

What are some of your favorite ways to feel like a kid again? Let me know in the comments section.