games

Managing Stress Through Enjoyable Games

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Stress is the opposite of relaxation. It is not limited to the negative aspects of our lives. Even the most positive events such as: promotion, jubilation, the birth of a newborn, and the union of marriage, can be very stressful. Thankfully, there are enjoyable games in which you can experiment to relieve you of your stress.

Say Goodbye to Stress in a Flash

From shooting cows falling from the sky to fun word games, the possibilities are seemingly endless with Flash games available on the Internet today. There are thousands for flash games to relieve your stress and most are free to play.

The best way for you to fill your anti-stress game collection is by doing few simple searches for “Flash Games” or “Free Flash Games” and saving these sites in your bookmark folder. The next time you feel the urge to play, it will be easy as pie. Just look into some of your bookmarked Flash games and you’re ready to go.

To Connect or Not to Connect

If you do not want to connect to the Internet, there are a few built-in games that Microsoft Windows had included in their operating system. Solitaire, Minesweeper, Pinball, FreeCell, and Hearts are great ways to relieve you stress. These games do not require search engines or bookmarks and they are accessible anytime at your own disposal.

If you get tired of those games, several Internet sites offer computer games that are free time-trial versions. These games are normally shareware and may take a few minutes to download depending on your Internet connection. The variety of these computer games is virtually endless. You can choose from Puzzle Games, Word Games, Action Games, Shooting Games, Racing Games and many more.

The advantage of computer games downloaded from the Internet is that once you install them, they do not require Internet connection to play. Additionally, by the time your free trial is over, you have the option to either purchase the game or uninstall it to completely erase it from your computer by using the uninstaller included in the game.

In the world of Internet gaming, there are also several different online games called MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game). They combine enjoyable gaming experience and player interaction. This is a good stress reliever for the extroverts and some of them offer free registration and play. A few hours of monster-bashing and strategic questing will surely lessen the stress that you feel.

Why Online If You Can Go Offline

If you are sitting all day at a computer, or if the stress you are feeling comes from the computer, sometimes the best way is to get up and just walk away. Poor Internet connection and computer crashes can become sources of stress too. There are games that are fun, enjoyable and will not only relieve your stress but also stretch you brain muscles.

Get a deck of cards and play a quick game of solitaire the old-fashioned way. You might also consider purchasing a book about Solitaire Games or Card Games along with your deck. There are several books published for Solitaire-loving players and offers hundreds of game variations.

If you have a Slinky, use it and bounce it back and forth from hand to hand to put you focus on the toy and feel the stress and problems slip away. Playing darts can also be a good stress reliever. Hitting a target or even targeting a photo of someone or something that caused your stress can reduce the stress that you feel. Just make sure that you clear other furniture from the vicinity because damaging them may add to your stress.

Brain exercises will not only relieve your stress but also practice your spatial and non-verbal intelligence. The Rubik’s Cube has been available for decades. You only need to take a few minutes of your time to match the color on one side since trying to match the colors of each side of the cube can be stressful.

Crossword Puzzles are fun activities that can help you say goodbye to stress. Many crossword puzzle books include mazes, word-find games and other pencil puzzles. Purchase some that have puzzles ranging from easy to hard to engage in them according to your mood and stress level. Some newspapers and magazines also provide crosswords puzzles and sudoku games.

Charades for Kids

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The traditional way to play charades is to have slips of paper with all of the words or items that need to be acted out written down. But to make things easier for the kids and have them use their imaginations more have them decide what they are going to act out without telling anyone. This is a great game for outside or indoors on a rainy day. If some of the children are having a hard time thinking up ideas be prepared with a few back-up ones to whisper in their ear.

If you have enough people to play, charades can be played in teams, but it also works with single players. One person stands up and has to act out a word, object or saying. Depending on the ages of the children, objects are usually the easiest things for them to act out. There is absolutely no talking done by the person who is doing the acting (also called pantomiming).

As the child is trying to get the other kids to guess what they are acting out the kids yell out their guesses. It is okay for the actor to give an indication if they are right, wrong, or on the right track by hand and head gestures. If playing as individuals instead of teams, the first person who correctly guesses the object gets to be the next person to pantomime an object.

Some easy objects for kids to start with are helicopters, airplanes, rowboats, cars. Emotions or actions can be fun too such as laughing, being silly, scared, or crying. For older children they can act out a movie title. When a string of words is involved, it is easiest to tackle one word at a time. This is a classic game that is still around because it is so much fun.

Different Ways to Play Hide and Seek

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The traditional way to play hide and seek never gets old, but you may want a change if it is requested every day. Here are a few ways to play hide and seek with a twist while staying in the backyard.

Have the kids pick out some toys that are not too small and are allowed outside. While they cover their eyes and count, you hide the toys around the yard. You can let them run around loose and try to find them or play hot and cold if they are having a hard time. If the kids don’t understand the concept of hot and cold, you can use different words “you’re getting closer” or “you’re getting farther away.” Or give away little hints they have to figure out.

Sardines is a fun variation on hide and seek. You will need a few kids to play (at least three or four). The person who is designated as “it” does the hiding instead of the counting. Once the allotted time is up everyone has to try and find the hidden person. As each child finds the person who is hiding, instead of calling out they found them, they hide with them. This continues until all the kids are in one spot. It can get really squishy playing this game – just like in a can of sardines.

Chain hide and seek is also best if at least four children are participating. As the person who is “it” finds the other kids playing, they have to hold hands and form a chain until everyone is found. Falling down and giggling are sure to ensue as the kids try to run around while holding hands. This is a great one to play in the park. Involve all the kids in the park and see how long the chain can get.

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