10 playful gifts to soothe the stressed-out people in your life (or yourself)

When it comes to achieving respite from our increasingly stressful lives, I find that one never-fail prescription is the art of play. Play can come in many forms, be it large-scale physical activities or video games. This holiday gift list, however, doesn’t focus on either of those, although there are some puzzles included.

Here you will find individualized activities designed to take us away from whatever is occupying our minds via a tinge of lighthearted interactivity. This isn’t about escaping into childhood. These gift ideas simply provide a way to tune out and focus on a task at hand or a chance to admire some gorgeous pictures, albeit with 3D glasses.

For play is also a reminder that each and every one of us is a creative soul. Below, there are crafts, tiny gardens or a chance to try your hand at being an illustrator. The goal, hopefully, with each of these gifts is to light a spark of imagination and to allow us to recall, if even for a few brief hours, that we live in a world filled with wonder.

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