No one outgrows their love of fun—at least, I sure hope not. So, why not embrace it? Time for creative expression vastly improves one’s health. You don’t need to spend your time producing a work of art, rather, a leisurely fifteen minutes or so with Crayola and a coloring page is enough to provide a healthy distraction, shake off stress, lower blood pressure, decompress, and reinvigorate. Creativity also has proven benefits beyond the related stress-reduction. It improves disposition, mental clarity, and overall wellbeing. It also improves communication and lessons the sting of trauma.

According to clinicians at Diversus Health in Colorado, “Expressing ourselves through creative and artistic activities can help to relieve stress and anxiety, and lessen shame, anger, and depression after experiencing a traumatic event.”

Creative and crafty endeavors build bridges. It brings people together in friend groups, at the office, and as a family. Think about times you were invited to do a creative activity at work. How did it make you feel? What communication and relational barriers did it break down? It’s also a wonderful icebreaker or bonding activity with children. And if you’re success-driven or want to stay mentally sharp as you age (don’t we all) creative and artistic expression is an excellent way to stimulate brain functioning.

The wellness experts at Better You agree. “Creativity is a powerful brain stimulator. Engaging in creative activities activates various parts of our brain, including those responsible for cognitive function, problem-solving, and emotional regulation. This stimulation can lead to increased neural connectivity, which enhances brain function and promotes mental agility.”

Now that you know the benefits, here are six gifts for yourself or someone you love, to unleash your creative genius or at the very least, invite you to be a kid again.

Coloring Tools: Scented Markers, Twist Crayons, and Coloring Books all bring out the kid in everyone. The easing of stress accompanying the flow of the color is elemental, magical, and memory evoking. From recollecting happy childhood experiences to the simplicity of a relaxing creative escape, it’s no surprise all book publishers have jumped on the Adult Coloring Book bandwagon. Beyond using these design tools for fun, there’s another reason you find them in every medical office. They are a universal, colorful stress reducing distraction guaranteed to shake off negativity, anxiety, or gloom.

Paper Supplies: Card Making, Journal Creation, Origami, and Handmade Books are just a sampling of creative endeavors that can be personalized and up-cycled into artistic masterpieces. There are hundreds of creative uses of paper and it’s often one of the easiest, and cheapest, creative gifts to give. Building a recycle pack and inserting a glue stick suddenly transforms trash into treasure. Toss in a couple of stickers and hole punches and in no time you’ve designed a customized bullet journal for yourself or a friend.

Art Palettes: Drawing, Painting, Watercolors, Charcoal—this is another endless list of expressive crafts and serious career pursuits that draw (pun intended) the mind away from the world for a moment of still serenity. When you indulge in arts and crafts, you become an artist. Whether you’re finger painting with the kids or capturing a seaside in oil, the tools of this trade are not only a gift, but a blessing for all who get to experience the fruits of your labor of love.

Textile Basket: Sewing, Crocheting, Weaving, Knitting, and Jewelry making require precise focus when learning but for many avid creatives they soon become a mindfulness pursuit or a source for multitasking distraction. But the applications resulting from this creative expression are countless. Rugs, pillows, blankets, art, clothing, toys for yourself, someone you love, charitable recipients, or your family dog are just a few of the benefits from creative textile crafts.

Flower Pressing Kits: Yes, this age-old craft has become a creative passion for many who love gardening and want to preserve their efforts for life. Pressed flowers also make beautiful stationary, bookmarks, art and adorn other forms of crafts. There’s something about the simplicity of crafting with flowers both in the cultivating and the preservation. Many also pass down pressed flowers to generations, as a way of commemorating special events (think wedding bouquets or homecoming corsages) or as a symbol of eternal love.

Sculpture Matter: Clay, Pottery, Paper mâché, Soap and Silly Puddy are all mediums for creating sculpture. I have a friend who loves using play dough as a bonding tool with their children and has saved a couple of their masterpieces to place in the center of table during dinnertime. Many people use mud and gravel, adobe, and other readily found malleable tools of creativity. Others turn to clay, terracotta, wood, or stone. The medium isn’t important. The textural therapy is. Gifting another with one, or more, of these creative compounds will bring out the kid in all ages.

I hope this article provided you with a few applicable ideas. I would be honored if you shared this on social media. And speaking of sharing, please share your own ideas and experiences below. Together, we can build an uplifting community that focuses on supporting each other’s happiness, wellbeing, creativity, and success.