Stress relief techniques can take many forms and should be seized wherever and in whatever form it comes. But increasingly, people are looking for natural ways to beat stress. And whilst what actually constitutes a natural method may be a moot point, certainly everyone would agree that some of the best are laughter and play.

Laughter releases physical tensions held in the body and stimulates the release of the feel good endorphin hormones in the brain. It also helps to bring the body's stress hormone levels back under control. And one of the best ways to relax and laugh is to get in touch with your inner child; to escape from adulthood for a while and relearn how to play. Whilst the best way to do this is to interact with young children, it can also be achieved by playing with toys.

Recently I found a fantastic toy, which ticks all the boxes for providing fun, laughter, enjoyment, relaxation and, frankly, stress relief. It masquerades as a child's 3D track construction kit for marbles, but it is so much more!

It succeeds as a method of stress reduction because it is fantastic fun. And even more so because the children can join in, although I do not recommend it if you are serious about getting some relaxation in! It is also totally absorbing. This means that, unlike a massage, which serves to empty your mind from worry and anxiety, building a 3D marble track totally frees your conscious mind from anything else except devising a workable track and so replaces stressful thoughts. It is sheer pleasure!

Childhood should be a carefree and stress free time. And children's toys are all made to make that ideal a reality, as far as possible. Playing with children's toys can invoke feelings of happiness and contentment, which belie their apparent simplicity. However, this simple form of stress relief can be easily overlooked in today's highly computerised, 24/7 information overloaded society. Taking time out to play with simple children's toys, such as a marble track can force us to reconnect with a more peaceful, simpler time in our own lives. And maybe also in doing that, we give ourselves permission to laugh out loud too!rose toy

Laughter, play and fun inject enjoyment and happiness into everyday lives. But it is not always obvious how we achieve these simple things. Do not dismiss the stress relieving power of children's toys. We may get stressed when the pieces inevitably get lost, but think of how much fun we'll all have before that happens!