Our Story
In January 2020, I signed up for a Level 1 improv class at The Making Box. I was in a place in my life where I was gaining much-needed confidence and I wanted a place where I could spread my wings, take some risks, and meet interesting people. The Making Box gave me that. I loved everything about the class, except, well, the actual point of it, which is to create characters and scenes. The truth is, I am not much of an actor.*

 

However, I very much appreciated the games that we played, the laughter, and my creative classmates. I left the classes feeling light and energized, and I knew that other people, who weren’t necessarily interested in improv, would enjoy this feeling as well. Therefore, I started creating a playbook of activities - many of them improv-inspired - for people who want more fun, laughter, and connection in their lives. 

 

As I thought about businesses where people could go for fun, I noticed that they involved activities that were: passive (e.g. movie theatre), sedentary (e.g. restaurant), or didn’t leave much room for creativity (e.g. arcade). I wanted to create a place where people come alive. Now, after months of being told to stay home and reduce your contact with others, it is more important than ever to get in touch again with what makes you human. 

 

Through games, movement, and the creative arts, we play at Waving Lemons. You get a break from technology and the daily grind of the outside world and step into a safe, accepting environment that cultivates confidence, happiness, and friendship. 

 

*If it isn’t clear, I love The Making Box and think that you should definitely sign up if you are interested in improv! They have locations in Guelph and Kitchener. 
 

Benefits of Play
We all need play in our lives, not just because it leads to stress relief, improved relationships, and an increase in creativity and energy but also because play makes us happier. 

 

It’s intuitive that play is good for us, if only by how much more balanced we feel after an afternoon of engaging in a hobby, playing cards with friends, or going for a run around the block. It is easy, however, for the demands and distractions of modern life to push play to the bottom of the priority list. Temporarily, you can get by this way, but eventually, all-work-and-no-play will catch up with you. You may start feeling hopeless, anxious, depressed, tired, bored, and irritable. Waving Lemons can help bring back your zest for life. In his book, Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul, Stuart Brown explains that people who make time to play are more:

1. energetic
2. optimistic
3. creative 
4. empathetic
5. productive
6. flexible
7. resilient 
8. easily able to learn about the world 

 

And these are only the benefits for adults! Waving Lemons also offers sessions for children, teens, and couples. No matter your age, you will leave Waving Lemons in better shape than when you came in!