International Day of Play!

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This UN adopted day is a time to celebrate the power of play. It’s a time to raise awareness about how central play is to every child’s development and well-being. And it’s a time when we can come together to make sure that every child is able to fulfil their right to play.

Jun
11

Never Stop Playing!

Come Play

This World Play Day, The LEGO Group is getting together with a new LEGO Playmaker, to show the important role of play in our lives with a hilarious parody to remind the world why we should never stop playing.

Jun
11

Let’s Reimagine Play

What if play isn’t a break from learning and work, but the engine behind them?

Play@TED is a partnership between TED, the LEGO Group, and the LEGO Foundation aimed at inspiring a global movement to transform how we think about play. Together we will showcase how creative play can be a game-changer and help shape brighter minds, braver ideas, and a more imaginative future for everyone.

Play@TED Originals

Discover new talks and animated lessons exploring the science, history, and transformative power of play.

Why the best ideas come from play

Coaches kept telling Maxwell Pearce to stick to the fundamentals. Good thing he didn't listen. A Harlem Globetrotter and artist, he went on to build a global reputation for gravity-defying dunks and a theory that the same playful rule-breaking is what powers progress in every field. In this joyful talk, he makes the case that play isn't the opposite of serious work — it's the secret ingredient behind it.

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Maxwell Pearce: Why the best ideas come from play

9:55

Coaches kept telling Maxwell Pearce to stick to the fundamentals. Good thing he didn't listen. A Harlem Globetrotter and artist, he went on to build a global reputation for gravity-defying dunks and a theory that the same playful rule-breaking is what powers progress in every field. In this joyful talk, he makes the case that play isn't the opposite of serious work — it's the secret ingredient behind it.

What toys have kids played with throughout history?

In Italy, it’s called il gioco del cucù. Palestinians say ba' 'éno. And in Japan, it’s inaīnaibā! Peek-a-boo is a near-universal source of laughter and connection for infants and adults— it’s the first game that almost everyone plays. So what is it about this goofy game that babies love so much? Dig into how this simple game promotes the development of our cognitive, motor, and social skills.

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What toys have kids played with throughout history?

5:21

Archaeologists have found material, visual, and written evidence for toys across the ancient world. In 3000 BCE Anatolia, miniature toy carriages raced through the dirt. In the Indus Valley a thousand years later, a toddler giggled at the sound of their terracotta whistle. So, what other playthings have delighted us through history? Trace the ancient origins of toys, games, and play traditions.

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I am...

Get Involved!
A man carrying a young child on his shoulders against an orange background with four large peach circles.
a parent

Never Stop Playing!

Play doesn’t require perfection, extra hours in the day, or elaborate plans from parents and caregivers. It shows up in small, meaningful ways — in laughter, in nudges, in curiosity, and in simply being present together.
What can you do?
an educator

Let Play Lead Learning!

Play doesn’t require extra time, perfect conditions, or a complete overhaul of your curriculum. It can live in everyday moments — in curiosity, in exploration, in collaboration, and in giving students the space to think, try, and imagine.
What can you do?
Man in gray suit and red tie speaking into a microphone during an interview.
a policy maker

Make Play Possible!

The future belongs to children who play. Yet play is continually undervalued and deprioritised in an over structured world. Packed schedules, limited public space, and unequal access to safe environments have left many children without the freedom or opportunity to play. We need your help to create a world where every child’s right to play is respected, protected and fulfilled.
What can you do?

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