Missed the Play@TED Livestream!

Watch Now

Tune in for inspiring talks and playful experiences exploring the power of play. Hosted by comedian and How to Be a Better Human podcast host Chris Duffy, Play@TED unfolds across three sessions of TED Talks, interactive moments, and conversations with leading thinkers, creators, and young innovators. Together, they reveal how play can spark curiosity, strengthen connections, and help us navigate an ever-changing world.

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.

What makes a good game?

What’s the best way to make a project more playful? Game designer Eric Zimmerman has a counterintuitive suggestion: a few good rules. Drawing on his experience making everything from video games and tabletop classics to museum-scale installations, he breaks down how creative play comes to life — and how to harness the power of constraints to create endless fun.

‍

Share this video:

Be a part of what's next and come play!

 What makes a good game?

12:20

What’s the best way to make a project more playful? Game designer Eric Zimmerman has a counterintuitive suggestion: a few good rules. Drawing on his experience making everything from video games and tabletop classics to museum-scale installations, he breaks down how creative play comes to life — and how to harness the power of constraints to create endless fun.

The creative genius of sneaker design

Designer Salehe Bembury turns sneakers into stories — like a sunset-colored shoe and footwear with a hiking whistle in the heel. In conversation with TED's Cloe Shasha Brooks, Bembury walks through some of his most coveted drops (for Crocs, New Balance, Versace and more) and breaks down the risk-taking behind his work.

‍

‍

‍

Share this video:

Be a part of what's next and come play!

The creative genius of sneaker design

13:57

Designer Salehe Bembury turns sneakers into stories — like a sunset-colored shoe and footwear with a hiking whistle in the heel. In conversation with TED's Cloe Shasha Brooks, Bembury walks through some of his most coveted drops (for Crocs, New Balance, Versace and more) and breaks down the risk-taking behind his work.

‍

‍

‍

The shape-shifting sounds of the accordion

Musician Maria Telesheva plays the accordion like a second set of lungs, showcasing this powerhouse instrument and its impressive 226 buttons — whether she’s playing Bach or the Beatles. In this talk and performance, she discusses how she fell in love with this musical acrobat and plays two beautiful songs.

‍

‍

‍

Share this video:

Be a part of what's next and come play!

The shape-shifting sounds of the accordion

8:05

Musician Maria Telesheva plays the accordion like a second set of lungs, showcasing this powerhouse instrument and its impressive 226 buttons — whether she’s playing Bach or the Beatles. In this talk and performance, she discusses how she fell in love with this musical acrobat and plays two beautiful songs.

‍

How doodling unlocks your imagination

Artist Joe Whale used to get in trouble for doodling in class, until a local restaurant let him cover an entire wall with his artwork … and the internet took notice. He traces his unlikely beginning to a bigger story: your imagination is a muscle, and it weakens when you hand it off to AI. Through a live doodling demo, he shows in real time what it looks like to let a thought become a drawing, one line at a time.


Share this video:

Be a part of what's next and come play!

How doodling unlocks your imagination

6:27

Artist Joe Whale used to get in trouble for doodling in class, until a local restaurant let him cover an entire wall with his artwork … and the internet took notice. He traces his unlikely beginning to a bigger story: your imagination is a muscle, and it weakens when you hand it off to AI. Through a live doodling demo, he shows in real time what it looks like to let a thought become a drawing, one line at a time.


‍

Explore More Play@TED Videos

​

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?

Discover Ways to Take Part

​

Sign up for the Play@TED newsletter

Be a part of what's next and come play!

LEGO and the LEGO logo are trademarks of the LEGO Group.
©2026 The LEGO Group. All rights reserved.