Can Play Change the World? | Play@TED Full Event | TED, the LEGO Group and the LEGO Foundation

Overview

This event, a collaboration between TED, the LEGO Group, and the LEGO Foundation, explores the transformative power of play across three sessions: Play Is a Language, Play Is a Craft, and Play Is an Adventure. Through talks, performances, and interactive studio segments, speakers and creators demonstrate how play fosters creativity, learning, and connection, offering insights for people of all ages.

Notable Quotes

- Play isn't something we need to grow out of. It's something we need to grow with. – Mila Rojas, on the lifelong importance of play.

- The playful state of mind is fundamentally exploratory, seeking out new possibilities in the world around us. – Steven Johnson, on how play drives innovation.

- We need to raise a generation of children who know that they are the ones who get to write and even rewrite the rules of AI. – Randi Williams, on empowering kids to understand and shape technology.

🎭 Play Is a Language

- Kina Bajajge introduced creative health, emphasizing how play fosters resilience, fulfillment, and originality. She redefined play as any activity driven by intrinsic motivation and freedom from rigid outcomes.

- Joe Whale (Doodle Boy) shared his journey from being reprimanded for doodling in school to becoming a celebrated artist, advocating for imagination over reliance on AI tools.

- Erum Mariam highlighted the role of culturally rooted play in healing trauma among Rohingya refugee children, showcasing how traditional games and art can restore confidence and joy.

- Maxwell Pearce, Harlem Globetrotter and artist, demonstrated how play fuels innovation in sports and art, sharing how embracing mistakes leads to breakthroughs.

🎨 Play Is a Craft

- Suki Hillier, an 11-year-old West End star, described how imagination and theater helped her embody Matilda, emphasizing the collaborative magic of live performance.

- Salehe Bembury, footwear designer, discussed how playfulness and storytelling inform his iconic designs, from Crocs to New Balance sneakers, blending functionality with creativity.

- James Rojas, urban planner, showcased how playful, hands-on workshops empower communities to reimagine public spaces, fostering empathy and shared values.

- Eric Zimmerman, game designer, explained how constraints in games spark creativity, demonstrating how rules and play intersect to create engaging experiences.

🌍 Play Is an Adventure

- Randi Williams, AI researcher, explored how children interact with smart toys, advocating for teaching kids to question and reprogram AI rather than passively accepting it.

- Mila Rojas, a fifth grader, urged adults to embrace play in everyday life, sharing how small playful moments strengthen family bonds and reduce stress.

- Anna Ranno, education researcher, introduced play worlds, immersive storytelling environments where children and teachers co-create narratives, fostering inclusion and creativity in classrooms.

- Miles Wu, a 14-year-old origami innovator, shared how folding paper led him to design deployable structures inspired by the Miura fold, demonstrating how play can drive scientific discovery.

🎶 Performances & Studio Highlights

- Maria Tlesha, an 18-year-old accordionist, wowed audiences with her versatility, blending classical and contemporary music.

- Studio hosts Alexandra Panzer and Alex Rosenthal engaged creators like Simone Giertz and Dude Perfect CEO Andrew Yaffee in games and conversations, exploring the role of play in their work.

- Interactive games like Brictionary and The Purring Test brought playful energy to the studio, showcasing how games can spark creativity and connection.

This event celebrated play as a universal language, a tool for innovation, and a pathway to a more imaginative and connected world.