Mila Rojas speaks at Play@TED. TED Theater, New York. May 14, 2026. Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED
On May 14, 2026, more than 100 policymakers, educators, creators and leaders filled the TED World Theater in New York City to test one question: What if play isn’t a break from learning and work, but the engine behind them?
How Play@TED started
In November 2024, the LEGO Foundation invited TED to apply for a grant in support of the UN-adopted International Day of Play. The goal was to spark a global conversation about the importance of play in fueling innovation, nurturing children’s growth and inspiring creativity at all ages.
TED then spent the next year in search of playful people to get their perspectives on the topic, starting with the humans who play the most intuitively: kids. TED-Ed, in partnership with the LEGO Group and the LEGO Foundation, hosted a Connect Week, where more than 300 students aged eight to 18 from 27 different countries gathered virtually to discuss the playful experiences that helped them build real-world skills like confidence, creativity, collaboration and problem-solving. Students shared how playful learning shows up in their lives in short video responses.
Maria Telesheva performs at Play@TED. TED Theater, New York. May 14, 2026. Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED
Leading up to the main event, TED-Ed released five animated shorts, including “Why Do Babies Love Peek-a-Boo?” and “A Brief History of Toys,” to offer a glimpse into the history of play and its impact on us.
“Our goal with the TED-Ed videos wasn’t simply to tell people that play matters,” said Logan Smalley, founder of TED-Ed and TED’s Head of Learning & Education. “We wanted to spark the kind of curiosity that lets people arrive at that realization themselves, and then carry the idea into their classrooms, homes and communities.”
Host Chris Duffy speaks at Play@TED. TED Theater, New York. May 14, 2026. Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED
The result
On May 14th, Play@TED took place at the TED World Theater in New York City. Thirteen speakers took the stage, from sneaker designer Salehe Bembury to origami genius Miles Wu, exploring all types of play at every age. Livestream viewers watched interviews with creators like Simone Giertz, Andrew Yaffe of Dude Perfect and Sergei Urban of DadLab, and played Bricktionary and TED Games in the chat.
Salehe Bembury and Cloe Shasha Brooks speak at Play@TED. TED Theater, New York. May 14, 2026. Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED
Miles Wu speaks at Play@TED. TED Theater, New York. May 14, 2026. Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED
Looking ahead, TEDx organizers worldwide will host play-themed events throughout the year, bringing Play@TED ideas to local communities. These events will blend Play@TED talks with local speakers and activities, inviting communities to explore the power of play together.
Want to be a part of what’s next? Visit Play@TED.