How We Play

Keep up with our latest blogs, news and research here. If you’d like sneak peeks of play projects around the globe or up-to-date ideas and opinions on the power of learning through play, you’ve come to the right place.

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At home, Equality, Future skills, In crisis settings, Wellbeing, Opinion, Projects
The picture shows Finlay sitting at a desk, building with LEGO bricks
June 2023 Projects
How Finlay Built Up Confidence One Brick at a Time
Through Brick Club®, a programme for autistic children run by Play Included® and funded by the LEGO Foundation, 15-year-old Finlay has experienced a real boost in confidence and discovered new strengths.
June 2023 Opinion
5 signs you’re (already) a playful parent
Around the world parents experience increasing pressure to go to new heights to prepare their children for the future. Is all the stress and guilty conscience necessary? Our research suggests that with a caring and playful approach to parenting you are likely already doing what is needed to set your child up to thrive today and in the future.
May 2023 Opinion
Building Knowledge Bit by Bit
We partner with several research institutions that help us understand the world that we and our partners collaborate in. One such partner is Brookings Institution. Rebecca Winthrop, director at the Center for Universal Education at Brookings, tells us more about the centre’s work – and why she thinks partnerships are important.
October 2022 Opinion
What types of playing boosts learning?
In one recent paper, we’ve delved into the link between specific activities and learning. There’s some promising research – but more is needed.
October 2022 Opinion
Holistic learning goes beyond the surface
Because playful learning connects different skills and characteristics at once, it helps children apply things they learn in different scenarios.
October 2022 Opinion
What’s the most incredible thing in a classroom? The teacher!
Great teachers are like gold dust. Anyone who's ever had an amazing teacher knows what a difference they can make. And when you add play to a teacher’s toolkit? That’s transformative.
September 2022 Opinion
‘Listen to us’: Children deliver their manifesto for World Leaders and call for safe-space education for all
The choices that adults make today directly affect children’s and youth’s life. Isn’t it only fair that their perspectives, ideas, hopes, fears and aspirations are heard by those making life-shaping decisions on the climate emergency, education, inequality, poverty, conflict and hunger?
September 2022 Projects
Cracking the code for learning through play
What can a digital bunny teach us about learning through play? Take a look at our collaboration with the Brazilian Creative Network and coding platform, Scratch to find out
June 2022 Opinion
For families to play more, we need better policies
Playful parenting is a huge child development boost – but parents are too often over-stretched and under-supported. Here’s how systems can help families unlock the power of play.
May 2022 Opinion
8 play ideas for family wellbeing
Play is how children thrive – and it’s good for grown ups, too. Here’s why it’s so important to find playful moments in the everyday, with eight great ideas for getting started.
May 2022 Opinion
Rosie’s story: creativity and neurodivergence make beautiful music together
Top class training in classical music. A diagnosis of dyscalculia, dyspraxia, and ADHD. Rosie’s brought all of this to her psychology practice – supporting neurodivergent children to thrive.
May 2022 Opinion
Play isn’t another thing to do. It’s another way to do things
Playful parenting gives a boost to every member of the family – and it doesn’t have to feel like yet another thing on the to do list. Read one parent’s perspective on getting more play in every day