Ticket to Play

Lead Author: Patricia Flanagan

Additional authors: Michelle Dolan

Timetable: ,

Description:

This session invites participants to take a ticket to play with us and personally immerse themselves in our play experience model designed to build curiosity and imagination.

“During play we tap into other parts of our brains, which provides new perspectives and enables us to see things differently. Through play we build capacities such as problem solving, persistence and collaboration and develop ideas and thoughts without fear of failure” (Dr Stuart Brown).

We have been strongly influenced in our design of play experiences by the work of anthropologist Dr Stuart Brown & circular designer Enzo Mari. We are also inspired by the approach of the Scottish government and the 16 types of play identified in the Play Scotland framework.

Our work in the area of play is driven by curiosity and exploration. We believe that play is the fundamental cornerstone of imagination, that imagination is a core building block of culture and that greatest asset in the process of learning is the ability to play.
During this workshop we will lead participants in a joyful play experience using a set of quirky tools we have designed and developed which are underpinned by the foundations of play and have real impact in adult learning experiences. Our tools are everyday materials that are easily accessible and we will facilitate and inspire participants to play with them in new and unusual ways. The workshop materials include sweets, a visual card deck, paper cups, acetate, balloons and washi tape.

The workshop has a very short introduction to the play theory that resonates with us and then shifts into a fully hands on experiential workshop when participants will complete a series of play experience activities that focus on imaginative, physical and sensory play. Through this carefully curated series of play exercises participants have the opportunity to fully engage with our materials, to reignite their playful mindset, explore and discover how play can spark your curiosity, and really stretch your imagination. The workshop will culminate with participants creating and sharing their own light show. The tools we will share can all be used in multiple ways in adult learning experiences and we will provide examples of how we have used these in different learning environments. This workshop will spark joy and take you on a memorable playful journey. Immerse your self in this playful experience and replenish your soul!

Play is an inherent dimension of human activity and “the state of play allows us to explore the possible” (Dr. Stuart Brown).

References, web links and other resources:

This work was based on 15 years working in human centred design in many diferent education environments and also with commerical comapanies who want to drive innovation. We realised that we needed to get participants comfortable with play if they really wanted to be imaginative so we began embedding playful energisers and exercises in all our work. The longer play workshops were initially developed for postgraduate students and staff in Queens Univiersty Belfast.
We have presented this workshop at the leading European creativity conference in Italy in 2023 and then in 2025 Patricia returned to this conference to deliver her play workshop with the conference team of over 40 international facilitators who deliver the full conference at a pre conference facilitators retreat.
These are links to some of the theory that has influenced our work.
https://thepotentiality.com/the-business-case-for-playing-every-day/
https://wanderlust.com/journal/the-importance-of-play-in-adulthood/
https://www.ted.com/talks/stuart_brown_play_is_more_than_just_fun/transcript?language=en
https://www.csap.cam.ac.uk/media/uploads/files/1/david-whitebread—importance-of-play-report.pdf