Playful Learning 2026 Programme
Wednesday 1st July 2026
| 👂Wednesday’s Programme Podcast (full) | |
👂Listen 👂Listen | 💡 Spotlight Activities throughout the day: 🔦 Game On: Boosting Teamworking Skills Through Playful Learning 🔦 Brave THINGS LAB: A Drop-In space for Playful Courage |
| 08:00 | For those staying Tuesday night only – Breakfast is served in Dine Central (1st floor, Bramber House) from 8 – 9:30 |
| 10:00 | ✍️ Registration and Coffee, Bramber House 3rd Floor |
| 11:00 – 11:30 | 👋 Welcome to Playful Learning 2026, Terrace Room |
| 11:30 – 12:15 👂Listen | 🔑♪ Keynote 1, Terrace Room – Elrika Erasmus When the Woods Darken: Playful Ways of Working with Long Shadows |
| 12:15 – 13:00 | 🌳 Making Connections |
| 13:00 – 13:45 | 🥗 Lunch (see menu) |
| 13:45 – 14:30 👂Listen | |
| 14:45 – 15:30 👂Listen | |
| 15:30 – 16:00 | ☕️ Break |
| 16:00 – 16:45 👂Listen | |
| 16:45 | ⌛️ Finish / Free time |
| from 18:30 | ⚽️ Football on the TV in Northfield Bar from 5pm (map – look for Weds night venue) 🌭 Conference BBQ (Northfield Bar)(see menu) Make your way to the venue, about 10 mins walk. Food will be served 18:45 – 19:45 Including optional activity: All play and no work? Taskmaster and a lot of ducks or a visit to our Sussex Forest Food Garden nearby |
Thursday 2nd July 2026
| 👂Thursday’s Programme Podcast (full) | |
👂Listen 👂Listen | 💡 Spotlight Activities throughout the day: 🔦 Lego Serious Play in HE (Lego Community drop-in) 🔦 The virtues of getting lost and then getting found again: mapmaking for philosophers |
| 08:00 | 🍳 Breakfast and optional campus run or walk or forest bathing Forest Bathing – a slow, mindful walk where curiosity is the destination (advance sign-up required, places limited to 10) Breakfast is served in Dine Central (1st floor, Bramber House) from 8 – 9:30 |
| 09:30 – 10:00 | 👋 Welcome to Day 2, Terrace Room |
| 10:00 – 10:45 👂Listen | |
| 10:45 – 11:00 | ☕️ Break (15 min) |
| 11:00 – 11:45 👂Listen | |
| 12:00 – 12:45 👂Listen | |
| 12:45 – 13:30 | 🥗 Lunch(see menu) |
| 13:30 – 14:15 👂Listen | 🔑♪ Keynote 2, Terrace Room – Alex Moseley Higher Education is a game. So let’s play! |
| 14:30 – 15:15 👂Listen | |
| 15:15 – 15:30 | ☕️ Break with forest cupcakes (15 min) |
| 15:30 – 16:15 👂Listen | |
| 16:30: 17:15 👂Listen | |
| 17:15 | ⌛️Finish / Free time |
| from 18:30 | 🥘 Chill out night – beer, street food and games on campus (Meeting House)(see menu) Food will be served 18:45 – 19:45 Including optional activities: Board Game Hyper-jam ’26 The Bark Choir (Meeting House Chapel) |
Friday 3rd July 2026
| 👂Friday’s Programme Podcast (full) | |
👂Listen | 💡 Spotlight Activities throughout the day: 🔦 The playful nature of memes for reflection and community building 🔦 Unlock the Fun 2.0: Playtest a New Transferable Escape Room Template |
| 08:00 | 🍳 Breakfast and optional campus run or walk or forest bathing Forest Bathing – a slow, mindful walk where curiosity is the destination (advance sign-up required, places limited to 10) Breakfast is served in Dine Central (1st floor, Bramber House) from 8 – 9:30 |
| 09:30 – 10:15 👂Listen | |
| 10:15 – 10:30 | ☕️ Break (15 min) |
| 10:30 – 11:15 👂Listen | |
| 11:30 – 12:15 👂Listen | |
| 12:15 – 12:45 | 🥗 Grab a Light Lunch (see menu) and bring it outside |
| 12:45 – 13:45 | 🌁 Cultivating Curiousity: What Does an Idea Need to Grow? Terrace Room, Final Activities and celebrations |
| 13:45 – 14:00 | 👋 Conference Close |
| 14:00 | 🚂 Depart |
Other Activities
| Ongoing | Attending all the sessions is not required! The lounge and corridor spaces host a range of games and self-guided activities you can do between or instead of a session: 🔦 “Encounters with the Creatures of the SoTL Labyrinth“ Feel free to explore the campus. Other local opportunities such as swimming and trips to the beach are available (see bottom of this page for activities beyond the conference). |
| Chill Out | If you need some quiet space away from the conference at any time, then head to the far end of the conference area. Our chill out room is there when you need it, or speak to the reception team if you need anything else. |
No need to confirm your choices now – you can choose on the day depending on what interests you!