Playful Learning 2026 Programme

Into the Woods: A Playful Journey into Retirement

Lead Author: Shirley Jenner

Additional authors:

Timetable: ,

Description:

Retirement is often framed as an ending rather than a transition, yet it represents one of the most profound identity shifts in adult life. This playful, immersive session invites participants to explore retirement as a metaphorical journey “Into the Woods”—a liminal, transformative space common in Western storytelling. Through an interactive walk-through experience marked by visual signs and symbolic images, participants will encounter the emotional, social, and practical stages of leaving working life and entering a new landscape of possibility. The taster will focus primarily on Stages 1 and 2 of this early-stage prototype activity.

The journey begins in “The Known Village”, representing the structured, familiar world of employment nearing its end. Participants map the routines, identities, and values that have shaped their working lives.
They then cross “Into the Woods”, encountering signs that mark key transitional elements: uncertainty, loss of role or status, unexpected clearings of insight and enchanted opportunities. Each visual prompt is paired with a short playful activity that encourages participants to explore the complexities of this change. We will focus on just 2 main issues in this taster.
To ensure the session is sensitive and supportive for diverse participants, an optional Quiet Pathway can run parallel to the main activities. This offers a slower, route through the same visual journey for those who prefer reflective writing, silent observation, or low-stimulation engagement. Participants may move between pathways at any time, supporting autonomy and inclusion.
The journey concludes “Beyond the Woods,” symbolising emergence, new purpose and identity reconstruction. In a full session participants could create a representation—using collage, or paper artefacts—of what a meaningful retirement landscape might look like.
This journey framework draws on transition research, which highlights the importance of psychological adjustment (Pagano, 2022) and purposeful engagement (Amabile et al, 2024).
By combining storytelling, visual metaphor, quiet reflection, and playful co-creation (Heidari Shahreza, 2025), the session offers a research-informed approach to reimagining and negotiating a major life stage. As development progresses there should be scope for the workshop to be offered by workplaces or community-based group settings.

Session Plan (This is a 45 minute Taster – a full session would be 2hrs]
Welcome: introduction to metaphor and purpose
Stage 1 – “The Known Village”: mapping the familiar world of work
Stage 2* – “Into the Woods”: journey through issues issue to be negotiated [* main focus for PLA taster]
Stage 3 – “Beyond the Woods” creative prototyping of retirement futures
Group reflection; implications for playful learning pilot stage

References
Amabile,T. Bailyn,L. Crary,M Hall,D. Kram, K (2024) Retiring: Creating a Life That Works for You, Routledge: London.
Heidari Shahreza, M. (2025) Light and Delight: Playful Learning as an Ideology and Methodology in Adult Education, Adult Learning, v36 n2 p71-83 2025
Pagano, B. (2022) The 60-something crisis: how to live an extraordinary life in retirement.
Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield

References, web links and other resources:

Amabile,T. Bailyn,L. Crary,M Hall,D. Kram, K (2024) Retiring: Creating a Life That Works for You, Routledge: London.
Cassanet, A., McKenzie, W. A., & McLean, L. A. (2023). Psychosocial interventions to support retirement well-being and adjustment: A systematic review. Educational and Developmental Psychologist, 40(2), 214–231
Denton, F. T., & Spencer, B. G. (2009) What is retirement? A review and assessment of alternative concepts and measures. Canadian Journal of Aging, 28, 63–76.
Heidari Shahreza, M. (2025) Light and Delight: Playful Learning as an Ideology and Methodology in Adult Education, Adult Learning, v36 n2 p71-83 2025
Lee,S. and Park,M. and Yim,J. (2025) From working life to retirement: Transformative learning as a catalyst for transition, Educational Gerontology, 1–20.
Mezirow, J. (2009). Transformative learning theory. In J. Mezirow & E. W. Taylor (Eds.), Transformative learning in practice: Insights from community, workplace, and higher education (pp. 18–32). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Nørgård, R. T., Toft-Nielsen, C., & Whitton, N. (2017). Playful learning in higher education: developing a signature pedagogy. International Journal of Play, 6(3), 272–282
Pagano, B. (2022) The 60-something crisis: how to live an extraordinary life in retirement.
Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield