TED, the LEGO Group and the LEGO Foundation partner to launch Play@TED
The LEGO Group and the LEGO Foundation today announced Play@TED, a partnership with TED to drive a movement and change how people of all ages think about play. Together they want to highlight how creative play can be a game-changer in the world and lead to brighter minds, braver ideas, and a more imaginative future for everyone.
This collaboration, which has been funded by a grant from the LEGO Foundation in support of the UN adopted International Day of Play, seeks to spark a global conversation about the importance of play in nurturing children’s growth, fuelling innovation, and inspiring cultural creativity.
Last month TED-Ed, in partnership with the LEGO Group and the LEGO Foundation, hosted a Connect Week, where more than 300 students aged 8-18 from 27 countries gathered virtually to discuss and reflect on 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 via short video response.
The partnership will culminate at an in-person Play@TED event to be held at the TED World Theatre in New York City on 14th May 2026. Curated by TED and aimed at parents, educators and policy-makers, the event will feature inspiring TED Talks from leading experts on the role and impact of creative play. The day, which will be centred around three key pillars: the transformative power of play, play as a mindset for all and how imagination can take us anywhere – and will be livestreamed to the public.
Confirmed speakers so far include Katina Bajaj, a Creative Health Scientist and co-founder & Chief Science Officer of Daydreamers; Randi Williams, AI and Education Researcher at the MIT Media Lab’s Personal Robots group and Maxwell “Hops” Pearce, a player on the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team and an accomplished artist.
Following the Play@TED event, an Action Hub on TED-Ed’s award-winning education platform will be available to help parents, policy-makers and communities turn ideas into action. A Learning Lab, packed with resources, discussion points, quizzes and curriculums, will help educators make play a priority in schools around the world.
TED-Ed’s YouTube channel, enjoyed by 22 million subscribers, will also feature five new TED-Ed animations, exploring topics from brain science to history, demonstrating how play fuels creativity, resilience, and curiosity – driving progress towards bringing more play to society. Additionally, TED’s celebrated 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.
For over 90 years the LEGO Group has championed the transformative role of play in the lives of children, helping them reach their full potential and develop lifelong skills such as creativity, communication, problem-solving skills and confidence. Inspiring fun, playful learning remains the LEGO Group’s purpose today.
For more information, visit ted.com/play