TED, LEGO Group & LEGO Foundation unite to put Play First worldwide
The LEGO Group and the LEGO Foundation have announced Play@TED, a partnership with TED to shift how people of all ages view play. Supported by a LEGO Foundation grant marking the UN’s International Day of Play, the initiative aims to spark a global conversation about how creative play supports children’s development, drives innovation, and fuels cultural creativity.
Playful learning
Last month, TED-Ed hosted a virtual Connect Week with more than 300 students (ages 8–18) from 27 countries, who shared how playful learning builds real-world skills such as confidence, creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving.
The partnership will culminate in a live Play@TED event at the TED World Theater in New York City on 14 May 2026. Curated for parents, educators, and policymakers, the event will feature TED Talks on the transformative power of play, play as a mindset, and the boundless potential of imagination. Confirmed speakers include Katina Bajaj (Daydreamers), Randi Williams (MIT Media Lab), and Maxwell “Hops” Pearce of the Harlem Globetrotters. The event will also be livestreamed.
Action Hub and Learning Lab
Following the event, TED-Ed will launch an Action Hub and Learning Lab with resources to help families, educators, and communities prioritize play. Its YouTube channel (22 million subscribers) will release five new animations exploring how play fuels creativity and resilience, while TEDx organizers worldwide will host local play-themed events.
For more than 90 years, the LEGO Group has championed play as essential to children’s creativity, confidence, and lifelong learning. Through Play@TED, the partners aim to place play at the heart of learning and innovation worldwide.
More information: www.ted.com/play