I still remember my early days as a trainer.
I’d walk into the room, a dozen pairs of eyes watching me as I crossed from the door to the “stage.” Most of the participants were seasoned leaders or franchise business owners.
To break the ice, I’d start with a simple game — cue the eye rolls and polite grunts.
Later in the session, I’d introduce a role-play. That’s when someone would inevitably say:
“Role-plays are never really like the real thing. I’m not an actor.”
And yet, by the end of the session, when the invitation to play had been accepted — there were smiles, renewed energy, and that one small aha moment that lingered long after the workshop ended.
This is the power of play - to experiment, improvise, have fun, and stay curious. And it’s time we start taking it seriously.
Why play matters—especially for grown-ups
As Aaron Barlin reminded us in the very first issue of Mini Lessons, we all learned through play loooong before PowerPoint slides and performance reviews came along. We explored, failed, got muddy, and tried again — not because someone told us to, but because it was fun. When we lose touch with that spirit of play, we lose more than just a sense of fun. We lose one of the most powerful accelerators of adult learning.
Psychologist Peter Gray defines play as “self-directed, imaginative, and intrinsically motivated activity.” It’s how we developed adaptability, creativity, and social understanding. But adults rarely get permission to play — at least, not in our job descriptions.
Research backs this up: a 2019 study from the University of Warwick found that workplaces that integrate playful learning see higher collaboration and problem-solving. LEGO’s Play Well Report (2022) adds that while 89% of employees believe play fosters innovation, only 17% feel encouraged to do it.
So it’s not that we’ve forgotten how to play — we’ve just learned to hide it.
What play unlocks in learning
If you’ve ever facilitated a workshop or learning experience, you know that moment when people stop performing and start playing. Something changes. Laughter opens the room. Curiosity returns. Hierarchies soften.
Here is one very important element: play only transforms learning when it’s intentional. Otherwise, it’s just entertainment.
Intentional play always has a purpose communicated before (as much as can be shared, if the surprise element is essential) and a debrief after. Often, the debrief lasts twice as long as the actual game. This is when the real insight happens, when learners pause to make sense of what just took place, where we mine the experience for meaning and turn it into something we can apply in our daily routines.
The goal is for participants to leave saying, “That was fun!” AND “I see this differently now — and I know what I want to try next.”
In adult learning, play creates the psychological conditions where reflection sticks. It gives people:
1️⃣ Safety to experiment.
2️⃣ Energy to re-engage.
3️⃣ Integration — a bridge between knowing and doing.
When we design learning this way, we’re not just teaching new skills — we’re reawakening curiosity.
From classrooms to coaching
These days, I use what I know works in the classroom in my coaching sessions with senior leaders as well.
Managers, especially those with 10+ years of experience, often get in their own way because they have too much knowledge. After years of leadership programs, management books, and hard-earned experience, they’ve learned to start with analysis.
But the same analytical power that makes them effective also makes them stuck. They can see ten different perspectives on a problem — and move on none of them.
When I bring in play — through pictures, improv, lego blocks, or even a few moments of physical movement (yes- dancing, if you like!) — something unlocks. They stop solving and start exploring. The conversation loosens. New possibilities appear.
It’s the same principle we see in learning design: structure invites safety, play invites insight.
The courage to play
Play takes courage. As kids, courage meant scraping a knee. As adults, it means risking being wrong, unpolished, or unguarded.
But every time we choose to play — to test, imagine, or laugh — we chip away at fear and make space for real learning to happen.
So the next time someone says, “This feels childish,” maybe we can smile and think: Exactly. Because that’s the space that invites courage, openness, and growth.
The opposite of serious isn’t silly — it’s stuck. And the leaders — and facilitators — who make the biggest impact are the ones who stay curious enough to keep playing.
After all, serious leaders know how to play.
So, let me ask you this: Where could a little intentional play unlock movement in your own team or learning space?
