Jules Gilleland’s Post

Do you play every day? Play can feel self-indulgent, counter-intuitive, and a downright waste of time when you're struggling, lonely, fearful, under pressure to perform, just trying to stay afloat... But play is shown to heal through learning, life skills, and psychosocial well-being for children. Why wouldn't that also be true for adults? While the UN-recognized International Day of Play, coordinated by a network of organisations and initiated by the LEGO Group Group and The LEGO Foundation Foundation, is about putting play back on the agenda for children, perhaps it should be about EVERYONE celebrating the power of play. How do you build play into your day for yourself? your colleagues? your workplace? #InternationalDayofPlay #MentalHealth #Possibilities

It's non-stop Laughter Storytelling, Fun and Games with these childlike ones! We are TKYZ Kids Entertainment - Afro collaboration of indigenous knowledge systems including: original African stories with storytelling, kids face painting, indigenous games, African dance and movement and so much more! We can't wait to meet you and your children on the 11th of May at the Maker's Market Meet our founding team: Tee, KC, Yo, and Zee (TKYZ Kids Entertainment) Local Makers Market in East London, Eastern Cape, South Africa Exciting news: on the 11th of May, we will be hosting a special 2 hour children's entertainment experience featuring storytelling, drawing, face-painting and indigenous games - we will be helping children to grow and develop: critical thinking skills, creative skills and problem solving skills. Through both group and independent play - join us for an immersive children's entertainment experience you will never forget. And for adults and parents, come and buy beautiful art work, pottery, clothing, jewelry and lots lots more. See you there. Message me if you want to hear more about our local creative entrepreneurship projects and our children's storytelling entertainment experience. With love and hope from your joyful resilience coach and creative visionary in South Africa. Indigenous Knowledge for the whole family, the Afro-creative connection! #MakersMarket #SupportLocalBusinesses #BuyLocal #CriticalThinking #CreativeThinking #ProblemSolving #IndigenousKnowledgeSystemsOfLearning #IndigenousKnowledgeSystemsOfCreativity #IndigenousKnowledgeSystems #AfricanConnection #AfroCreativeConnection #BuySouthAfrican #HomemadeBrands #SustainableLocalBusinesses #SouthAfricanIndigenousKnowledgeSystems #Vernacular #LocalLanguages #AccessibleAffordableFun #StorytellingExperience #IndigenousKnowledgeStoryTellingExperiencesForAllAges #Childlikeness #CreativeSolutionsFromTheCommunityToTheCommunity

🎈 Play Always Serves a Purpose 🎈 The International Day of Play is on June 11th and I hope you'll join Back of the Napkin Consulting LLC in celebrating the power of play, especially for young people, and how it can unlock their full potential for learning and growth. Play prepares our brains to be more adaptable and improves social skills, cognition, and emotional regulation. Dr Stuart Brown, founder of the US National Institute For Play, compares play to oxygen, in his book, Play, he writes, "...it’s all around us, yet goes mostly unnoticed or unappreciated until it is missing." He also wrote "The opposite of play is not work. It is depression." That's why here at Back of the Napkin Consulting LLC, we believe in the transformative power of play. We host virtual dance parties, start meetings with jokes, create custom playlists for workshops, and use LEGO® Serious Play® with our clients because we understand that play always serves a purpose. It's not just the end result; it's about building connections, establishing collective buy-in, creating space for contributions from all teammates and learning styles, sparking innovation, and unlocking new possibilities. So let's embrace the power of play and make time to play and learn together. Stay tuned for some play-related opportunities later this week. In the meantime, comment below, and let's share and celebrate the last time we played. For more information on the science of play: - Visit https://lnkd.in/eg-ZqnQm - Read the American Journal of Play https://lnkd.in/e6k259mp - Visit amazing museums focused on play and creativity. Boston Children's Museum Children's Museum of Atlanta MoPA: Museum of Play and Art City Museum Please Touch Museum #InternationalDayOfPlay #PlayAndLearn #LEGOSeriousPlay #UnlockPotential #CreativityAndInnovation

Hello #linkedincommunity International Play Day 2024  Theme: "Play Unites Us All" International Play Day 2024 celebrates the universal language of play under the theme "Play Unites Us All." This special day emphasizes the power of play in bringing people together, transcending boundaries of age, culture, and geography. Play fosters creativity, collaboration, and understanding, creating bonds that strengthen communities and nurture positive relationships. Play is a fundamental right; it builds resilience, instills confidence, and helps children develop. Play heals through learning, life skills, and psychosocial well-being. That’s why there must be investment in diverse, inclusive, and safe play spaces, extending access to all, especially the most vulnerable and marginalized children. There are so many reasons we should all be celebrating the power of play. Why is play so important?  Play isn’t just fun; it’s fundamental to children’s development. Play creates powerful learning opportunities – intellectual, social, emotional, and physical. Through play, children make connections with others, build leadership skills, develop resilience, navigate challenges, and conquer their fears. As we gather to commemorate this day, let's embrace the joy and connection that play brings into our lives. Whether through sports, games, or imaginative activities, let us remember that play is a fundamental human right that enriches our lives and unites us all in our shared humanity. And remember, there's no need to wait until June 11 – every day is an opportunity for playful moments.#InternationalPlayDay #PlayUnitesUsAll #CaridadClub #HumanitarianClub #ChildDevelopment #CommunityBuilding #PlayForAll #InclusivePlay #SafePlaySpaces #HumanRights #ChildhoodDevelopment #PlayAndLearn #BuildingResilience

𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐃𝐚𝐲 7 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒐𝒍𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒚 𝒊𝒏 𝑪𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒕𝒚💃💃💃 We all know the saying, "𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐚 𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝." 😊 I find it absolutely true! 👌 Always create time to unwind—it shouldn’t be work all the time. 😂 But when I say 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚 , I don’t mean activities that won’t add value to you. Why do you think playtime is included in school timetables? Because play is a key part of growth and learning! Yet, when we become adults, we tend to forget this completely. Creativity thrives when there’s freedom to play and explore. For both children and adults, play isn’t just fun—it’s essential. Play can spark new ideas, encourage problem-solving, and open up new possibilities. Here are some ways to incorporate play into your creative routine: 💜 Engage in unstructured activities like drawing or journaling without rules. 💜 Let go of expectations and explore new hobbies without the pressure to be perfect. 💜 Encourage children to explore their environment through imaginative games. Remember, creativity flows best when we give ourselves permission to play and experiment! So, what are you experimenting with this week? Let me know in the comments! #phoenixgate #globalvisibilitychallengewithdrvivianmagnus

🌟 It's the very first International Day of Play! 🌟 As an educator and school leader myself, I've seen firsthand how play transforms young minds. Remember those days when you couldn't focus unless learning felt like an adventure? That was me! It was only through stories, games, and hands-on activities that I truly engaged in school. And let's not forget those late evenings playing hide and seek or creating epic indoor adventures with friends. Why is play so crucial? 🤔 Because it's not just about fun—it's about developing resilience, leadership, and creativity. Did you know? 1. 71% of children say play is important because it makes them happy, and 58% say that it helps them make friends and have a good time with others. 2. It is estimated that 160 million children around the world are working instead of playing or learning. 3. Only 1 in 4 children play out regularly on their street compared their grandparents generation where almost three-quarters said they played outside a few times a week. 4. 41% of children had been told to stop playing out by either their parents or other adults such as neighbours. Source : United Nations Today, on June 11, 2024, let’s champion every child’s right to play. Try new play ideas with your kids, spread the word, and let’s make every day filled with playful moments. Who's with me? How will you celebrate play with your children today? Share your ideas and let's inspire each other! 🙌 🙌 #InternationalDayOfPlay #PlayMatters #ChildhoodDevelopment

In recent years, perfectionism has become one of the major themes —whether it's about appearance or career development. But what if I told you this pressure also affects children, especially girls? 👧 🔍 Our latest #LEGOPlayWellReport revealed that more than 3 in 5 Polish girls feel the societal pressure to be perfect. Nearly two-thirds of girls aged 5-12 admit that the words they hear make them afraid of making mistakes, and feel that they shouldn't experiment. At the LEGO Group, we believe in the freedom for children to choose how they want to play, what roles they want to explore, and how they develop their personalities. In the world of LEGO bricks there are no mistakes—no right or wrong ways to play. Instead, there's a world of experimentation and learning through play. And the vast majority of girls agree that playing with LEGO bricks helps them overcome the fear of making mistakes, and 86% believing it helps them understand that progress is more important than perfection. 💡 With our newest edition of "Girls Can Achieve Anything" campaign, we want to show parents how empowering it is for girls when they are given the freedom to experiment, and how crucial their support is in shaping their unique characters and passions. Together, let’s celebrate uniqueness over perfection! ✨ #LEGO #GirlsCanAchieveAnything #PlayWell

Today June 11, we celebrate the first ever International Day of Play, officially recognized by the United Nations. 🎉 Because play is not just a pastime, it is a fundamental right of children and essential to their development.  ✨Play builds resilience, instills confidence, fosters creativity and imagination.  ✨Play heals through learning, life skills and emotional well-being.  ✨Play is a universal language, transcending age, background and cultures. ✨Play encourages physical and communication skills.  ✨Play is a safe place for ingenuity, social interaction, problem solving, role playing.  ✨Play triggers questioning, curiosity and desire to learn more. As adults we often see play as an extra rather than a necessity. So today is a reminder that it’s quite the opposite in fact, and we need to put play back on the agenda. Every child should have the time, space and access to play, and this is why today is so important, and not just "an other Day of". At The Braille Program, we champion a fun and inclusive way to learn braille through play. Because play is how children learn naturally, and visually impaired children need it as much as any child in the world. We are proud to partner with The LEGO Foundation who initiated today’s celebration. 💡If you’re not sure where to start to encourage play for all children, here is in idea: take a minute to think about your childhood favorite game, and share why, how did it feel, what did you learn unconsciously through it… #internationalDayofplay #DayofPlay

In today's fast-paced world, it's easy to let quality family time slip away. But what if something as simple as playing together could build happier lives? 😀 The LEGO® Play Well Study highlights that 21% of Czech and 30% of Slovak families never play together. 😮 While some families struggle to find playtime, a vast majority of children (🇨🇿 96%, 🇸🇰 95%) recognize the benefits of play for their well-being. And most of the children (🇨🇿 87%, 🇸🇰 85%) wish they could spend more time playing with their families. ❤️ That's the inspiration behind our initiative, Half an Hour for the Family (#Pulhodinuprorodinu). We've teamed up with experts to bring you practical tips for incorporating meaningful play into your daily lives: 👉 Empower Through Play: Let kids choose the game and set the pace. This builds crucial life skills and fosters their independence. 👉 Learn Through Play: Resist the urge to direct. Let kids explain the rules and be curious about their world. 👉 Unplug and Connect: Minimize distractions to create a dedicated space for quality playtime. 👉 Be Present and Playful: Support your child's play style and let yourself be drawn into their imaginative world. Let's make play a priority! #PlayWellStudy #FamilyTime #LEGO #Parenting #Pulhodinuprorodinu

The Magic of Make-Believe: Unlocking Childhood Development Through Play Pretend play isn't just fun—it's vital for kids' growth. Whether they're playing house, building cities with blocks, or going on adventures as superheroes, imaginative play opens doors to endless possibilities and essential life skills. 🚀 Imagination: Games like "House," "City Builder," or "Superhero Adventures" let kids explore imaginary worlds and scenarios, igniting their creativity and expanding their horizons. 👑 Social Skills: Whether it's taking turns in "House," negotiating roles in "City Builder," or cooperating as heroes in "Superhero Adventures," pretend play teaches kids valuable social skills like sharing, communication, and teamwork. 🎲 Cognitive Development: From problem-solving in "City Builder" to planning strategies in "Superhero Adventures," pretend play challenges young minds, fostering critical thinking, decision-making, and imaginative problem-solving skills. Let's champion pretend play with games and toys that spark the imagination—it's the key to nurturing happy, resilient children! #PretendPlay #ImaginativePlay #ChildhoodDevelopment #PlayBasedLearning #CreativePlay #RolePlay #SocialSkills #CognitiveDevelopment #ToyPlay #GamesForKids #LearningThroughPlay #ParentingTips #EarlyChildhoodEducation #KidsActivities #PlayMatters #HappyChildhood #HealthyChildhood