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The LEGO Group is teaming up with TED to make the case that play isn’t just for kids — it’s a catalyst for creativity, innovation, and real-world change. The new LEGO TED partnership, officially called Play@TED, brings together the LEGO Group, the LEGO Foundation, and TED to drive a global conversation about why creative play deserves a central role in homes, schools, and communities everywhere. It’s a bold move that goes well beyond bricks and sets, and it has some seriously exciting plans on the horizon.
At the heart of the LEGO TED partnership is a landmark in-person event at the TED World Theatre in New York City on May 14th, 2026. The day will feature inspiring TED Talks from experts on the transformative power of play, and it’ll be livestreamed to the public so fans and educators worldwide can tune in. The initiative also includes a TED-Ed Connect Week that’s already taken place, bringing together over 300 students aged 8–18 from 27 countries to share how playful learning shows up in their lives. Add in new TED-Ed animations, an educator Action Hub, and globally hosted TEDx play-themed events, and this partnership is shaping up to be one of the most ambitious play advocacy efforts we’ve seen from the LEGO Group yet.
TED, the LEGO Group and the LEGO Foundation join forces to make play a priority in homes, schools and communities around the world
- Play@TED is a partnership between TED, the LEGO Group, and the LEGO Foundation aimed at inspiring a global movement to transform how we think about play.
- The partnership will culminate in a gathering of great minds and leading experts at a Play@TED event in May this year, aimed at helping parents, educators and policy-makers prioritize play in education and communities.
- Partnership will set the scene for World Play Day, the LEGO Group’s annual celebration of the power of play in support of the UN’s International Day of Play on June 11th.
- Over 300 children from around the world recently took part in a Connect Week, hosted by TED-Ed, to share ideas and perspectives on why play matters to them.
BILLUND, DENMARK, MONDAY 9 FEBRUARY 2026: 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 You Tube 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.
Remi Marcelli, SVP Global Brand Development at the LEGO Group said: “Creative play is more than just fun – it’s a spark for change. By teaming up with TED, we want to ignite a global movement to make play a cornerstone of creativity and innovation in homes, schools and communities everywhere. Together, we are committed to inspiring brighter minds and building a future where play is at the heart of learning and growth in every community.”
Sidsel Marie Kristensen, CEO at the LEGO Foundation said: “Childhood is not just a phase of life – it is the making of one, and play is central to how children grow, thrive and learn. Through Play@TED, we are investing in the ecosystems around children – from families and schools to communities and societies – to strengthen access to creativity and play and help create the conditions for every child, everywhere, to thrive.”
Logan Smalley, Founder and Executive Director of TED-Ed at TED Conferences said: “We often hear that necessity is the mother of invention, and fundamental needs certainly inspire innovation, but many of the most durable, delightful and beneficial points of human progress spring from the desire to collaborate, to entertain and to play. This partnership between TED, the LEGO Group and the LEGO Foundation celebrates that fact, and aims to help people remember that play should be a priority in homes, schools and communities throughout the world.”
For more information please visit www.ted.com/play
Whether you’re a parent, an educator, or simply an AFOL who believes in the power of a good build, the LEGO TED partnership is worth keeping on your radar. The Play@TED event on May 14th will be livestreamed for free, and the resources rolling out through TED-Ed’s platform should give play advocates plenty of tools to work with. It all leads into World Play Day and the UN’s International Day of Play on June 11th. Head to www.ted.com/play for all the details as they develop.
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