Group of people saying Welcome to playmeo and Serious Fun workshop

Play & Have Fun

One of the most joyous program goals for a group is to play and have fun

To play and have fun is its own reward. Play and fun are naturally attractive, and when embraced in a group setting, contagious too. Indeed, it’s hard to look cool when everyone else is enjoying a great time.

There is nothing more joyous and refreshing than to observe or be a part of a group at play, in the true sense of the word. Play is not an activity, it’s a state of mind, and when groups truly engage with this state, transformation is possible.

Play is purposeless, voluntary, and people generally want it to last for a long time. People at play often lose a sense of self-consciousness, and time just seems to fly. It’s in these moments of play that people become and behave as they really are, and so authentic interactions are possible and community can be built.

In the world of playmeo, too much play is never enough.

How To Play and Have Fun

As Dr Suess says “It’s fun to have fun, but you have to know.”

Like most programming and leadership skills, there is an art and a science to the delivery of joyful, fun and inclusive play experiences. Here are some tips to help you and your group play and have fun:

Always start from within your group’s Comfort Zone, ie it is possible for every person in the group to experience success without any effort or instruction;
Everyone is welcome because playing together is a great way to build community;
Unless a particular interaction will harm someone physically, mentally or emotionally, the answer to most questions is ‘Yes!’
Where possible, equip people (young and old) with the skills to resolve conflicts on their own;
Allow for spontaneity. You may start with some initial ground rules, but allow new ideas to emerge organically and see what happens; and
Honour choice and value everyone’s contribution.

For a further discussion on how to create remarkably fun programs, take a look at Serious Fun, by Mark Collard – an indispensable step-by-step guide that every educator, program leader and corporate trainer should read.