I’m looking around me, amazed. It sounds like all the grown-ups are waiting for permission to play.

‘How do we continue to play in our real life and jobs beyond this event…’

You just do, I think to myself. You keep playing because it works, because creativity is the most advantageous business skill, because when you are unapologetically yourself people are encouraged to be authentic.

This was at the Playful Learning Conference at the University of Sussex in July 2024. It was everything that I had hoped it would be. Yet, the biggest insight that I had was not a key-note message, or the interesting sessions, but it was how different my thinking appeared to be to everyone else’s.

Maybe I just have no shame. Maybe I’m just ‘brave’. Maybe I’m just used to being the odd one out. Maybe I’m just impatient and got bored waiting for permission.

I started giving myself permission years ago to ‘play’ at ‘work’.

Throughout my career I have always been playful, curious and creative. In workplaces I have handmade event invites, sat on the floor with sharpies and been the Queen of ice-breakers. I take being playful extremely seriously as it has been a crucial part of my success – whether engaging students, getting responses to consultations or promoting involvement as part of the Public Sector Equality Duties.

Legislation can be boring (not to me though <3). Making people care about equalities and inclusion, which has always been a central part of my career, can be a hard sell. It’s a lot easier when people are playing games and laughing.

While at the conference, I had a gorgeous chat with Mike C (‘Cool Dawg, Mikey’, as we fondly know of him) on his Pedagozilla Podcast. We discussed all things play and pedagogy and generally had a lovely time. In response to one of his questions, I said (in what I have been told recently is a direct manner, with eye contact that convinces people to tell me their secrets), ‘Boring is easy. Fun is much harder. And works much better’.

Being the hall pass for others to be themselves is my favourite honour and a responsibility I commit to every day. Last week I attended an outdoors cinema screening with children and was asked by the bar-staff, ‘You work here, yeah?’, as they eyed my lightning-bolt-earrings, white dungarees and bunchies. The woman next to me also asked me if I was a children’s TV presenter. Last month, for our school summer party, I wore glitter on my face and a floral headband. The children were all coming out of church and they waved excitedly at me, one girl exclaiming, ‘You look like a FAIRY!’.

Anyway, I digress. Face glitter always distracts me.

Look ridiculous. Turn heads. Don’t apologise. Own it.

I know what I do works. And working is a lot more fun when you are playing.

Unofficial Playful Learning Conference Awards

Best Keynote: Emma Bearman, of PlayAnywhere fame. She spoke about Cambridge Play Laws, the power of play in community development and the importance of the built environment to support engagement. I went outside to play guitar during the second keynote and had to leave before the third one. So technically it was the only keynote I saw. Shhhhhh (If you are looking for speakers at other events or conferences, I totally could help you out. And I’d wear face glitter).

Most Awkward Social Interaction (and also most accommodating person): Katie Paitt, for the handshake/hug, and helping me to engage in a comfortable way.

Best Spot To Have Coffee: On the balcony on a deck chair, which was delightful.

Special Recognition: Brighton seagulls, for their fearlessness and ninja moves.

Newcomer Award: Goes to me! I ran a session ‘Equalities Express Mash-up’ which was great fun and I got some lovely feedback, including, ‘I’m actually going to use this in future’. We played four equalities games – Protected Characteristic Pairs, Say What You See, You Can’t Say That, Mental Health Never Have I Ever – and I’d love to run this as more events and conferences in future. Get in touch if that sounds interesting.

Most Arty-Farty: Dan Castro’s session on, ‘What The Plork?’, where we did lots of fun drawing and made ‘Minifestos’ (like manifestos but mini. Gettit? #Pun)

Boldest Commitment to Follow-on: Everyone. We all are KEEN to stay in touch. Many coffees and future games are imminent.

Tech Hero: Helpful George.

Grown-up Friends Hall of Fame: Elliot and Eleanor. <3 <3

Surprisingly Popular Messenger Platform: Discord, where most attendees actually communicated with each other. Weird.

Come-Back Award (i.e. should come-back to all conferences in future): The inflatable ice-cream and seagull.

Game-Master With The Mostest: Simon (obvs).

So how do we keep playing in our daily lives?

I’ll see you on the floor with Sharpies and glitter. The world is so much more fun down here.