What did you love to do as a kid?

Play is productive!

Written by Jenna, Edited by Jess

The holidays are here! No doubt a time reminiscent of childhood memories and moments of play. For me, I think back to dancing in holiday performances with my sister and singing in our school’s winter concert (pictured above & below), going to see The Nutcracker ballet, and helping stir the batter for latkes and cookies.

In Alive, the group coaching program we co-lead for our MBA students, we start each session with an icebreaker question. One of my favorites: What did you love to do as a kid?

Rather than going around the room and each student answering verbally, we attempt to bring them back to childhood. How? We give students play-doh. That’s right, adults molding colorful clay with that nostalgic scent! We ask them to create something that represents what they loved to do as kids.

The masterpieces from this exercise are always delightful. Sports equipment, toy cars, Easy Bake ovens, swimming pools, board games, books, a stage for school plays, to name a few.

The impact is two-fold. First, it reconnects students to play. As adults, we move so quickly through life that play and creativity can often fall by the wayside. But play isn’t just fun, it is essential. And this concept is science-backed!

I have been fascinated by Cas Holman’s work, a thought leader on the benefits of embracing a “playful mindset.” Her research shows that play activates the same parts of the brain involved in creativity, problem-solving, and innovation. With that, play is grounding, can initiate flow state, and ultimately lead to increased productivity.

Second, this question invites students to rediscover what they were genuinely drawn to as kids. What did fun look like before anyone told you what was “practical” or “impressive?” What captured your attention when no one was grading you or giving feedback? Fun and play look different for everyone, offering even more clues about your most authentic you.

And what better time to reconnect to your inner kid than the holiday season!

Wishing you all, our amazing Glimmers community, a joyful and playful holiday season and new year!

Next Steps:

• What did you love to do as a kid? What was your natural form of play?

• What could play look like for you now? What is one thing you could do this week in the spirit of play?