Think Outside the Ball: Why Play Matters | Devin Sommer | TEDxCoeurdalene

Playing more is more important than you probably realize. Learn how play shapes your mind, and the devastating effects of not doing it enough. From problem solving to communication, discover how better playing habits can create a better and more balanced world. Devin is a performance poet & community activist from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Devin spent 6 months living in Argentina and nearly 8 years living and teaching in Turkey where he witnessed the Syrian Refugee Crisis and an attempted military coup. Transformed by his experience overseas, he is an outspoken advocate of international study, regularly performing Hip Hop music with artists from all over the world in an effort to support cultural exchange programs, empower youth, and uplift communities. Devin currently manages one of the most successful toy stores in the country, where he supports teachers and hands-on play-based learning. Devin has been recognized by the Institute of International Education, The Fulbright Scholarship Program, and the New York Times in Education for his contributions to education and the arts. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@wanguimburu]

This is a sobering reminder.. thank you 🙏🏾

[@lauriemortrude6869]

As an educator in early childhood and elementary education, I thoroughly enjoyed this presentation and appreciated it information. I want to share it with every educator I work with. I echo the surprise that not many have watched this! It should be viral. It is so vitally important that we put down that little box that we carry around in our pocket every day and play! Play with our children, play with our students, our friends and family, play for the sake of our own minds, learning and growing.
Just a toy salesman? ! Sir, you are spot on with your synthesis and explanation of how important, how vital play is to the human mind. It really blew me away. When those last five minutes you connected culture and how we view each other in the world, our perspectives. Everything about this talk was so accurate and enlightening and hopeful. (If we disconnect digitally and engage more socially ). Just before I watch this, I read about a study, which very clearly showed that information learned collaboratively, and with friends in play, was retained significantly more than when receiving that information without engagement.

[@muriellima7315]

Wonderful words!!! Wonderful man

[@marcusjohnson3879]

this is insane. 4 years released and no comments. 1.5k view while others average 9 million.

[@drbev]

How am I just hearing this TED Talk right now? Only 2K views?