Play: Notes from Session 5 of TEDNext 2024

Professional parkour athlete Taylor Lynn Carpenter diving into her TED Talk at Session 5 of TEDNext 2024 on October 24, 2024, at Pullman Yards in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Jason Redmond / TED)

Play immerses us in the joy of being alive — and Session 5 of TEDNext 2024 explored how we can all enjoy it way more often. From creativity through movement and the role of play in childhood development to how interactive gaming sparks innovation and emotional growth,  speakers explored how play shapes who we are, sharing different ways that play can break down barriers and spark creativity — and offering a life-affirming reminder that play isn’t just for kids; it’s something we all need for a happy, fulfilled life.

The event: Talks from Session 5 of TEDNext 2024, hosted by journalist, media entrepreneur and host of TED Radio Hour Manoush Zomorodi

When and where: Thursday, October 24, 2024, at Pullman Yards in Atlanta, Georgia

Speakers and performers: Taylor Lynn Carpenter, Chris Byrne, Laura Miele, Jason Keam, Mathilde H. Ross, David Suh, Shalewa Sharpe

An exciting announcement: TED Games, an initiative that sparks delight and celebrates curiosity, is growing. Play the Purring Test (our first game, imagine playing Pictionary with an AI cat) and pre-register for Tumblewords, which premieres on Netflix on November 19.

The talks in brief:

Parkour isn’t just for extreme athletes — it’s a life skill that can help anyone navigate the world more easily, says professional parkour athlete Taylor Lynn Carpenter. She pulls off some slick vaults, jumps, dives and rolls onstage, showing how the basic movements of parkour can help you maintain mobility, mitigate injuries and rediscover your sense of adventure.

Your favorite childhood toy might reveal more about you than you would expect, explains toy historian Chris Byrne. From Matchbox cars and Barbie to Rubik’s Cube and Cabbage Patch, he delves into how these imaginative playthings mirror cultural values — and influence who we become as adults.

What are the benefits of gaming? Laura Miele, the president of EA Entertainment & Technology, sees gaming as an invaluable medium for human connection. She shares how people are increasingly turning to games to avoid loneliness and isolation, build up a network of friends and experience unfettered joy.

In a video made in collaboration with uni-POSCA, artist Jason Keam narrates his journey crafting “We Rise by Lifting Others,” a sculpture of brightly illustrated dogs stacked upon one another, with colorful contributions and signatures from everyday people in Long Beach, San Francisco, Albuquerque, Chicago, Houston and New York City. The art form, what he calls “community impressionism,” brings diverse communities together through the creative process, representing a united collective across the country.

Parenting books and social media influencers have turned conscientious parents into anxious ones by overcomplicating natural instincts that have worked for millennia. The solution might be found in a surprising place, says university psychiatrist Mathilde H. Ross: puppy manuals. She offers refreshingly straightforward advice about bonding, development and letting your little ones grow into themselves, and her message for parents is beautifully simple: trust your instincts, and remember that you’ve got this. After all, you’ve literally evolved for this job.

Everyone deserves a powerful headshot that reflects their identity, ambition and success, and TikTok’s “King of Poses” David Suh is here to help get the shot. Demonstrating the art of mindful posing, he shares body language secrets to embody your most authentic, confident self — in your selfie.

Comedian Shalewa Sharpe brings her knitting to the club and gets big laughs wherever she goes. In an uproarious standup set to close out Session 5, she jokes about introverts, extroverts, listening to Frank Ocean at physical therapy and why no one giving your good good stuff to thrift stores.

Watch TEDNext 2024 on TED Live, check out more photos from the event and learn more about attending a future TED conference.