The National Institute for Play and its connection to Winnipeg.
Last week, I had one of those moments that makes you pause and think about how far an idea has travelled.
If you’ve visited Pop CoLab or heard me speak, you may have heard me mention Play by Dr. Stuart Brown. I came across his book while I was trying to understand why play or what I now refer to as bringing a playful approach to what I do - matters so much to me.
His work helped give language and purpose to what Pop CoLab was becoming.
Dr. Brown has spent decades studying play in people and animals. He founded the National Institute for Play and wrote Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul. To me, he has always felt larger than life. His work showed me that play belongs in conversations about how we learn, connect, and live, including at work.
So when Lauren Sundstrom from the National Institute for Play reached out to arrange a meeting, I was excited. Lauren is the Institute’s Chief Operating Officer and just happens to be Dr. Brown’s daughter. She leads its partnerships, operations and strategic growth. Before taking on that role, she served as a board member and strategic advisor, and her career has included work in the U.S. Senate and in public and private development partnerships.
I went into the conversation carrying a lot of admiration for her father’s work. Following Dr. Browns work, watching his talks, and immersing myself in the work of play, I could not help but see all of that in Lauren, especially the resemblance she has to her father.
Lauren made it easy to move past that nervousness. She was thoughtful and generous with her time, and I felt comfortable talking with her about our shared belief in play. I could see her care for this work in the way she listened and spoke about it.
I told Lauren how much her father’s work has influenced me. I showed her the former insurance office I’ve turned into a space where adults and teams can play, create and connect. We talked about why I try to design experiences around the people in the room, giving them different ways to take part rather than expecting everyone to enjoy the same thing.
Lauren shared how the Institute is working to bring play science into everyday practice and reach more communities. We talked about its Play Styles assessment, the team assessment I’ve been developing for Pop CoLab, and ways those tools might complement each other. There’s more to explore, and I’m looking forward to sharing my work with her in a follow-up conversation.
One small connection made the meeting even more memorable: Lauren told me her mother was from Winnipeg. We were talking across borders about play, and suddenly our city was part of the story, too.
I’m also inspired by the next generation of the Institute’s leadership. Mia Sundstrom, Lauren’s daughter and Dr. Brown’s granddaughter, is its CEO. She works to bring play science into practical settings, from education and health to work and culture. Mia is an international speaker, a former NCAA Division I gymnast, team captain and coach, and holds degrees in business information and analytics and public policy. If I were to guess her play style, competitor would be right there at the top!
Image from nifplay.org - from left to right - Mia Sundstrom, Dr. Stuart Brown, Lauren Sundstrom
That meeting meant a great deal to me. I started Pop CoLab because I wanted adults and teams to have more opportunities to experience what play can make possible. Sitting down with someone whose family has helped shape my understanding of that work and their continued work brought me back to why I began.
I’m excited to keep building a connection with the National Institute for Play and to share more of its work.
One place to start is its Play Styles assessment. You can take the free assessment or explore the premium version for a deeper look at how you play:
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