Inculcating playful mindset

IT GOES without saying that play is all about finding fun in everything we do, and being playful can spark infinite possibilities in our lives.
Ikea strongly believes that play helps to create a better everyday life.
It’s ongoing Make Room for Play campaign highlights the importance of play, and encourages Malaysians to reevaluate how and where they play.
Gerard Jensen, deputy retail manager of Ikea Malaysia, explains: “At Ikea, we take play seriously because it is critical for a better everyday life.
“We want to encourage all Malaysians to play more at home, which is a space for families to connect and have fun together.
“When people embrace a playful mindset, chores become easier, and they can unwind from the stresses of everyday life.
“The need to play remains relevant despite the changing modern life, and may become more important as its benefits to mental, physical and social health becomes more tangible and measurable.”
The idea behind Ikea’s Make Room for Play campaign is based on the findings from the latest Ikea Play Report.
The report explores the concept of play to the best interests of children and adults living in today’s fast-changing, modern world, and predicts how play will continue to evolve in the future.
The latest Ikea Play Report addresses several predicted trends that are expected to develop in the next 10 years.
With new advancements in technology, play will evolve to become multi-sensorial, providing multiple stimulations for an overall immersive play experience, such as through virtual reality (VR), and other wearable technology.
As life turns out to be faster and time becomes a rare commodity, the idea of play will slowly edge into all aspects of our lives.
People will even begin to play in unconventional spaces such as the workplace.
Considering how technology continues to progress at a rapid pace, more people are expected to become nostalgic for the simpler games of our childhood.
“The insights [gleaned from] the report help [us] in the development of new products and solutions across the home,” added Jensen.
“We are continuously learning, developing, and exploring new ways to help people improve life at home and have fun while doing it.”
To demostrate how we can encourage play, Ikea recently showcased some ideas using Ikea products that can help turn a home into the best possible playground.
From having fun with supposedly boring household chores, such as setting up the dining table and arranging flowers, to transforming the classic Ikea Lack side table into a board game, Ikea demonstrated how effortless it is for everyone to make room for play at home.