The Power of Play: Lessons From Our Childhood Toys

As we move through different stages of our lives, many of us have realized something important: somewhere along the way, we stopped having fun. Between long hours, packed schedules, and the constant pressure to succeed, we’ve sacrificed play, the simple act of doing something enjoyable for its own sake. Yet research shows that play is far from frivolous; it’s essential to our mental and physical health, fueling creativity, reducing stress, and even sharpening our minds against age-related decline. In a world that often tells us to work harder and rest less, we want to challenge that narrative by reminding ourselves, and others, of the power and necessity of play.

Sunny Choi

Why I Love Legos

As we move through different stages of our lives, many of us have realized something important: somewhere along the way, we stopped having fun. Between long hours, packed schedules, and the constant pressure to succeed, we’ve sacrificed play, the simple act of doing something enjoyable

for its own sake. Yet research shows that play is far from frivolous; it’s essential to our mental and physical health, fueling creativity, reducing stress, and even sharpening our minds against age-related decline. In a world that often tells us to work harder and rest less, we want to challenge that narrative by reminding ourselves, and others, of the power and necessity of play.

Joseph Behrendt

Transformers Transformed My Childhood!

Saturday morning, my two brothers and I would be plopped down right in front of the TV and give our poor

parents a couple of hours of freedom as we watched cartoons. One of our favorites was Transformers. I still

have a very basic one from when I was young and even just fiddling with it makes me remember less complicated times. I sometimes use small totems like that to help ground myself and remind me tha even if times are hard, you work hard for a reason. Taking even just a few minutes to distract myself or to find reasons to play in high stress situations with a physical item helps me find my center and be productive later. Some people have fidget cubes or spinners or whatever, I have a mini Transformer car on my desk.

Henry Le

IT’S NERF OR NOTHING

Scene: "Cousin's house. 2v1, little cousin and I vs. big cousin. Nerf blasters in hand. Who will win?" This was the immersive environment Nerf

provided in my childhood. My cousins and I would set up bunkers and forts and play mock Nerf battles. It made me look forward to the days I would head over to my cousin’s house, playing in the backyard and playing in the basement. Looking back, I believe this grew my

creativity, grew my passion for play, and allowed me to be imaginative.

Alex Jirik

How American Girl Dolls Shaped My Imagination

One toy I played with growing up was American Girl Dolls! As a kid, I was always playing with my dolls and I enjoyed having my friends come over with theirs as well. It was very fun for us to make up scenarios and think of different careers and hobbies that they could have. I had a “look alike” doll who I always gave the coolest story lines because I wanted to be just like her when I grew up. She was a veterinarian, had awesome friends, and loved to dance (two of which are still true for me). Even though I don’t play with dolls anymore, they had a huge impact on my childhood. They helped me think outside of the box, learn to resolve the conflicts that I created in my little scenarios, and gave me a sense of creativity that is still evident in my life today.

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