Let me take you back to one of my most memorable Halloween nights, the year my girls went as a box of popcorn and a box of Bottle Caps candy.
Like any good mom with a hot glue gun and a Pinterest board, I made most of their costumes myself. I planned for everything, or so I thought.
I accounted for cold Colorado nights: roomy armholes for sweaters, layers underneath, and boxes sized perfectly for walking up driveways. What I didn’t plan for was a windy Halloween night.
As my girls happily marched from house to house, that adorable popcorn box turned into a wind sail. Every gust sent the top flap flapping right into my oldest daughter’s face. Every single house.
We still laugh about it today, mostly because I was so proud of those costumes, and my girls were troopers, determined to get every last piece of candy no matter how many popcorn flaps hit them in the face.
So, what does this have to do with learning and development?
Believe it or not, everything.
That night is a perfect metaphor for why adults need more play in their lives. We spend so much time planning for structure, efficiency, and outcomes (like my well-engineered Halloween costumes) that we forget the unpredictable, messy, and often funny side of creativity, the windy-night moments that teach us the most.
Research in adult learning theory and positive psychology tells us that play isn’t just for kids. It’s a powerful way to:
- Fuel creativity: Play encourages divergent thinking, the kind that sparks new instructional ideas or fresh course designs.
- Build resilience: When things go sideways, like box flaps in the wind, play helps us laugh, adapt, and keep going.
- Enhance problem-solving: Play opens up curiosity, and we experiment more and judge less, a mindset that’s essential in learning design.
When we play, we learn to embrace imperfection. That’s the same mindset that helps us take creative risks, innovate, and connect more deeply with others.
This Halloween, give yourself permission to play!
So, here’s my challenge to you:
- Be a little silly this Halloween (especially if it is out of your comfort zone)!
- Bake cookies shaped like ghosts.
- Host a virtual costume contest with your team.
- Decorate your workspace with over-the-top pumpkins.
- Or wear that goofy headband on your Zoom call.
The point isn’t perfection, it’s connection. When we play, we let our guard down. We laugh. We connect. And in those moments, we rediscover what makes learning and living so much fun.
Free Campfire Steal: Halloween Virtual Party Slides
If you’re looking for an easy way to bring a little playful spirit to your remote or hybrid team, grab my Free Campfire Steal: Halloween Virtual Party Slides, Virtual Call Backgrounds, a webinar link for how you can have a virtual party with your team.
They’re yours to customize, edit, and use with your team. No tricks, just treats!