The Importance of Fun in Learning: Not Just Child’s Play

As a practitioner responsible for designing and delivering training for over twenty-five years, I don’t need to read a study to understand the correlation between having fun and having a successful learning experience. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. At every level of the organization participants have had the best outcomes when they have had a great time together during their training experience.

For years one of the most successul tools in our toolkit in deploying Six Sigma was the Move it Courier simulation, where participants role played roles in a company that folded paper, marked it and moved it around. They had a blast AND they learned the importance of data, the basics of Lean and problem solving tools like Fishbone Diagrams – all in one day.

When I was teaching statistics to Master Black Belts we used miniature catapults, we called them “statapults,” to practice the process of limiting variation to improve process performance. It was a pure joy to watch them take great pride – and have a lot of fun – in launching plastic golf balls around the room while they learned the importance of hypothesis testing and the meaning of p-values.

In our Innovate! workshops at Globe North we emphasize the importance of play in exercises where teams experiment with different ways to pass around brightly colored plastic balls, processing as many as they can in two minutes. In these sessions balls fly everywhere, people are smiling, laughing and learning how to:

• Collaborate better, really listening to each other
• Be more open to new possibilities, setting aside presumptions
• Move past a “failure” to quickly leverage that learning to do betterMy experience as both a training and a customer of training is that we learn better when we have fun together.

But too often adult education and training are associated with structured environments: detailed curriculum, strict schedules, lectures and tests. Remnants of the factory model of teaching, these ideas still permeate the vast majority of education programs extant today. Meanwhile the idea that adult learning can be fun remains relegated to “team building” events, as if fun and team building should not be woven into the fabric of learning. So though it seems intuituively obvious that integrating fun into the learning process is beneficial – clearly a case needs to be made.

Here are seven reasons why having fun while you learn is crucial for comprehension and long-term retention:

1. Enhanced Motivation: Human brains are wired to seek pleasure and avoid discomfort. When learning is associated with fun, it acts as a motivator. Someone who finds joy in the learning process is more likely to stay engaged and persevere through challenges. Whether it’s gamifying a study session or incorporating playful elements into a lesson, a touch of fun can significantly boost motivation.
2. Improved Memory Retention: Ever noticed how easily you recall the lyrics of a song you enjoy or a fun event from the past? That’s because emotions play a vital role in memory. A positive, fun experience can create a stronger neural imprint, leading to better recall of the information associated with it.
3. Stress Reduction: Fun acts as a natural stress-reliever. In environments where there’s a constant pressure to perform, infusing elements of fun can reduce anxiety. When stress levels are lowered, the brain can process and store information more effectively.
4. Building a Growth Mindset: Learning through fun often involves making mistakes and learning from them. Games, playful activities, or experiential learning can foster an environment where making errors is part of the process, helping learners develop resilience and a growth mindset.
5. Enhancing Creativity: Fun environments are often less restrictive, allowing learners to think outside the box. This freedom can stimulate creative thinking and problem-solving, skills that are invaluable in the real world.
6. Promotion of Social Interaction: Group games or collaborative fun activities create a platform for learners to interact, share ideas, and work as a team. These interactions can aid in honing interpersonal skills and understanding diverse perspectives.
7. Lifelong Learning: If the pursuit of knowledge is continually associated with joy and curiosity, it encourages a lifelong love for learning. People who associate education with fun are more likely to seek out new information and skills throughout their lives.

Bottom line: Learning not only is fundamental, it can and should be fun.

Want to learn more about how your learning and development programs can be enhanced by building fun into their design and delivery? Contact us at info@globenorth.com.