The Playground

The Playground is a custom-designed experience for groups either in-person or online, featuring a mix of the four elements below:

  • Breath and body awareness

    I notice what I’m feeling through my body - do you? For instance, when I’m tense I feel it in my shoulders. These cues our body gives us are a first step towards emotional intelligence. Through guided breathing and stretching we make the vital body-mind connection. And as we relax together we bond as a group.

  • Playful Mindset

    We have a basket full of games and exercises we’ve been using for years to develop of the playful mindset. Each game and exercise has a specific application to the client group being served. These games open us up to a world of possibility unconstrained by judgment, critical self-talk, and binary choices. If I can play with you, then I am safe with you.

  • Applied Improvisation

    With the playful mindset fully engaged, we invite the group to explore some simple improv setups. The invitation is real, and we never force anyone to do anything. Working on simple scenes in pairs, we discover we have untapped wells of courage, trust and empathy.

  • Performed Scenarios

    We design scenarios that represent the themes and challenges you want your group to explore. These are performed by our staff at the workshop. In the scenarios taboos are confronted and played with, community breakthroughs occur, and a collective vision of “what could be” is born out of playing with “what is.”

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How It Works.

Ben explains what happens when you have his team bring the Playground to your workplace.

Applied Improvisation helps businesses by fostering adaptability, creativity, and collaboration. Here are five key benefits:

First, it improves communication by teaching employees to actively listen and respond in the moment. This leads to clearer and more effective discussions.

Second, it boosts team collaboration by creating a "Yes, and..." mindset, where team members build on each other’s ideas rather than shutting them down. This encourages a more supportive work environment.

Third, it enhances problem-solving skills by training employees to think on their feet and adapt to unexpected situations, making them more resilient and innovative.

Fourth, it reduces workplace stress by incorporating humor and spontaneity, which makes work more enjoyable and increases morale.

Finally, it builds leadership skills by encouraging employees to take risks, embrace uncertainty, and confidently lead group discussions or projects.

A scenario performed

Here’s part of a scenario created expressly for the Community Associations Institute of Delaware Valley, exploring problematic encounters between property managers and residents. Our performed scenarios depict relationships that aren’t working. Then we lead a discussion with our client-audience about the issues raised, and invite them to tell the actors how to change their language and behavior to transform the scenario. We then observe a series of replays using client suggestions and watch the situation improve.