Play it!
Games are all about taking a step of action and putting your ideas to the test.
Introduction
Keep your dreams alive with new games & activities every month
Games, activities and stories are central to our philosophy of learning, because they all involve play, and playing is scientifically proven to help you learn. Even animals play games. You can see that we included the idea of a game in our very own logo. Of course, it’s a crossword puzzle, and it reinforces our tagline and the three steps of turning dreams into reality: 1) Dream it! 2) Map it! 3) Play it!
All of our games and activities are fun, educational and inspirational, but they are taken out of the context of our unique and evidence-based, how-to-dream process. So, get to a good start by learning the step-by-step process with Dream it! A Playbook To Spark Your Imagination.
Our latest pencil & paper games
These are traditional pencil and paper games and activities that teach important concepts in a fun and memorable way. Each game highlights a mini-step in our process of learning how to dream and turning those dreams into reality. Our games also reinforce basic subjects like the three R’s (reading, writing, arithmetic) and are intended to keep kids grounded in this digitally-saturated world.
And stay tuned to test drive some new games for our upcoming sequel “Map it!”
Reading Passport
The Reading Passport invites students to travel the globe through the power of literature. They get a stamp or sticker in their passport for every country they visit via a book, as defined by the author’s country of origin. This activity is designed to foster a lifelong love for reading while building an appreciation for geography, diverse cultures, and, of course, the spirit of adventure.
Emoji crossword puzzle
Emoji crossword puzzles aren’t just fun — they mirror real life. Just as we interpret a friend’s facial expression to understand how they feel, these puzzles invite us to “read” emojis and connect them with emotions. It’s a playful way to practice emotional recognition, build empathy, and strengthen word skills, all while enjoying the challenge of a crossword.
Our latest crafts & activities
Fun arts and crafts activities to teach children (and adults) how to turn dreams into reality. These activities are great for workshops, schools, homeschools, birthday parties and team building.
Reading Passport
The Reading Passport invites students to travel the globe through the power of literature. They get a stamp or sticker in their passport for every country they visit via a book, as defined by the author’s country of origin. This activity is designed to foster a lifelong love for reading while building an appreciation for geography, diverse cultures, and, of course, the spirit of adventure.
10 ideas to bring books to life for children
The first step is to making sure your children learn the moral to the story is when parents and teachers make reading as interactive and entertaining as possible.
Our latest Backyard Adventures
You don’t have to go far to have an adventure. These are cool, fun, mini-expeditions helping students and parents see the world with eyes of wonder and to learn by playing. They will teach all three steps of our formula. First, we’ll inspire you with a dream. Second, you’ll have to plan your adventure. And third, you’ll get to do it! Along the way, we hope you find a few things that you’ll love to do and learn how to overcome obstacles.
These are a type of <a “href=”https://dreamaplay.com/activities/”>activity, but we love them so much that we are giving them their own page.
Raise your own monarch butterflies
I think butterflies are one of the most amazing animals on Earth. And you can raise them right in your own backyard. Plant milkweed, watch tiny striped caterpillars grow, and witness the miraculous transformation from chrysalis to butterfly. Along the way, you’ll explore big questions about migration, instinct, and nature’s hidden mysteries. You might even find one in yourself.
Create your own ecosystem
What happens when you turn a patch of grass into a tiny wild world? In this Backyard Adventure, a simple change invites butterflies, birds, and all kinds of surprising creatures to move in—and shows how even the smallest yard can become its own ecosystem.
Our latest mental health tools
Believe it or not, your mental health is your first line of defense to staying healthy! When stressful times occur — like they always will — it’s just as important to make sure we are feeling good emotionally as it is physically. One scientifically proven way to boost immune function is by thinking and acting optimistically. Yes! In other words, dreaming and setting life goals can be good for your health.
These activities fall into the category of Play It! Having fun and learning how to overcome obstacles. Actually, our whole website is dedicated to mental health and happiness. These articles, games and activities are especially good for parents, teachers and healthcare workers. In fact, we think they would be educational and challenging for any adult.
Emoji mood tracker
Here is a fun and enlightening activity to teach kids (and adults) to track their emotions throughout the day or week. By recognizing patterns and triggers, children can better understand their feelings and develop effective coping strategies, which promotes mental and emotional well-being from an early age and build a foundation for a healthier, happier life.
Three simple reasons why we need emotions
Some emotions show us what we love, others protect us from harm, and as you can see in the rainbow illustration from our book, all of them put together, like colors on an artist’s palette, paint a beautiful picture of life. I’ll explain these ideas below. And, I have a fun challenge for you that I call “the joy of fear.”
Our latest stories
We love to tell inspirational stories about our journey through life and the lessons we learned. Relive the adventures in these fun and educational stories.
Falling Uphill: The Secret of Life
This is the true story about a man who bicycles around the world questing for the secret of life. His journey is full of many wonders, but he eventually returns home discouraged—only then does he discover the secret in the last place left to look.
Fluffy Bunny
Read the original, award-winning story by our co-author, Sara, that she wrote when she was in the 4th grade. Reprinted here with an alternative ending and new illustrations by Scott.
Share your dream
There are two big benefits to sharing your dream: 1) You may inspire someone with a new dream, like to invent clean energy or write the next great novel or simply smile. 2) It counts as a step of action to help make your dream real! And, who knows, you might inspire someone with a matching dream to join yours. So, while you’re here, take a moment to wish our dreamers big success.
To make it easier to share the inspiration, we’re now posting all our dreams on Instagram. You can post your dream, too. Tag your dream #dreamaplay. Or email us your dream and we’ll post it for you.