Media and Recent Engagements

Mia was the headline keynote for EduTrends, Luxembourg’s Ministry of Education annual conference.

Mia presented the importance of play for longevity in a panel format at Stanford’s Healthy Aging Conference.

Mia was prominently featured in a recent VOX article about adding more playfulness back into adult life. Read the article here.

Mia engaged an audience of mental health philanthropists in a discussion about the role of play in youth well-being.

Mia delivered an opening and closing keynote and workshop for the University of Wyoming’s Play Institute for early childhood education.

Mia delivered a keynote and workshop about the science of play and playful design to an audience of 600+ at BOAT’s Super Yacht Design Festival in Kitzbuhel, Austria.

Mia delivered a keynote and led an interactive playful workshop for the Playposium in Exeter, UK.

Mia delivered a keynote and workshop for an audience of psychologists about play as a tool for cognitive, emotional, and social health across the lifespan.

Mia delivered a keynote about the science of play and playful design principles to A4LE’s PNW chapter of landscape architects.

Mia delivered a 60-min neuroscience of play and playful learning keynote in Ottawa, Canada at the Breath of Fresh Air conference.

Teacher workshop: Mia led a workshop for early childhood and middle school teachers at Aspen Country Day school to discuss leveraging play for learning, engagement, socialization, and emotional regulation in the classroom.

Parent keynote: Mia delivered a 60-min keynote about the power of play for learning and building strong parent/child relationships.

Mia joined the Qiddiya team on a panel at the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia pavilion to discuss the power of play in urban city planning.

Mia opened the ‘In Praise of Play’ panel by getting the audience to stand up and dance, and was also a lead panelist in a roundtable discussion about the role of play in youth sports.

Mia was featured in an article about why adults love to play with LEGOs ahead of the holiday season. Read the full article here.

See a link to the full article on the left.

Mia’s quotes from the article feature:

“…but play is essential, a ‘primal emotion’ wired into the deepest part of the mammalian brain, says Mia Sundstrom of the National Institute for Play, where scientists study the science of play and encourage play as ‘daily hygiene’ to promote well-being.”

“Play — activities we engage in by choice purely for pleasure — reduces stress, increases optimism, and supports brain health, Sundstrom says. Studies show that play increases resilience, fosters social connection, promotes learning, and boosts courage…There’s no such thing as being too old to play, Sundstrom says. Humans are meant to play throughout their lifetimes. Thinking back to what you loved to do as a child can help you reconnect to your personal sense of play in adulthood.”

Mia delivered a 30-minute mainstage keynote titled "The Science of Play: Unlocking Human Potential” and two 90-minute workshops titled “Unleashing the Power of Play” at Qnity’s annual conference: The FiLL. The FiLL convenes hundreds of beauty industry business leaders to share and innovate together over three days.

Speaking review Qnity Founder and CEO, Tom Kuhn:

Mia Sundstrom was an absolute standout at our recent company conference The FiLL in Austin, TX. Representing the National Institute for Play, Mia delivered a compelling presentation on the need, power, and importance of play—backed by science and delivered with both clarity and charm.

Her interactive breakout sessions were especially impactful. Mia created a dynamic and engaging environment where participants were up on their feet, laughing, connecting, and fully immersed in the experience. She demonstrated how play can profoundly influence business culture, boost creativity, and strengthen connection among teams.

Attendees walked away not only inspired but equipped with practical, tangible strategies to integrate play into both their professional and personal lives. Her session was one of the most talked-about of the event, and we couldn’t recommend her more highly for any organization or event looking to spark engagement and innovation.

Mia led a multi-day character and values exploration workshop with DU’s Chancellor’s Cabinet, comprised of every division leader within the University, at the Kennedy Mountain Campus.