When Young Minds Lead, Play Finds Its Way

HOPE 2026

On February 28th, The Opentree Foundation was represented at the HOPE fete hosted by Dhirubhai Ambani International School. Five student Toybankers from DAIS hosted a small Play space within the larger festival, inviting teachers, parents, and students to pause and engage with simple board games.

Brainvita and Jenga quickly drew people in. What began as casual play soon turned into moments of strategy, patience, and shared problem-solving as participants tested moves, reconsidered choices, and worked together through each round.

Alongside the games, the student volunteers introduced visitors to Playpedia, TOF’s open-source repository of Play ideas. Visitors were asked a simple question: Where could you use Playpedia in your daily life?

The responses reflected the many spaces where Play can live. Teachers spoke about introducing activities in classrooms, parents imagined using them during family time at home, and students shared how such ideas could bring more energy into free periods and informal learning spaces.

These conversations revealed something important: when Play is simple and accessible, people begin to see how easily it can become part of everyday life.

HOPE 2026 became more than a stall at a school fete. It was a moment where young people stepped forward to share why Play matters, and how it can support learning, connection, and curiosity in many different spaces.

We are grateful to the DAIS Toybankers for representing this work with such enthusiasm, and to everyone who stopped by to play, reflect, and contribute to the conversation around a child’s Right to Play.