play•think•work

Play workshops for Business & Education

Guardian of the Idea

Hi! I am Jules

In 2006 I discovered the power of ‘Things’ in problem-solving & design thinking by sheer luck.

I have tried to explain the concept/method as much as possible on this site. If you still have questions, I would love to hear from you. Let me know if you would like to bring Think with Things into your business, organisation or school.

“HAVE THINGS WILL TRAVEL” — Jules

Read more about Jules story here.

Think with Things is…

promoting a playful way of making abstract ideas more concrete and visual so that they can be better understood, discussed and reconstructed. We help educators & businesses see great potential in everyday things around them.

Featured

Creative Thinking Workshops 2023

New Workshop!

Rube Goldberg Machine

We all need to reconnect with our teammates and community after COVID. Most importantly, we must reconnect with ourselves, with our creativity and problem-solving skills. This new workshop will help your team regain their spirit and confidence in working together to solve the seemingly impossible task.

The video is from a European Commission group of 80 people. This workshop can be done with teams between 10 and 200+.

Choose between two versions:

The Chain Reaction

This workshop (seen in the video) is a masterclass in teamwork, problem-solving, and design constraints It is a celebration of every member and every step in a group process. In small groups and with limited materials, teams design their own Rube Goldberg Machine. They must work with their neighbours to ensure their machine works seamlessly together.

The Inefficiency Machine

It starts off the same as before, with small groups working with a limited amount of materials, but their goal is to perform a simple task in most steps. There are several winners in this competition, but the ultimate winner is the team performing the task in the most inefficient way (the most steps). Does this sometimes seem like our workspace now? How can we simplify our work processes?

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Challenge to Solution

This workshop is a great way to see how Think with Things methodology can solve real problems or (challenges, we like to say). It is specifically designed to help teams work through new or long-term challenges to make them visible to everyone in the team and thus solvable.

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Unpack Ideas

This workshop promotes idea creation, problem-solving and finding new directions. It is ideal for smaller teams who need a new perspective on their goals and ways forward. The result will be a rich array of new ideas, which can be taken away and made into plans for an innovative way(s) forward.

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View all Think with Things Workshops

Creative Storytelling

This workshop is ideal for fostering team building. Designed to provide an intimate way to bring individuals closer together yet keep a group dynamic alive and playful. Small groups capture and communicate their thoughts related to a playful question or statement in an entertaining and non-confrontational way.

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Things Lab in Wiltshire! Taking a break from city life in Brussels for a month. Working in our amazing tiny house on the edge of a ravine. It is important to take a break from your normal working space to get a fresh perspective. Where do you take a break to?

🚀 After a lot of work and many lovely discussions with the printer, the cards and fabulous box are off and being printed as we speak! Thank you to all those who believe in the power of found objects and purchased a deck for my first print run! I decided to print a few extras, so if you didn't pre-order, you could still pick up one of the extra packs! 🎄 Delivery before Xmas. However, you can already start with the virtual card deck today! Look to the link above in Bio for more info and purchase! Oh, they are completely eco-friendly and a 🌳 tree is planted for each pack printed. Yoooohooo

New THINGS LAB Update! (and more coming very soon) For OS: https://apps.apple.com/be/app/things-lab/id6476206340 For Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pprd52re7la.p23b4gp4oapp&pcampaignid=web_share

Today is the LAST Day! I will send the order on Monday for the first print of the fabulous Business Creative Catalyst Card deck. Order yours today so you don't miss out and have your deck by Xmas. Not soon enough? Your virtual cards deck is available on THINGS LAB APP immediately! Find the order info in the bio above!

📢 Exciting Update! We’re extending our pre-sales for the printed card deck until November 8th! 🌟 🎄Originally set to end on November 1st, we’re thrilled to extend the deadline so you don’t miss your chance to snag a deck before the holidays! 🎁 Our amazing UK-based printer will be able to get them printed and shipped faster than expected. Remember, we’re only printing the number of decks sold by November 8th, so grab yours now to ensure it arrives in time for Christmas! 🌐 Plus, don’t forget you’ll have instant access to the online version with exclusive extras as soon as you order. Link to THINGS LAB APP above in Bio 🌍 And here’s the eco-friendly bonus: printed with veggie inks on recycled paper, our deck also plants a tree for every purchase. 💚 So, what are you waiting for? If you have any questions, drop them in the comments below.

In the last two months, I have had the opportunity to work with nearly 500 professionals in team-building events. Most of these were from a wide variety of groups from EU institutions. Today, I received the feedback from these sessions, and I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the chance to share my passion. More importantly, I am happy they had a good day while learning something about their colleagues and themselves in the process! Thank you all! (feedback is given anonymously, so these are select group from twt sessions I facilitated in the last two months)

Happy Monday! Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a creative and energising staff meeting today? You can with our new card deck! Start now: Link in Bio

Digital and Real World Cards that will take your team from mundane to magic! Order now and receive the physical card by December, with access to the virtual deck and extras today. Plus, 20% off! Pre-orders of physical decks end Nov 1st; the next shipping date will be January 2025! Learn More: Link in Bio

Building organisational bridges today with 100 legal experts! So much creativity it was amazing!

💥 The Business Catalyst Card Deck is here to make your team unstoppable! 💥 20% OFF if you order by Nov 1st! 📦 Immediate virtual access, physical deck ships in December. Bring fun, creativity, and productivity into your meetings starting NOW! Don’t miss out—next printed deck won’t be until 2025 and full price! ⚡️ Link in bio to pre-order and transform your team today! #BusinessCardDeck #playatwork #CreativityUnleashed #TeamProductivity #InnovateYourMeetings #ProblemSolving #teambuildinggames

In the last two months, I have had the opportunity to work with nearly 500 professionals in team-building events. Most of these were from a wide variety of groups from EU institutions.

Today, I received the feedback from these sessions, and I am ov

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“Creativity involves breaking out of expected patterns in order to look at things in a different way.”

— Edward de Bono

Play is important work!

What is it about play that’s so inviting? How can we allow play into our daily routines — especially in an over-scheduled, anxious environment, and especially when work schedules are hectic?

Ben Mardell, a researcher, educator, and expert on play and development, says, “My take is that any activity can be play or not play. The secret sauce is playfulness — the ability to see a situation and be curious about it, realize it can be enjoyable and take agency over it. “

Why is Play important in business teams?

Play is one of the essential skills adults should engage in regularly. It can increase creativity, reduce stress (thus, increase performance) and improve overall mood and productivity. The act of playing like you did as a child could be the difference between failure and success.

Reconnecting with play will help you succeed!

The video is a compilation from a Challenge/Solution Business Workshop with 25 people.

Challenge/Solution details

Think with Your Hands

Beyond our workshops described on this site, we offer bespoke services that meet any need.

in Trainings

Our adult workshops are fun and engaging with focus on connecting through play!

at Events

We loved to disrupt the norm and during events we are experts at engaging attendees!

with students

From 3-18 there is always room for play, creative thinking and problem solving!

as coaching

One on one sessions help find your creative spirit and create a new path!

Contact

What People Are Saying

“Our team of 16 did the Problem/Solution day workshop. By lunch, I told the TwT team if we solve just 1 of these 6 problems I will be elated. By the end of the day, we had 6 viable solutions we all agreed to move forward with. Absolutely amazing, engaging and the best part was that we where all full of energy after a day workshop, which isn’t the case normally.”

— Daniel (EU commission)

“We were very happy with your performance and what we have learnt during your online session. You really opened us new and interesting perspectives in our everyday work with our children. Thank you again, and not only for this but also for your flexibility and kindness.

— Mihaela (Eeb 4 School)

“It was a pleasure for us as well to meet you and see you in action. My colleagues gave me very positive feedback and the students enjoyed it very much. It was a perfect energizer after a long day. I have already shared the experience with the team so that we can consider your workshops for future innovation camps for students or teacher training.”

— Judit (JA Europe)

Empowering Thinking with everyTHING everyWHERE!

Introducing

THINGS, the card game!

The beauty of this game is that it allows you to play either only with cards or search around your environment for found objects; we call THINGS and add them to the game.

THINGS celebrates the idea that one person's trash is another person's treasure!

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Creativity is Intelligence Having Fun! —Einstein

Things as Thinking Tools in Education

In 2015 we had a chance to collaborate with Unicef offering many free workshops to schools. Below is a small video we made at one of the schools where we did a Storytelling workshop with our Think Like A… Cards.

Play Matters

Our photo-album of past PLAY is bursting and we would love to add your event to the mix!

Think with Things was founded in 2014 as part of an accelerator. What started as a small idea tested in Turtlewings Studio many years ago has grown into courses and workshops worldwide. Please look at some of our great projects and workshops over the past 6+ years.