The LEGO Foundation

Play is not just for children. Adults benefit from play throughout their lives, and double Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen knows this better than most. For Viktor, play has always been essential to his development. Throughout his career, it has helped him find his preferred way to play badminton and keep the joy in what he does. Under the most intense pressure ahead of major tournaments, small moments of playing with the racket and shuttle, during or after training, have helped his shoulders drop. His experience reflects what research keeps confirming: play is not a distraction from serious matters; it is what helps us meet them with focus, joy, and calm. That is why we believe play belongs in every stage of life: in childhood, in education, at work, and at the top of world sport. What is good play for you?

Kristian Toft skal fremover stå i spidsen for vores arbejde for børn i daginstitutioner og skoler i Danmark og Norden. Han tiltræder den 1. november. Kristian kommer fra en stilling som skolechef i Aalborg Kommune og har tidligere været direktør for Dansk Center for Undervisningsmiljø. Med 10 år som lærer og 15 år som skoleleder kender han børnenes hverdag indefra, og gennem hele sin karriere har han arbejdet for stærke læringsmiljøer og fællesskaber, hvor alle børn får mulighed for at trives, lære og udvikle sig. Den erfaring bliver vigtig, når vi de næste 10 år sætter fokus på børn og unges trivsel i Danmark. Velkommen til, Kristian.

Vi har brug for flere dygtige lærere og pædagoger i vores skoler og dagtilbud. Derfor bygger vi videre på otte års samarbejde med de seks Danske Professionshøjskoler med en ny bevilling på 200 mio. kr. Sammen vil vi styrke lærer- og pædagoguddannelserne og skabe bedre forudsætninger for at tiltrække, uddanne og fastholde dygtige fagprofessionelle. Samtidig vil vi styrke mulighederne for, at både kommende og nuværende lærere og pædagoger har relevante og tidssvarende kompetencer til at møde børn med forskellige behov. Dygtige lærere og pædagoger er afgørende for, at børn kan trives, lære og være en del af fællesskabet. Playful Learning DK

Children cannot wait. That was our message at last week's United Nations General Assembly. Over the week, we explored questions shaping childhood today. How do we support children growing up in conflict and displacement? How do we design learning for diverse minds, not least as AI becomes part of children's lives? Different conversations, one common thread: none of us can answer the questions alone. Read our reflections from the week in the article below.

Every connection brings us one step closer to a better childhood for all children. This week, the United Nations General Assembly brought us to New York, alongside leaders, partners, and young advocates from around the world. In every conversation, we felt a shared urgency to rethink how we build a stronger foundation for all children. In a world where funding for early childhood is under pressure, we came to UNGA to reaffirm our long-standing commitment to children facing adversity, especially those growing up in crisis and conflict. The first years of life shape who we become. Yet too often, those years are overlooked, not least in humanitarian settings. Our priority at UNGA was to underline this need to act now. Children cannot wait. We must work together and build new partnerships so that early childhood is prioritised. That message was clear in every conversation, not only on humanitarian response, but also in discussions on inclusive education and the growing role of AI in childhood. On Thursday, we hosted a high-level roundtable, followed by a reception where partners came together to connect and celebrate our 40th anniversary. Thank you to everyone who joined us, challenged our thinking, and helped strengthen the connections that make our mission possible. We return home inspired, with sharpened ambitions and renewed confidence in what we can achieve together.

Play doesn't look the same everywhere. And it shouldn't. At Play@TED, Dr. Erum Mariam, Executive Director, BRAC Institute of Educational Development, BRAC University, reminded us why culturally relevant play matters, especially for children living through crisis and displacement. When everything familiar has been disrupted, play can help children reconnect with who they are. With their stories, songs, games, and traditions. With a sense of joy, pride, and belonging. But only when play is shaped by the children, families, and communities it's meant to support. Because when play is rooted in children's own culture, it becomes more than an activity. It becomes a way to restore confidence, connection, and hope. Watch Dr. Erum Mariam's talk https://lnkd.in/eZp5NSxA BRAC BRAC International

This weekend, our workplace looked a little different. For Family Days, 15,000 LEGO® colleagues and their families came together in Billund. Families had the chance to step inside the places where their loved ones spend their working days and meet colleagues. For us, it was an opportunity to meet the families behind our the LEGO Group colleagues and share a little more about the mission that brings us together. And we took the opportunity to ask a question close to our work: What is a good childhood, to you? Thank you to the many families who shared their thoughts with us.

We welcome seven locally rooted organisations to our partnership with Co-Impact. Earlier this year, we launched a five-year, USD 30m partnership with Co-Impact to strengthen public education systems in Kenya and Nigeria, and improve learning and wellbeing outcomes for children affected by conflict and crisis. The seven Program Partners bring deep community knowledge, trusted government relationships and complementary expertise, from early childhood development and foundational learning to refugee inclusion, wellbeing and crisis-responsive education governance. Each will now work with Co-Impact to help children affected by conflict and crisis learn, recover, and thrive.  Welcome Girl Child Network Kenya, BasicNeeds, Aga Khan Foundation, TaRL Africa, Common Heritage Foundation, Centre for Girls' Education, Restoration of Hope Initiative (ROHI) Meet them all below. 

Next week, we will be in New York for the UN General Assembly. At UNGA, we are bringing children's perspectives into the room to build partnerships that can scale real change for children, because no organisation can do this alone. In a world where funding for early childhood is under pressure, we will be reaffirming our long-standing commitment to children facing adversity, especially those growing up in crisis and conflict. The first few years of life shape who we become. Yet too often, those years are forgotten, not least in humanitarian settings. That's why we will be in New York. To make sure children's voices are heard when their futures are shaped. We must secure a childhood for all.

I de næste to dage er vores hjemby, Billund, forvandlet til en endnu større legeplads end den, vi kender til daglig. Legens Festival skaber rammen om fest, leg og aktiviteter, der bringer os sammen. For leg er ikke bare leg. Leg handler om at turde eksperimentere, at være nysgerrig, at skabe plads til begejstring og at alle er med. Det er blandt andet de karakteristika, der lægger fundamentet for trivsel, udvikling og læring, og som Legens Festival er bygget på. Bag festivalen står Center for Capital of Children og Billund Kommune, men det er de mange frivillige, børn, unge og voksne, der gør den mulig og som har ydet en kæmpe indsats for at gøre byen klar til leg, gadeteater og gøgl, kreative værksteder, musik og meget, meget mere.