The Power of One Word: Why “Play” Is My Word of the Year

I just got back from a family vacation to the Tetons and Jackson Hole — full of hiking, kayaking, white water rafting, and lots of laughter. It was everything I hoped for: playful, bonding, and deeply recharging. As I sit back at my desk now, diving into resource creation for the upcoming school year, I’ve been thinking a lot about play — how much it fuels us, connects us, and reminds us to stay curious. That reflection brought me back to the word I chose at the start of this year: Play. It’s a word that’s shaped my days — and one that feels especially relevant during this summer pause. I wanted to share a bit more about why I chose it, and how it’s impacted both my teaching and my life this year.

Every January, I choose a word for the year. It's a practice I’ve kept up for over a decade now, and I’ve come to love how that one little word helps shape my experiences — in big and subtle ways, expected and surprising ways.

Some years the word practically taps me on the shoulder in October and says, “Hey, I’m the one.” Other times, I don’t discover it until the end of January. Sometimes it leaps out at me; sometimes it creeps up slowly, like fog on a quiet morning.

A Decade of Words

Over the years, my words have included: Love. Grateful. Heal. Adventure. Magic. Sparkle.

Each one brought something different into my life — a lens to look through, a rhythm to return to when things got busy or complicated. And this year, my word is: Play.

Rediscovering Play

Intentionally inviting a sense of play into my year has been so fun — and surprisingly powerful. And as I often say: fun can be a powerful tool. Play makes everything more magical. It adds a little sparkle, a sense of adventure, and a burst of energy to life.

But here's the thing — as grown-ups, many of us forget how to play. Or we relegate it to very specific times, like vacations or holidays. Our preschoolers, though? They’re experts at weaving play into every part of their day.

I often I hear, “I don’t know how you have the energy to teach preschool!” And trust me — some days, I come home, plop on the couch, and don’t move for an hour (with snacks). But many days? My little buddies energize me. We help each other play our way through the day — learning, growing, and laughing as we go.

Why Playful Learning Matters

I believe bringing a sense of play, joy, and wonder to learning is one of the best things I can offer my students.

For most young children, play is already there — natural, instinctive, joyful. My job is to tap into that and shape it into learning experiences that are rich, engaging, and developmentally appropriate.

But this philosophy isn’t just for preschool. Whether I’m working with toddlers or twelve-year-olds, making learning joyful and playful has always been a core value for me. It doesn’t look the same for everyone — and isn’t that beautiful?

We sometimes box “play” into a narrow definition — blocks and dolls and dress-up. But play can be as varied as a rainbow. For one child, it might be racing and stomping outside. For another, it might be quietly reading under a blanket fort. For me, it might be singing my to-do list like a musical number (true story).

Play, for me, can look like a thrilling white water float or a quiet hour painting the view from the front porch. In school, “play” can be giggling at how our puppet tried to eat the letter Cc or celebrating with a student who just read their first emergent reader!

It’s Not Just an Activity — It’s an Attitude

That’s been one of the biggest lessons from this “Year of Play”: It’s not just about what we do. It’s about how we do it.

Play can be an attitude — a lens that brings curiosity and creativity into the everyday.

As someone with ADHD — married to someone with ADHD — raising two kids with ADHD — bringing the fun has been a necessity in our house. Need to weed the garden? I throw on a fancy hat and grab a kid-sized wheelbarrow, and suddenly it’s a whimsical activity instead of a chore. Memorizing multiplication facts? We race to see who can get the most in one minute. It works. It helps. It matters.

(And don’t worry — I’ll share more about how I harness ADHD for good in the classroom in another post. Stay tuned.)

What’s Your Word?

If you’ve never picked a word for the year, I encourage you to try it. No need to wait for January! Don’t overthink it. Let it simmer. Listen for a word that feels like an invitation.

And if your word this year happens to be play, welcome to the club. Grab your glitter and your silly socks. We’re going to have fun — and learn a whole lot along the way.

Ed, our new bestie, though stranger at the time, saw our fam at the 4th of July parade and asked if our teens wanted to join him and his family in the Great Parade Water Fight. He’d brought a LOT of squirt guns and filled up trash cans full of water! It was the most fun we’d ever had at a parade, squirting back at any float with water guns! Our team fought valiantly but definitely lost the battle to the fire trucks, haha. And the person who was into it the most? Definitely Ed! I love seeing adults and elderly people who know how to play! And boy, are we glad he invited us along for the fun!