[Applause] What do all these characters have in common? Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, Little Orphan Annie, Mowgli from The Jungle Book, Spider-Man, Batman, Cinderella, Peter Pan, I could go on and on, but yes, these are all orphan stories. And these are all children, characters, heroes who have suffered incredible parental loss. And yet in the stories, they're all remarkably lucky and self-sufficient and charismatic. Interesting, right? Interesting. But for foster parents like myself, walking our children ...

Childhood Development & Health Concerns - Globally, 400 million children are overweight or obese, with 40% of urban 10-year-olds in the speaker's island community facing the same issue [6] - Teenagers are significantly lacking in daily activity, with 82% not meeting the recommended one hour quota [6] - Mental health issues are escalating, affecting one in seven 10 to 19-year-olds globally, and one in four older teens report feeling lonely [7] - In the UK, 16 million children require additional support in the classroom, indicating a rise in special educational needs and sensory dysregulation [8] The Role of Play - Play is essential for human flourishing, serving as a means of connection and communication throughout life, not just in childhood [11] - Play spaces should encourage movement, social interaction, and engagement in real life (IRL), helping to reduce screen time [11] - Play mitigates childhood issues and is a key part of human flourishing [10] - Overcoming risk through play is crucial for developing competence and resilience [13] Urban Planning & Community - By 2050, 70% of the global population will reside in cities, emphasizing the need for improved urban environment planning [6] - Play spaces foster community connection and therapeutic family time [18] - Communities that play and plan together can co-design and co-produce for a better future [25]

Lucas Ma, a 12-year-old speaker, shares his playful investigation into the paradox of growing up, interviewing adults who reveal a surprising truth: childhood’s magic—like a tree’s hidden roots—fuels lifelong happiness, even as we gain adult freedoms. Through humorous comparisons and heartfelt insights, he concludes that true growth means balancing responsibility with childlike wonder, just as trees need both roots and branches. Lucas leaves the audience with a call to action: nurture your roots of joy and ...

Creativity & Innovation - Encourages embracing childlike curiosity and questioning everything to unlock creativity and generate novel ideas [2] - Suggests that the ability to question everything and being "naive" is a superpower, leading to unique perspectives and innovative solutions [2] - Proposes that embracing chaos, messiness, and uncertainty are essential for originality and discovering good ideas [3] - Advocates for letting go of conditioning and embracing behaviors that were once discouraged to unlock new possibilities [2] - Emphasizes that in creativity, there is no right or wrong, allowing for experimentation and the development of unique formulas [2] Design Principles - Highlights the concept of "invisible design," where good design lies in the unseen process [5] - Suggests that good ideas emerge from secret spaces and ideation phases that encourage exploration and experimentation [5] Overcoming Creative Blocks - Recommends flipping the script and generating ideas that seem unrealistic or crazy to break through conventional thinking [1] - Suggests that designers sometimes have to come up with 50 ideas at once due to inevitable deadlines [1] - Encourages individuals to give reason to their chaos, transforming it into something undeniably right and fostering freedom [3] - Advocates for asking "Why not?" instead of just "Why?" to discover connections and create without fear of being wrong [3]

When you come to school, you're definitely going to learn something. And what I learned from students today, how to be a good listener. How to listen with all the attention and undivided focus.Can I have a round of applause for the wonderful students we have here. And for the adults, I would request your attention. And I invite you all to take a deep breath and go back to certainly your best time of your life.That's your childhood. Imagine when you were in eighth class. How was the world around around you.T ...