Traveling Deeper: The Power of Play While Traveling

This blog is the second in a series that we cared deeply about: we called it “travel deeper” because our desire is to help you travel with greater awareness, exploring places with curiosity, respect, joy, and a touch of courage to face small challenges that will make your experience even more fun and meaningful.

Paying attention to the journey as a great opportunity for change — which might simply mean gaining a new perspective, discovering something new about yourself, integrating a new habit, or learning to see the world through a new lens — doesn’t mean not having fun, not relaxing, or not resting: it means enriching yourself, giving yourself new opportunities, creating even more meaningful memories.

Because traveling, stretching our branches, transplanting ourselves into new lands, is one of the best ways to grow.

When we think about play, our minds almost instantly go back to childhood: afternoons running in the courtyard, spontaneous games of hide and seek, imaginary worlds built out of a few colorful bricks.
Then we grow up, and play slowly disappears from our lives. In its place come commitments, schedules, and responsibilities. “Life is not a game,” we’re told. And yet, something inside us keeps looking for it.

The truth is, play never really leaves us—it simply changes shape. We find it in sports, in friendly competitions, in a spontaneous karaoke in the car, in a board game dusted off on a winter evening. And every time we stumble upon it, the same magic happens: we smile more, our guard drops, time slips away without us noticing.

Play makes us more open, connects us, and allows us to reveal parts of ourselves that daily life often keeps hidden. When we’re traveling, its power becomes even stronger: it breaks the ice with strangers, turns moments of waiting into memories, and invites us to see a place with fresher, more curious eyes.

Integrating play into our travels means giving space to creativity and lightness, but also creating the perfect setting for deeper, more transformative experiences. It means shifting from simply “visiting” a place to truly “living” it. And you don’t need big budgets or complicated gear—just a pinch of imagination and the willingness to play along.

Here are some ideas to bring more play into your travels, turning each experience into something richer, more personal, and unforgettable.

 
1. Turn an activity into a challenge
Take a classic experience, like a cooking class. You could enjoy it in the “usual” way, watching the chef or joining in for a few steps… or you could turn it into a small event with a playful competition at the end.

Maybe after learning to make fresh pasta, you hold a “contest” to see who can create the most original shape, or who plates their dish most creatively. Add a symbolic prize—a local dessert, a bottle of wine, or simply the honorary title of “master pasta maker of the day.”

It’s not about the competition itself—it’s about the atmosphere that forms: everyone relaxes, laughs, and encourages each other. And what could have been “just another cooking class” becomes a unique memory.

 
2. Fill waiting time with creative games
Every trip has its moments of waiting: a delayed train, a scenic bus ride, the time before your food arrives at a restaurant. Often, we fill these minutes scrolling on our phones… but they can easily become opportunities for fun.

Why not start a pop quiz about the place you’re visiting, a riddle contest, or a quick photography challenge on an unusual detail you spot? Even the “empty” minutes of travel can become part of the adventure.

 
3. Discover through play
Play can be a magnifying glass on the world: from a botanical treasure hunt to identify local flowers and plants, to finding five similarities between your hometown and the place you’re exploring.

These small missions sharpen your eye, encourage you to interact with locals, and help you notice details you might otherwise overlook.

 
4. Creative workshops
Painting, pottery, cooking, music—creative activities aren’t just relaxing, they’re a way to tell the story of your trip with your own hands. Plus, they leave you with something tangible to take home: far more meaningful than a standard souvenir.

 
5. Botanical challenges
Pick three local plants, flowers, or fruits and try to photograph them or learn their names. It’s a simple exercise that makes you slow down and pay attention to the natural details around you.

 
6. Theatre and improvisation
A theatre or improv workshop—especially with a local facilitator—is a blend of play, creativity, and self-discovery. It challenges you, frees you from inhibitions, and forges a special connection with your fellow participants.

 
7. A game thread running through the whole trip
If you’re traveling in a group, why not set a playful theme to accompany each day? It could be a points system for small daily challenges—from the funniest toast to the most creative group photo—with a final award at the trip’s last dinner.

This ongoing thread of play gives the journey a lighthearted “sub-plot” that binds the group together and becomes part of your shared memories for years to come.

 
In short: play is not a luxury reserved for children, but a universal language that connects us, grounds us in the moment, and invites us to engage with places more attentively and curiously. Next time you travel, pack some playfulness—it takes no space in your suitcase, but it can fill your journey with laughter, connections, and unforgettable memories.