Posters + Learning. I’m a big fan of applying great design to the elements of our daily lives as people and societies as a way of making our life experience better and richer, and I’ve been following an organization for a while who is doing that very successfully in the area of learning. The Institute of Play in New York City is a non-profit group focused on designing learning experiences that are centered in the concepts of play — something we all enjoy. I’ve been drawn to the curiosity and creativity fostered in the programs I’m reading about. One of my favorites is the Off the Wall Learning series, which uses simple (but well-designed) posters to provide kids with self-directed learning activities — vehicles for young people to explore their own worlds and draw their own conclusions. These two posters have inspired me again this week! They are available for download for anyone to use, along with the Off the Wall Process template for actually creating your own learning experience, ready to be translated into a visual instruction poster!

The Institute of Play website offers quite a few resources for teachers, schools and even parents, from curriculum and programs to reading lists on the concepts of melding games with learning. Take a look. You just might get inspired for your own exploration!