Vanessa Elle Wilde  ·  Play Intelligence

You were born with full Play Intelligence. Somewhere along the way, the world trained it out.

Reclaim it and step into your zone of genius—where ideas flow, work feels effortless, and life delights you.

40%
more creative ideas — just from play. Imagine what else becomes possible.

Ready to Reclaim it?

Yes, I want it back! Yes, I want it back!
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2%
of adults test at creative genius level

By age 5, that number was 98%. George Land's creativity research found the conclusion impossible to ignore: we don't lose Play Intelligence. We get trained out of it.

Everything we do here is about getting it back.

honk if you love play 🪿

PlayLab on Skool

The community that makes all of it possible.

PlayLab is an online community experimenting with joy, creativity and connection through the power of play — heightening our sense of belonging, sparking new energy, and proving that how we play changes everything.

Resource Library
Community Prompts
Play Practices
Meditations & Activations

What happens when adults start playing

40%
more creative ideas generated when adults enter a playful state of mind.
Association for Psychological Science
21%
higher profitability in cultures where play, joy, and positivity are the norm.
Gallup State of the Global Workplace
18%
rise in oxytocin — the bonding hormone — from playful group activities and shared laughter.
Journal of Neuroendocrinology
40–90%
information retention when learning combines gamified play and spaced repetition — vs. ~10% from passive listening.
Edgar Dale · Cone of Experience
Video coming soon

What Is Play Intelligence

A skill. The most underestimated one in your entire toolkit.

Three Ways to Get in on the Fun

Pick your starting point.

Each path leads to more play — just begin where you are.

Inside PlayLab

A little corner of magic just for you…

  • Resource Library full of goodies to spark your curiosity.
  • Community Prompts to get you playing + exploring.
  • Play Practices for big joy.
  • Meditations & Activations: pause + tune in + light up.
  • Weekly live hangouts with Vanessa & Friends for real-time connection.
  • Free Substack subscription delivered straight to your inbox.
  • Daily play challenges & mini adventures.
  • Community space for your worst jokes.

Our Vision

Grow a global network of healthy, happy humans interested in creating a better world by harnessing the power of play!

Join the Fun →

For organizations, collaborators & the press

Work with Vanessa

Vanessa brings Play Intelligence directly to your organization, event, or collaboration. Whether you're looking for a keynote that actually moves people, a workshop that changes how a team communicates, or an ongoing partnership — this door is for you.

  • Keynotes & conference talks
  • Corporate Play Intelligence workshops
  • Consulting & organizational partnerships
  • Media, press & collaboration enquiries
  • Custom programs for teams & communities
Connect with Vanessa →

Community Events

Joy Jams

Drop-in playshops for anyone ready to experience the joy firsthand. No commitment, no curriculum — just a room full of people boosting their creativity, making friends, and rediscovering the spirit of silliness. Come once. Come every time.

  • In-person community playshops
  • Boost creativity & play drive
  • Make friends, make things, make noise
  • Drop-in — no experience required
  • Savannah, GA & San Diego, CA
SAV → SAN →
Wilde On Mission
When the world feels like it’s falling apart, what do we do? We come together — we can play a different game.   When the world feels like it’s falling apart, what do we do? We come together — we can play a different game.  

We Play
With Purpose.

So rooted in who we are —

what feels like breaking becomes the roots of a new world.

For community For prosperity For connection
Yes, And… For Joy →
Wilde On Mission scrapbook
Vanessa Elle Wilde

About Vanessa

Vanessa
Elle Wilde

Playologist  ·  Author  ·  Founder

"Cheerfully disobedient. Slightly wilde. Here to make the case that your aliveness is worth cultivating."

Vanessa Elle Wilde is a playologist, author, and creative entrepreneur whose work blends neuroscience, presence practice, and the ancient impulse to play. She is the founder of PlayLab, creator of the Wilde Fruit Cards — a 56-card botanical oracle deck — and host of the Blooped Podcast.

With a diverse background in product development, design, and community building, Vanessa blends strategic insight with human-centered creativity to craft experiences that help people reclaim their innate Play Intelligence.

PlayLab is the home she built for that work. You're invited.

What they're saying

Real words from real people.

Free Guide

13 Ways to Activate Your Play Drive
A playful guide for more joy in life and work.

    No spam. Just play.

    Those who play together thrive together™

    Yes. Let's play! → Work with Vanessa