Ever miss recess? Family game nights? Dedicating a whole day to just having a good time?
I don’t blame you—adulting is hard. Sometimes all I want to do is go back to being a kid, when I could completely lose myself in a game of cards or kickball and momentarily forget about the rest of the world. I miss the carefree way I made new friends and laughed so hard I couldn’t breathe—even with people I’d only just met.
Apparently, I’m not the only one suffering from this particular brand of nostalgia. A few years ago, the lovely and talented Majida Mundial (a longtime Madrid resident who hails from New York) decided to do something about it.
She created Let’s Go Ánimo, a company dedicated to helping people have fun, meet new friends, and release the inner child that lives on inside us all.
Majida, the founder of Let’s Go Ánimo, cracks up with The Playground participants.
Every month, Let’s Go Ánimo hosts The Playground, a night of board games and friendly competition that’s every bit as fun as it sounds. At first glance it may seem like your average expat networking night; it’s held on Thursday evenings on a trendy Malasaña street, everyone speaks English, and yes, there’s wine involved. But the similarities end there.
When you walk in the door, you’ll be placed on a team with other attendees who you’ll compete with throughout the night. The games are different every time—you might play Jenga, Scattergories, Cards Against Humanity, Limbo, Twister, or an endless number of other classics. The winner of each game is awarded points for their team, and at the end of the evening there’s a challenge round to crown the overall champion. Expect plenty of fun, prizes, and unlimited surprises.
A fierce Twister competition puts players’ balance to the test.
Of course, there are some things that set The Playground apart from the game nights of your youth: namely, alcohol. The €10 entry fee includes a drink and a few small tapas, and you can buy more throughout the night if you’re still hungry (or thirsty). Beer, wine and tinto de verano are usually on offer.
If you’re shy or nervous about meeting new people, The Playground will leave you no choice but to let loose and get out of your comfort zone. Awkward icebreakers, dance-offs, improv activities… everything is fair game.
Pro tip: you’ll have more fun if you go all out and really get into it—apathy and introversion might be acceptable at a normal bar or networking night, but here they just won’t fly.
In addition to the monthly Playground events, Let’s Go Ánimo organizes special activities and celebrations throughout the year. Sometimes there’s a particular theme; the Christmas edition held in December featured a white elephant gift exchange, an ugly sweater contest, and no shortage of holiday cheer.
Participants strut their stuff in an ugly Christmas sweater fashion show.
Other past events have included picnics in the park and Thanksgiving-themed fun. Let’s Go Ánimo also offers corporate team building workshops, and Majida even teaches Sevillanas dance classes in English, if that’s your thing!
Stay up to date on upcoming events by joining the brand new Facebook group, The High-Vibe Tribe. According to Majida, “This group is being created to build an international family-like community of passionate people all over the world who believe that being an adult does not have to equal living a dull life, and that living the fulfilling life you dream of is not only possible but necessary!”
So if you’re tired of the same old language exchanges and afterwork meet-ups, and you want to try something totally new and unique, mark your calendar for the next edition of The Playground—or any of Let’s Go Ánimo’s events—and get ready to have the time of your life.
