The FUNdamentals: Why fun matters more than we think

By Helen Stonelake, Research Associate & PhD Scholar, OU RUMPUS, Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies

When was the last time you had fun? Genuine, tangible, belly laughing fun?

In a world that feels increasingly serious and pressured, fun can seem like a guilty pleasure — something optional, even frivolous. But what if fun isn’t an add on at all? What if it’s essential?

The essential nature of fun is something that OU RUMPUS research group and Fullscope charities have known for some time. Yet we’ve both found that funders can be reluctant to support ‘fun’ work and research. So, we joined forces, via the FUNdamentals knowledge exchange project, to find out why.

We’ve been thinking and talking a lot recently about how our society treats children and actually it’s a pretty damning kind of indictment of our society if we can’t fund fun for them…

Charity 1

Our research with charities and funders revealed that although fun is considered essential to supporting children and young people (particularly those experiencing challenging circumstances), there’s reluctance to openly discuss fun’s benefits professionally. Why is this? Are we, as a society, unintentionally creating a ‘fun deficit’? And what does that mean for the wellbeing and potential of children and young people?

Our executive summary of The FUNdamentals explores these questions in depth — and, fittingly, it’s fun to read and share.

Six key insights from The FUNdamentals research

The transformative power of fun

Fun is vital to life; a key to unlocking potential, building relationships, promoting inclusion, improving wellness and knowing oneself, particularly in challenging circumstances.

The fun deficit

15 years of fiscal cuts, curriculum shifts, and cultural changes have drained joy from shared spaces. Fun has become a ‘luxury’. There is less money, space and time for fun for children/young people.

Fear of frivolity

The word ‘fun’ carries dismissive connotations and is often construed in the binary, in opposition to the seriousness of the work. In short, fun has an image problem.

Hidden Hierarchies

Old-fashioned philanthropic values, alongside persistent social biases, shape ideas about who is deserving of fun and what forms that may take.

The Fun Paradox

Fun’s power is deeply personal—but this makes it hard to quantify, ‘rank’, or squeeze into grantmaking boxes.

Shifting power, centering youth

When children/young people’s voice is included, this humanises grant making, challenging the idea of ‘worthiness’ and driving change. Grantmakers’ interest in ‘joy’ may pave the way for destigmatising fun and explicitly recognising its value.

I mean really we shouldn’t fund anything for children and young people that doesn’t have some kind of mention of fun.

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A call to reconsider the value of fun

So what do you think? Is fun something any of us — let alone children and young people — can live without. If you’re interested in joining the conversation about the findings or exploring what it means to rethink fun in your own practice or funding approach, OU RUMPUS would love to hear from you.