In times of crisis, play often emerges as a vital response for dealing with highly uncertain, precarious and unfathomable conditions. In turn, these conditions affect how we play. To understand this relation between play and crisis, and to be prepared for future crises, academics and professionals must work together. We aim to discuss hopeful aspects of play such as resilience, therapeutic play, imagination, but also its darker aspects. Among others, we will work together on the development of a prototype for playful strategies in crisis.