Have you ever been told to take the fun out of learning?

We have. Often.

Apparently, if the topic is serious, then the course must be delivered with all the charm of a wet Thursday in a broken lift. Because, heaven forbid, someone smiles while learning how to prevent a fire.

At Popcorn, we call this the Fun Sponge phenomenon. And we think it’s time we wrung it out.

Because fun isn't the enemy of learning. Boredom is.

Let's Get Serious… About Fun

We’ve heard the same line many times:

“This topic is too serious to be fun.”

The Second World War was quite serious too.

Over 60 million people died. Entire cities were flattened. Nations collapsed and reformed. Genocides happened. Nuclear weapons were used for the first time in history. It was one of the most devastating, world-shaping events of the 20th century.

And yet… many of us remember what we learned about it at school. Not because we were emotionally ready for that kind of horror at age 14. But because our teachers made it engaging.

They had us make propaganda posters. Made us try on gas masks. Asked us what we’d do if we were Churchill or Chamberlain. They made us laugh, role-play, debate, and imagine.

And here I am, 35 years later, still remembering.

So let’s get one thing straight: Fun doesn’t make learning unserious. It makes it unforgettable.

A Word From Mark Glanville, Popcorn’s CEO

“We’re not talking about turning ‘working at height’ into a sitcom.But if the learner’s hanging off a ladder mid-course, you can bet they’ll remember the key message better than if they just clicked through five bullet points.”

“Emotionally engaging learning isn’t about being wacky. It’s about creating a spark. Add some curiosity, surprise, or even a chuckle. That spark is what moves learning from short-term memory to long-term behaviour change. That’s the goal.”

“Sometimes clients worry that fun undermines credibility. I’d argue it’s the opposite. When a course respects the learner enough to entertain, it earns their attention. And once you have attention, you can teach anything.”

What Does “Fun” Really Mean in L&D?

Let’s be clear: we don’t add disco balls and dad jokes to every slide. “Fun” in digital learning is often subtle, smart and strategic.

Here’s what we mean:

Storytelling with stakes: Real people. Real dilemmas. Real emotions. Drama drives engagement - even in health and safety.

Interactivity that makes you care: Drag-and-drops, branching paths, puzzles - not just because they’re “cool”, but because they ask learners to do, not just read.

Humour with purpose: A well-placed gag can disarm resistance and reinforce memory. Research shows that emotional engagement significantly improves recall.

Design that delights: Surprising animations. Unexpected sound effects. Pop culture nods. All wrapped around solid instructional design.

So Why Does the Fun Sponge Keep Winning?

Because fear.Fear that someone might take the course less seriously. Fear that senior leadership won’t “get it”. Fear that a lawyer might pull it apart. Fear that “engaging” means “frivolous”.

But here’s what’s really risky:

Learners disengaged after five screens.

Courses closed before completion.

Unchanged behaviours.

Compliance failures because no one paid attention.

Now that’s serious.

Final Thought: Give Fun Its Job Back

Fun isn’t a gimmick. It’s a learning strategy. One that taps into how human brains actually work.

If we want learners to care, to remember, and to act, then we need to stop fearing fun. We need to design courses that connect emotionally, intellectually and even playfully.

At Popcorn, we don’t do silly for the sake of it. We do storytelling, creativity and connection. Wrapped in beautiful, accessible, custom eLearning content that never forgets the end goal: real behaviour change.

So next time someone asks, “Can you just take the fun out?” Ask them, “Why?”

And then show them how serious fun can be.