Playworks helps kids to stay active and build valuable life skills through play
What a Better Recess Does
Conflict Resolution
Recess doesn’t have to be chaotic. At a better recess, kids acquire tools to work out disagreements and differences.
Leadership Skills
When they’re playing amongst their peers, kids have a valuable opportunity to develop a sense of fairness, confidence, and communication.
Academic Success
Kids who are engaged during recess are more likely to participate in class, which means better attendance and better grades.
Updates
Give Kids the Childhood They Deserve ›
Playworks Named 2019 Top-Rated Nonprofit ›
Playworks Recruits Playful Professionals with LinkedIn For Nonprofits ›
Playworks Near You
California
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187,548
Kids Reached in California in the last year
District of Columbia
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Kids Reached in the Mid-Atlantic Region in the last year
Maryland
Connect with the Playworks team in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Kids Reached in the Mid-Atlantic Region in the last year
Massachusetts
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Kids Reached in New England in the last year
New Hampshire
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Kids Reached in New England in the last year
New Jersey
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Kids Reached in New Jersey in the last year
North Carolina
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Kids Reached in North Carolina in the last year
Oregon
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Kids Reached in the Pacific Northwest in the last year
Pennsylvania
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Kids Reached in Pennsylvania in the last year
Rhode Island
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Kids Reached in New England in the last year
Virginia
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Kids Reached in the Mid-Atlantic Region in the last year
Washington
Connect with the Playworks team in the Pacific Northwest.
Kids Reached in the Pacific Northwest in the last year
West Virginia
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Kids Reached in the Mid-Atlantic Region in the last year
3.5 Million
Children reacheD in 7,000 Schools
Playworks is aiming to ensure 3.5 million children experience safe, healthy play every day. Click on your state to explore what Playworks is doing near you.
Elementary students with strong social and emotional skills are . . .
Recess is a natural learning lab for important life skills. Learn about our impact ›
Stories
February 3, 2016
Not-So-Junior Coach Matthew ›
When Playworks—then Sports4Kids—coach Max Langaard arrived at Manzanita school, Matthew Bailey was a shy third-grader. At home, he’d try to stay out of everyone’s way, and at school, he rarely spoke up during class. But Coach Max saw him…
April 26, 2019
Stories from the Playground: Coach Hoops ›
It’s not every day that a Playworks #AmeriCorps Coach is honored by the Los Angeles Lakers, complete with a basketball clinic hosted by legendary forward A.C. Green. Then again, being treated to a center court awards…
News
November 7, 2019
Give Kids the Childhood They Deserve ›
When kids feel included and supported at recess, they’re more likely to thrive in school and in life. Everyone deserves a chance to become the best possible version of themselves. Kids need us to make that possible for them. Not all kids feel like they fit in at school. Feeling safe and like you belong is…
November 6, 2019
Playworks Named 2019 Top-Rated Nonprofit ›
Playworks is proud to receive the 2019 Top-Rated Award by GreatNonprofits, the leading provider of user reviews about nonprofit organizations. “Playworks is a great example of a nonprofit making a real difference in their community,” said Perla Ni, CEO of GreatNonprofits. “Their award is well-deserved recognition not only of their work, but the tremendous support…
November 1, 2019
Playworks Recruits Playful Professionals with LinkedIn For Nonprofits ›
At Playworks, we seek out energetic, creative people who ensure every kid has the chance to play every day. Our core values of inclusion, respect, healthy community, and healthy play are the foundation of our organization and are infused in all aspects of our work, including recruiting and retaining the best playful professionals we can.…
Kappanonline.org
October 31, 2019
The right to play: Eliminating the opportunity gap in elementary school recess ›
Elementary school students have the right to play during the school day. Closing the recess opportunity gap requires ensuring access to daily recess for all children at school, finding and enforcing alternatives to recess withholding, and designing recess to ensure it supports students’ social, emotional, and physical development.
