Playworks helps kids to stay active and build valuable social and emotional 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
Introducing Recess Reboot! (3.0) ›
Announcing our New Service - PlayworksU! ›
Playworks is Hiring AmeriCorps Coaches ›
Playworks Near You
California
Connect with the Playworks team in Northern California and Southern California.
187,548
Kids Reached in California in the last year
District of Columbia
Connect with the Playworks team in Washington, D.C.
Kids Reached in Greater Washington d.c. in the last year
Massachusetts
Connect with the Playworks team in New England.
Kids Reached in New England in the last year
New Hampshire
Connect with the Playworks team in New England.
Kids Reached in New England in the last year
New Jersey
Connect with the Playworks team in New Jersey.
Kids Reached in New Jersey in the last year
North Carolina
Connect with the Playworks team in North Carolina.
Kids Reached in North Carolina in the last year
Oregon
Connect with the Playworks team in the Pacific Northwest.
Kids served in the Pacific Northwest in the last year
Pennsylvania
Connect with the Playworks team in Pennsylvania.
Kids served in Pennsylvania in the last year
Rhode Island
Connect with the Playworks team in New England.
Kids served in New England in the last year
Washington
Connect with the Playworks team in the Pacific Northwest.
Kids Reached in the Pacific Northwest in the last year
3.5 Million
Children reached by December 2020
Playworks aims for 3.5 million children in 7,000 schools to experience safe, healthy play every day by 2020. 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 social and emotional skills. Learn about our impact ›
Stories
July 27, 2017
Why Kids Like Clinton Need Mentors ›
Last year I had a student, Clinton, who was pretty challenging. He was constantly being put on the fence by his teachers because of something he did in class or at lunch. He could be disrespectful…
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…
News
August 14, 2018
Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation Grants Playworks $4,590,371 ›
Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation Grants Playworks $4,590,371 Over 132,250 kids in more than 350 schools will experience safe and healthy play every day as a result of this investment. This is the largest regional grant Playworks has ever received. Detroit, MI—July 15, 2018—Playworks, the leading national nonprofit leveraging the power of play to transform…
July 31, 2018
Announcing PlayworksU ›
On August 1, Playworks introduces its newest service, PlayworksU. Educators asked for bite-sized online courses to reinforce and introduce play-based strategies throughout the school day. Over a nine month period, over 1000 teachers, school staff and principals tested out 19 modules on topics ranging from Group Management to Games Facilitation. Based on their feedback and…
June 8, 2018
5 Things You Might Not Know About Play And SEL ›
As social and emotional learning (SEL) gains traction, it can start to feel like yet one more lesson to wedge in. Thankfully, building students’ social and emotional skills is about more than instructional time. The Aspen Institute’s Council of Distinguished Scientists and Council of Distinguished Educators now recommend weaving an intentional focus on students’ social,…
June 7, 2018
Want to Build a Better Recess? Researchers Have a Framework for You ›
Amid mounting evidence that recess can help support student learning, health, and social skills, researchers are taking a closer look at what a “high quality” recess looks like. “We can’t fully understand the relationship between recess and learning, physical activity, other things until we understand the quality of recess,” said William Massey, an assistant professor of health…
Events
November 04, 2018 @ 7:00 AM
2018 NYC TCS Marathon ›
Join the 2018 Marathon Team Playworks New York! Playworks is once again thrilled to be an official community level charity for the 2017 NYC TCS Marathon! Over the past three…
