About
All kids deserve the social, emotional, and physical benefits of play. We help schools and youth programs create healthy play environments where every child can join in.
Playworks and UnitedHealthcare Team Up to support Fort Wayne Community Schools through the Power of Play!
Thanks to this partnership with UnitedHealthcare, educators in all 31 elementary schools in Fort Wayne Community Schools will receive training and access to resources to address students’ health and wellness and build valuable life skills through play. And kids will have fun!
Latest News
August 24, 2021
Playworks Founder Jill Vialet Publishes ‘Why Play Works’ ›
Play brings out the best in every kid. Over the course of 25 years since Jill Vialet founded Playworks, she and her colleagues, as well as researchers and play experts, have demonstrated precisely how and why play works to help kids learn and grow in the most positive and healthy ways. Jill gathered stories from people…
August 17, 2021
Playworks Indiana 2020-2021 Impact Report ›
For over 20 years, Playworks has given kids foundational skills for success on the playground, in the classroom, and in the community. We are the leading organization that leverages play to promote healthy behaviors and increase social and emotional learning, at recess and throughout the school day. During this last school year, we were all…
March 25, 2021
Top 6 Games to Play Physically Distant with No Equipment ›
As more and more schools transition back to in-person learning, we know educators are looking for games that are physically-distant and don’t require equipment. The need for play is more important than ever due to the isolation that our kids have endured during COVID-19. Play encourages creativity, flexibility, teamwork, and other critical social skills. We’ve…
March 12, 2021
Playworks: One Year Later ›
One year ago… All of our partner schools closed their buildings and our work serving kids in schools risked coming to a halt. We knew our mission had to continue. We remained committed to providing opportunities for joy and connection through play for kids in a COVID safe way, regardless if their school was virtual,…
Upcoming Events
September 29, 2021 @ 9:00 AM
2021 Playworks Indiana Corporate Kickball Tournament ›
About Our Kickball Tournament After a year of not being able to safely gather in person, we’re excited to bring back our premier employee engagement event that brings teams of…
A Better Recess
Instead of going back to class energized and ready to learn after recess, kids often return upset and unable to focus. We can change this. At a great recess:
Kids are at their best
Kids bring out the best in themselves and each other. They learn the value of fair play, compassion, and respect. They practice key social and emotional skills.
Kids become leaders
They run their own games and settle their disputes quickly (we recommend rock, paper, scissors) because getting along is more fun than fighting.
Kids choose to be active
When all students are included and all students know how to play popular games, every child has the opportunity to discover the joy of active play.
