In the News

Playworks Michigan named Vincent Kirkwood as the new executive director. Through coordinated playground programs and trainings with schools and youth organizations, Playworks aims to help children learn empathy, conflict resolution, problem-solving and self-regulation, while also increasing their daily physical activity.

Manistee Area Public Schools has implemented a new program in order to help students learn to better interact with one another on the heels of the coronavirus pandemic necessitating cohorting and isolation for the past two school years. During a Manistee Area Public Schools Board of Education meeting Wednesday, Joanie Wiersma, Kennedy Elementary School principal,…

In a rare double-feature event, Playworks hosted a Soccer Jamboree, as well as a Rock, Paper, Scissors qualifying tournament that will be part of an attempted Guinness World Record later this year. During the jamboree, students were taught confidence, teamwork, and sportsmanship, along with leadership skills.

Roughly one in five elementary school students gets less than 20 minutes of recess time each day, according to a new survey of school administrators conducted by the Coalition for Michigan Schoolchildren’s Right to Play, a coalition convened by Playworks Michigan. Along with its survey results, the Coalition for Michigan Schoolchildren’s Right to Play issued guidance…

Playworks Michigan pilots Corporate Recess post-pandemic employee team building. Think you’re too old to play tag or dodge a ball? Playworks doesn’t. It’s launching “corporate recess” team-building activities with Southeastern Michigan employers to help adult employees bond, whether they’re staying on Zoom a bit longer or heading back to the office.

Several Lions players took time on Tuesday afternoon to visit the Mason Academy to encourage kindness and to discourage bullying through the act of play. The players met, played with kids and answered questions at a pep rally hosted in conjunction with National Bullying Prevention Month. Featured photo credit: Detroit Lions Cheerleaders

Each year, we recognize a partner that goes above and beyond in helping provide safe and healthy play for children in our community. We were able to sit down with WJR-AM and enthusiastically share we selected the Detroit Lions as the recipient of the 2019 Playworks Michigan Game Changer Award.

Executive Director Angela Rogensues talks about Playworks Michigan’s collaboration with four Grand Rapids area elementary schools to launch the Playworks Pro initiative this fall with WGVU/ Grand Rapids Radio.

Playworks Michigan, a Detroit-based nonprofit affiliate working to keep kids active and healthy through play, is expanding its reach to elementary schools in Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids and Lansing. Playworks, which advocates for the “power of play,” served 27,000 students in 72 Michigan schools in the 2018-19 school year.