The Importance of Recess & Play in 2021
2021-05-25 13:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | Virtual Workshop
A conversation with the Minnesota PTA, More Recess Minnesota, and Playworks
The Minnesota PTA, More Recess Minnesota, and Playworks are teaming up to hold a virtual conversation and webinar on the importance of play and recess for children as they return to school this fall.
Join us to learn about and experience the power of play, explore state-level recess policies in that shape the landscape for play, and leave with multiple resources and tools to start or bolster the conversation around recess and play in your school and community. Participants will leave with recess resources, recess evaluation guides, conversation starters, and more.
Event Details: Virtual webinar will be held on Tuesday May 25, 2021
Tuesday May, 25 from 7pm – 8pm CST
Register Here

Presenters:
Minnesota PTA:
The mission of the PTA includes supporting and speaking on behalf of children and youth in the schools, in the community and before governmental bodies and other organizations that make decisions affecting children. Facilitating the conversation is MNPTA Health & Safety Chair Nicole Patraw.
More Recess Minnesota:
More Recess Minnesota is a group of parents and educators advocating for ample, high-quality school recess. The benefits of playtime during the school day are well-documented, and state law can and should guide quality and ensure recess for all children. Presenting from More Recess Minnesota is Steering Team Member Aaron Crowell.
Playworks Minnesota:
Playworks is the leading national non-profit leveraging the power of play to transform school climate and academic engagement. Playworks partners with schools, community organizations and youth programs to provide professional development for staff, on-site consultation, trainings, and digital/free resources for educators. Presenting from Playworks Minnesota is Senior Program Manager Brandon Elsner.

Summer Institute 2021: Power of Play
2021-08-24 - 2021-08-25 | Crossroads Montessori, 543 Front Ave, Saint Paul, MN, 55117
This year saw unprecedented social isolation for kids during the pandemic, causing mental health issues, a rise in childhood obesity, and learning loss. Safe and healthy play, which provides so many health and wellness benefits, will be more important than ever for children as they return to their school communities this year. That’s why we’re hosting the Playworks Summer Institute, a 2 day series of workshops and professional development opportunities for Minnesota educators to learn practical strategies and best practices for making play a pillar of their school community. We hope you can join us.
This year’s workshops will focus on Playworks’ strategies and best practices for leveraging play to:

Maximize skill development
Build positive school climate
Keep kids active and engaged on and off the playground

Workshop Descriptions:
Workshops will be held in-person at Crossroads Montessori School on August 24th and 25th. Workshops are geared toward particular target audiences and many of the workshops build on each other.
Links to register and more information about group pricing and bundles below.
Playworks will provide a clock hour certificate for participants at the end of each training. Clock hour recognition is dependent on state and district regulations.We advise you to connect with whomever does your renewal units in your particular organization for verification.

Designing A Great Recess – Full Day
Lay the foundation for designing and facilitating a great recess that serves as a maximizer for skill development and a driver of a positive school climate.
This full day workshop (4.5 clock hours) is designed for educators who supervise and/or support recess at their school site. Participants spend the day learning about the power of play, games and activities for recess, and group management strategies for the playground and beyond.
Best for: recess staff, school administrators, out of school time program staff

Recess Policy – 2 hours
Identify strategies to ensure the sustainability of a healthy recess program, including the development of a recess policy and handbook.
This short (2 clock hours) workshop is designed for educators who plan for and support recess at their school site. It is strongly recommended that participants attend the workshop with 1-2 others from their school.
Best for: recess staff, school administrators, out of school time program staff

Attending the Summer Institute
Recess Systems Package
Our Recess Systems Package includes seats for Summer Institute and provides ongoing support for staff capacity development throughout the school year. The package adds onsite coaching and weekly game ideas to maximize play and recess to actualize skill development, propel positive school climate, and foster a welcoming learning environment.
Learn More
Includes:

4 seats at the “Designing a Great Recess” workshop
2-3 seats at the “Recess Policy” workshop
3 follow up Consultative Visits at your school site
Yearlong subscription to the “Keep Playing” digital service for all school staff

Summer Institute
Individual Seats and Group Pricing

Workshop

Date/Time

Length

Individual Seat

Group Pricing

Link to Register

Designing a Great Recess
Tues. 8/24
10am-3pm
Full Day
$150
$500 for a team of 4
Register

Recess Policy
Wed. 8/25
1pm – 3pm
2 Hour
N/A
$75/seat for team of 2-3
Register

Questions and More Information
Contact Program Director Brandon Elsner with any questions or to bundle with on-site and digital services brandon.elsner@playworks.org

Playworks 2022 Kickball Tournament
2022-06-17 10:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago) | Northeast Athletic Field, 1615 Pierce St. NE, Minneapolis, MN, 55413, United States
It’s about time.. GAME ON!
Playworks 2022 Corporate Kickball Tournament
Are you ready to play? Let’s do this..
Corporate Kickball is a ONE DAY EVENT, Friday June 17, 2022 10:00 – 5:00 that brings 18 Twin Cities Corporate Teams together for some fun, team building, and healthy competition for the coveted Traveling Champions Trophy.
Entry Fee $2,000 per team will support Playworks programming in low-income Twin Cities elementary schools for the 2022-2023 school year.

Happy Hour 3:00 – 6:00
Sociable Cider Werks
1 FREE drink ticket per player
1500 Fillmore St NE Mpls, 55413

DETAILS
Playworks provides each team with:

Kickball tournament t-shirt for each player.
Minimum of 3 Kickball Games + Longest Kick Event.
One cooler stocked with adult beverages.
Water station provided by Tap Minneapolis.
Snacks and surprise afternoon sweet treat.
One Happy Hour drink ticket per player.

Lunch: Food trucks will be available for participants to purchase lunch or they can bring their own lunch.
Pets: Are allowed as long as they are leashed and watched over.
Parking: Free in the lots located around the park and on street.
Team construct – each team can have 10-15 players.

ALL teams are co-ed and must have at least 4 male or 4 female players per team.
Teams need a minimum of 10 players to take the field.
Players need to be 21 years of age or older to participate.

Interested? Get in touch

5 Ways to Have a Great Recess Webinar
2022-10-06
Big changes start small.
Join us as we kick-off The Game Plan, a free, four-part webinar series designed to provide practical solutions for principals, district administrators, teachers, and leaders of youth serving organizations .
During the first webinar, you will learn the 5 key components of a great recess:

Safety on the Playground
Effective Systems (play space, transitions, equipment, & visuals)
Engaged & Empowered Adults & Students
Conflict Resolution
Games, games, games, games!

Leave this webinar with a better understanding of the value of play and recess, how to identify and improve your play space, games that you can deliver right away, and how to help ensure students feel safe and engaged in play.
We’ll also discuss our Recess CheckUp, an online quiz designed to help you identify strengths and uncover areas for improvement. Get a head start by taking the three-minute check-up prior to the webinar.
The webinar will be offered twice, at 12:30 PST/3:30 EST and 3:30 PST/6:30 EST.
Register now

Learn more about the full series and other upcoming webinar topics

3 Questions to Ask About Your Indoor Recess Webinar
2022-12-07
Indoor recess doesn’t have to be intimidating.
Join us as for webinar 2 of The Game Plan, a free, four-part webinar series designed to provide practical solutions for principals, district administrators, teachers, and leaders of youth serving organizations .
During this next webinar, we will explore 3 questions to ask as you approach indoor recess:

Is it really recess?
Are you getting the most out of your space?
Who else can get involved?

Leave this webinar with a better understanding of the benefits students can enjoy even when recess is moved inside, the pros and cons of different play spaces, and the staffing and support needed for an effective indoor recess.
The webinar will be offered twice, at 12:30 PST/3:30 EST and 3:30 PST/6:30 EST.
Register now

Learn more about the full series and other upcoming webinar topics

Get Groups Engaged Through Play
2023-02-01
Keeping kids attention can be tough. Play-based practices can help.
Join us as for webinar 3 of The Game Plan, a free, four-part webinar series designed to provide practical solutions for principals, district administrators, teachers, and leaders of youth serving organizations .
During this next webinar, we will explore:

Using play-based practices to create systems to effectively manage large groups
Implementing proactive systems to address disruptive behavior before it occurs
Infusing play into the day to ensure effective communication with students

Leave this webinar with a better understanding of the group management strategies that are both fun and effective.
The webinar will be offered twice, at 12:30 PST/3:30 EST and 3:30 PST/6:30 EST.
Register now

Learn more about the full series and other upcoming webinar topics

Playworks 2023 Kickball Tournament
2023-06-23 10:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago) | Bossen Field Park, 5701 S 28th Ave, Minneapolis, MN, 55417, United States
Kickin It for Kids!
Playworks 2023 Corporate Kickball Tournament
Are you ready to play? Let’s do this..
Corporate Kickball is a ONE DAY EVENT, Friday June 23, 2023 10:00 – 5:00 that brings 18 Twin Cities Corporate Teams together for some fun, team building, and healthy competition for the coveted Traveling Champions Trophy. Entry Fee $2,500 per team will support Playworks programming in low-income Twin Cities elementary schools for the 2023-2024 school year.

DETAILS
Playworks provides each team with:

Kickball tournament t-shirt for each player.
Minimum of 3 Kickball Games + Longest Kick Event.
One cooler stocked with adult beverages.
Water station provided by Tap Minneapolis.
Snacks and surprise afternoon sweet treat.

Lunch: Food trucks will be available for participants to purchase lunch or they can bring their own lunch.
Pets: Are allowed as long as they are leashed and watched over.
Parking: Free in the lots located around the park and on street.
Team construct – each team can have 10-15 players.

ALL teams are co-ed and must have at least 4 players per team that identify as male or female or nonbinary/other.
Teams need a minimum of 10 players to take the field.
Players need to be 21 years of age or older to participate.

Interested? Get in touch

Playground Mapping 101
2023-10-25 12:30 - 15:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Make sure your playground is prepared for play.
Join us as for the first webinar in the return of The Game Plan, a free, four-part series designed to provide practical solutions for principals, district administrators, teachers, and leaders of youth serving organizations.
During this next webinar, we will explore playground mapping.
Recess is safer (and more fun!) when games have their own dedicated locations on the playground. Learn how you can create a map for your playground that encourages safe and healthy play for all students.
The webinar will be offered twice, at 12:30 PST/3:30 EST and 3:30 PST/6:30 EST.
Register

Playing Across Age Groups
2023-12-13
There are many ways to play!
Join us as for the second webinar in the return of The Game Plan, a free, four-part series designed to provide practical solutions for principals, district administrators, teachers, and leaders of youth serving organizations.
As students grow and learn new skills, their approach to play evolves too. Discover games and resources that engage students across different grade levels, ages, and abilities.
The webinar will be offered twice, at 12:30 PST/3:30 EST and 3:30 PST/6:30 EST.
Register

Resolving Conflicts Through Play
2024-02-14 12:30 - 16:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Learn fun, easy conflict resolution techniques students can utilize!
Join us as for the third webinar in the return of The Game Plan, a free, four-part series designed to provide practical solutions for principals, district administrators, teachers, and leaders of youth serving organizations.
Disagreements on the playground can be an opportunity for children to develop healthy and productive conflict-resolution skills. Explore strategies you can use to encourage students to resolve disagreements independently and create a culture of cooperation.
The webinar will be offered twice, at 12:30 PST/3:30 EST and 3:30 PST/6:30 EST.
All webinars will last approximately one hour and will be recorded.
Register

Supporting Student Mental Health Through Play Webinar
2024-05-16 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
Create a more playful environment that supports every child’s mental well-being!
In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Playworks and the American Academy of Pediatrics are teaming up for a special webinar exploring the ecosystem of care for kids’ mental health and the transformative role of play.
This virtual conversation will engage medical professionals, educators, and other community leaders to shine a spotlight on the various people who form the ecosystem of care for youth and how play based practices can make a difference across all of those relationships and settings.
Attendees will:

Identify the various roles within the ecosystem of care for kids’ mental health
Learn about the benefits of universal supports and protective factors on youth mental health
Understand how play positively supports youth mental health
Take away practical tips for utilizing play in your roles

This webinar will begin at 12pm ET / 11am CT / 10am MT / 9am PT and will last approximately one hour. It will be recorded and the recording will be available following the event.
Register
Experts

Gigi Chawla, MD, MHA, pediatrician, received her medical degree and business degree from the University of MN and is the Vice President and Chief of General Pediatrics at Children’s Minnesota. In her role, she has oversight over primary care, rehabilitation services, and mental, developmental, and behavioral health, including development of an inpatient mental health pediatric unit, and partial hospitalization mental health programs. She is often called upon by the media for her pediatric expertise and is a regular contributor for the Minnesota Parent’s column and WCCO’s segment to “Ask the Pediatrician.” Her clinical areas of interest are the outpatient and inpatient care of complex special needs patients, premature infants, and ventilator dependent children. Dr. Chawla is also instrumental in advancing the organization’s forward-looking efforts around community engagement. Through internal efforts to better integrate school based care, primary care with behavioral health, social support services for families, as well as, external advocacy with government groups, she works to create an environment for child health that extends beyond the clinic. She is a Board Member and the state’s Medical Director for Reach Out and Read Minnesota. She’s been consistently named to Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine’s and Minnesota Monthly magazine’s Top Doctors annual list. In 2020, she received the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal’s Women in Business Honoree award; and in 2023, she received the Women’s Health Leadership TRUST Honoree award for Health and Well-Being. She is a Board Member and Vice President of the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice. She is a member of the National Quality Forum’s Prevention and Population Health Committee. She has two amazing daughters who are changing the world.

Elizabeth Cushing is CEO of Playworks, a national organization dedicated to ensuring access to safe and healthy play for all kids. During her tenure Elizabeth has led Playworks’ scaling strategy, growing from a San Francisco Bay Area-focus to a national organization reaching more than 700,000 children every year. She is an advocate for collaboration amongst youth development organizations and is committed to making sure every kid gets to play every day.

Jessica Driscoll is the Assistant Principal at Marcy School for the Arts in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Prior to her role as an administrator, Jess served as a teacher at the 1st and 2nd grade levels and worked in the capacity of both Instructional Specialist and Literacy Coach. Jess strives to create a school culture that nurtures the whole child while cultivating a strong community of students, staff, and families.

Dr. Arwa K. Nasir, MBBS, MSc, MPH is Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska. She is the chair of the AAP Committee on the Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health. Her research focuses on the impact of family psychosocial wellbeing on child development and behavior, and the incorporation of family science and behavioral health into primary care pediatric practice and residency training. She is also engaged in global health research with a focus on the cross-cultural aspects of behavioral conditions and autism. Dr. Nasir spent the 2019/2020 academic year as a Fulbright scholar in Jordan teaching and researching cross cultural aspects of pediatric behavioral health.

Dr. Michael D. Patrick, Jr. is a board-certified pediatrician and Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He also serves as an Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine and an Attending Physician with the Section of Emergency Medicine at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Additionally, Dr. Patrick hosts the PediaCast and PediaCast CME Podcasts.

Thriving Through Play
2024-10-23 14:30 - 15:30 (America/Chicago)
Get ready for the return of The Game Plan webinar series—now featuring exciting new topics! Playworks invites educators and administrators to join our free, four-part series designed to help bring the benefits of play to your school.
Play is an essential part of every child’s development, fostering social skills, creativity, and overall well-being. Learn practical strategies and insights to increase playtime at your school or site and ensure every child has the opportunity to benefit from recess.
We’ll also explore how play can create positive outcomes for kids and contribute to a healthy, engaged learning environment.
Each webinar will begin at 12:30 PST/3:30 EST and last about an hour. The webinar will be recorded for future viewing.
Register

Building Positive Relationships with Play
2024-12-03 13:30 - 14:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
The Game Plan webinar series is back with exciting new topics! Playworks invites educators and administrators to join our free, four-part series designed to help bring the benefits of play to your school.
Build stronger student-adult connections at recess with practical strategies for fostering positive relationships. We will explore the importance of adult buy-in and how involving adults in different roles can enhance the overall play experience.
With these strategies in place, you will be able to create a play environment where students and staff thrive together.
Each webinar will begin at 12:30 PST/3:30 EST and last about an hour. The webinar will be recorded for future viewing.
Register

Transforming the School Day: Creating Engagement Through Play
2024-12-12 15:00 - 16:00 (America/Chicago) | Virtual
Leverage the power of play for a positive school environment and a more engaging school day!
We all crave spaces where we feel connected, and welcome; play and recess have the power to connect children to school, to each other, and to the educators in the building. As our state and schools grapple with chronic absenteeism, historically low test scores, low student engagement, and a growing mental health crisis, we need simple, effective solutions.
Join us as we share a select few best practices and resources to share with your school community:

3 Simple strategies to share with recess supervisors looking to facilitate a safe and engaging recess
The benefits of play and the state of play for kids today
A playbook full of play, games, and strategies to try

This webinar will introduce participants to the concept of a high quality recess and how recess and play in the classroom can be leveraged to create a positive school climate and get kids to school consistently. Getting back to basics and incorporating more play into the school day has immense benefits for children and requires relatively little staff capacity to implement.
Developed and perfected over 28 years partnering with schools across the country, Playworks’ approach truly transforms the school day.
This webinar will begin at 3pm Central Time (4pm Eastern Time) and will last approximately one hour. It will be recorded and the recording will be available following the event.
Register

Adapting Play for Every Space
2025-02-19 14:30 - 15:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
The Game Plan webinar series is back with exciting new topics! Playworks invites educators and administrators to join our free, four-part series designed to help bring the benefits of play to your school.
Learn how to make play work in any space, whether indoors, on blacktops or small playgrounds, or in unconventional areas.
This webinar will provide practical strategies to keep kids engaged, safe, and having fun to maximize your available space.
Each webinar will begin at 12:30 PST/3:30 EST and last about an hour. The webinar will be recorded for future viewing.
Register

Youth-led Play Shapes Tomorrow’s Leaders
2025-04-16 14:30 - 15:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
The Game Plan webinar series is back with exciting new topics! Playworks invites educators and administrators to join our free, four-part series designed to help bring the benefits of play to your school.
Unlock the power of youth-led play and see how it can transform your playground!
In this webinar, you’ll discover strategies to encourage children to be leaders during playtime, fostering creativity, confidence, and teamwork.
The webinar will begin at 12:30 PST/3:30 EST and last about an hour. The webinar will also be recorded for future viewing.
Register

Webinar: Planning for a Great Indoor Recess
2026-01-22 09:30 - 10:30 (America/Chicago) | Virtual
An Active, Stress-free Indoor Recess is Possible!
REGISTER HERE for our FREE Indoor Recess Webinar taking place on Thursday, January 22 at 9:30am Central Time.
Recess happens every day: rain or shine, snow or sleet, hot or cold weather. But what happens when weather conditions keep you inside? Can you still have an engaging, fun, and physically active recess?
Yes, of course! This winter and spring, many recesses will be spent inside but recess (especially indoor recess) is an incredibly important time of day for students to take a break from academics, get their heart rates up, and practice the social, physical, and emotional skills they learn through play.
Kids can’t afford to miss opportunities for physical activity or building interpersonal skills with their peers just because the weather doesn’t cooperate!
Get started with these tips:

Learn your school’s policies. Every school has different policies regarding indoor vs. outdoor recess conditions, spaces available for play, and the general “run of show.” Be sure to check with your school staff so that you’re starting out on the same page.

Have a back up plan. No matter how foolproof you think your plan is, challenges can arise. Sometimes the auditorium you planned to use for recess is being used for an assembly, or the classroom next to you is taking a test so you need to have a quiet indoor recess. Make sure you have a back-up plan and that it’s communicated to the other members of the recess team!

Keep it consistent. Just because you’re inside for recess doesn’t mean that the same recess procedures can’t stay intact. If you normally announce game stations before recess starts, do that! Use the same recess agreements students are used to outdoors and try to offer variations of their favorite outdoor activities.

Stay safe. Indoor recess commonly means limited space, so making sure that all students and staff are staying safe should be a top priority. If you’re playing a fast-paced game in a classroom full of chairs and other obstacles, consider using speed-walking or hopping motions rather than running in a game to keep everyone safe.

Have fun! Recess is such an important time of the day, full of creativity, free play, and games, and all of those things can still take place inside. Encourage students to try something new, and jump into a game yourself to experience the power of play!

We hope you can join us on January 22nd at 9:30am for our Great Indoor Recess webinar!
Register HERE
If you have any questions about the webinar, or want to talk to us about your school’s indoor recess, send an email to mninfo@playworks.org.
