Playworks: One Year Later

  1. Updates

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, in-person and socially distanced, or hybrid. 

With the support of our communities, we successfully developed new ways to share the #powerofplay. Watch this video to see highlights of our accomplishments, which would not have been possible without a supportive community filled with people like you.

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More Updates


January 10, 2023

Understanding the Complex Simplicities of Play ›

Play is a behavior that is natural and has existed for thousands of years and across species. It combines a set of made-up rules or norms and a willingness to explore. Researchers, scientists, and doctors have studied the effects of play on kids–and adults–and understand that this natural behavior has tremendous benefits. As the American…

December 21, 2022

Building Skill Through Play: Managing Disappointment and Teaching Positive Body Language ›

It’s the holiday season! Schools and Playworks are counting down the days until winter break, but first we’re focusing on managing disappointment and teaching positive body language.  We all know that it can be incredibly easy to get swept up in the negative emotions a disappointment brings because our expectations were not met. For kids,…

three people with Playworks shirts
three people with Playworks shirts

July 28, 2022

A year of social and emotional learning ›

“You can’t do SEL, trauma, or equity work without each other,” Jennette Claassen, Head of Evaluation, Playworks. As Playworks continued to progress on our equity journey, we explored a critical question: what are the intersections between play, social and emotional learning, physical activity, and trauma? A working group focused on this question decided, among other…