{"id":3653,"date":"2026-01-28T13:49:49","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T18:49:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/2026\/01\/28\/six-signs-of-a-joyful-playground\/"},"modified":"2026-02-03T16:37:53","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T21:37:53","slug":"six-signs-of-a-joyful-playground","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/2026\/01\/28\/six-signs-of-a-joyful-playground\/","title":{"rendered":"Six Signs of a Joyful Playground"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spotting joy on the playground is not always obvious at first glance. Sometimes it shows up in small, meaningful moments, the kind that assure you kids feel safe, connected, and free to be themselves.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether you\u2019re an educator, site leader, or after-school staff member, these lesser-known signs can help you spot joy <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> intentionally design for more of it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Below are six ways joy might look, sound, or feel during playtime at your school or program, plus simple tips to help each one show up more often.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-3654\" src=\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_1719-1-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"450\" height=\"300\" \/>1. Kids Are Changing the Rules (and Everyone\u2019s Okay With It)<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You notice a group of kids adding new and creative rules to a common playground game.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It could sound something like: \u201cWhat if the floor is lava <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">except<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for the blue squares on the carpet?\u201d or \u201cWhat if you have to jump before passing the foursquare ball?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Together, the kids are using imagination and an openness to new ideas to develop a new version of the game that is completely their own.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Why it\u2019s a sign of joy:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> When kids feel ownership over play, they\u2019re more engaged and more invested. Creating variations of a game shows creativity, collaboration, and trust.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Try this:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Offer open-ended games with flexible rules. Start with a simple structure, then encourage kids to add twists or variations that they all agree on.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>2. Laughter Breaks Out After Someone Messes Up<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Playtime is filled with missed catches, silly tumbles, and sometimes wildly off-target throws. But instead of teasing, you hear laughter, including from the kid who made the mistake.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Why it\u2019s a sign of joy:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This kind of laughter signals a sense of safety and a willingness to learn. Kids feel free to try, fail, and be imperfect without fear of embarrassment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Try this:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Model positive reactions to mistakes. Laugh <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">with<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> kids, not at them, make your own mistakes (maybe even intentionally) and normalize trying again. Choose games where mistakes are frequent and low-stakes so kids learn that missteps are part of the fun.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-3656 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/2012-11-27_sheldon_elementary_100-X3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"450\" height=\"298\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/2012-11-27_sheldon_elementary_100-X3.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/2012-11-27_sheldon_elementary_100-X3-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/2012-11-27_sheldon_elementary_100-X3-1024x678.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/2012-11-27_sheldon_elementary_100-X3-768x509.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/2012-11-27_sheldon_elementary_100-X3-1536x1018.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/2012-11-27_sheldon_elementary_100-X3-1087x720.jpg 1087w, https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/2012-11-27_sheldon_elementary_100-X3-725x480.jpg 725w, https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/2012-11-27_sheldon_elementary_100-X3-906x600.jpg 906w, https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/2012-11-27_sheldon_elementary_100-X3-503x333.jpg 503w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><b>3. Kids Are Playing Across Age Groups or Social Circles<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You spot older kids slowing down to include younger ones or kids who don\u2019t usually interact teaming up and trying a new game.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Why it\u2019s a sign of joy:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Joyful play breaks down barriers. When kids feel welcomed and valued, they\u2019re more likely to reach beyond familiar groups.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Try this:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Introduce <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/game-tags\/cooperative-games\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">cooperative games<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in which success depends on everyone participating. Assign mixed-age teams or rotating partners so connections form naturally.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>4. There\u2019s a Low, Steady Buzz &#8211; Not Chaos<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Joy isn\u2019t always loud or exaggerated. Sometimes it sounds like a hum of conversation, negotiation, cheering, and focused play happening all at once.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Why it\u2019s a sign of joy:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This \u201cproductive noise\u201d means kids are engaged, communicating, and immersed. It\u2019s a sign of having fun rather than being overwhelmed or engaged in conflict.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Try this:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Create clear play zones and expectations so multiple games can happen simultaneously. When kids know where and how to play, energy stays joyful instead of frantic. For more tips on creating clear play zones, check out our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/event\/playground-mapping-101\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Playground Mapping 101 webinar<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-3658\" src=\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/DSC_0069-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"450\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/DSC_0069-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/DSC_0069-scaled-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/DSC_0069-scaled-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/DSC_0069-scaled-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/DSC_0069-scaled-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/DSC_0069-scaled-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/DSC_0069-scaled-1620x1080.jpg 1620w, https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/DSC_0069-scaled-1080x720.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/DSC_0069-scaled-720x480.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/DSC_0069-scaled-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/DSC_0069-scaled-499x333.jpg 499w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/>5. Kids Are Inviting Others In Without Being Prompted<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You overhear, \u201cDo you want to play with us?\u201d or see a kid wave someone over who\u2019s standing on the sidelines.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Why it\u2019s a sign of joy:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Inviting behavior shows kids feel secure enough to notice others and take social risks. It\u2019s a great example of empathy in action.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Try this:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Teach and practice simple inviting language during games ( ex. \u201cAnyone can join,\u201d \u201cWe have space for one more\u201d). Empower student leaders to run games and encourage peer participation. Recognize and celebrate these moments out loud when you see them.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>6. Kids Leave Play Smiling, Even If They Didn\u2019t \u2018Win\u2019<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The bell rings or playtime ends, and kids line up excited for their next class or activity, chatting about the games they played, regardless of the score.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Why it\u2019s a sign of joy:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> When play is truly joyful, the experience matters more than the outcome. Kids leave ready for their next challenge, feeling successful because they were able to get active and connect with others.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Try this:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Check in with students after playtime by asking quick reflection questions like, \u201cWhat did you enjoy most about that game?\u201d or \u201cWhat would you try differently next time?\u201d It shifts the focus from winning to simply enjoying the experience of play.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr class=\"hr--left\" \/>\n<h3><b>Choose Joy<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A joyful playground does not just happen by chance. It\u2019s the result of intentional choices, supportive adults, and environments that invite creativity, connection, and play for every kid.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you start noticing these subtle signs of joy, you can build on them and help turn everyday playtime into a powerful space for growth and fun.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Spotting joy on the playground is not always obvious at first glance. Sometimes it shows up in small, meaningful moments, the kind that assure you kids feel safe, connected, and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":112,"featured_media":3661,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"region":[],"class_list":["post-3653","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-updates"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Six Signs of a Joyful Playground - New York \/ New Jersey<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Read six ways joy might look, sound, or feel during playtime at your school or program, plus simple tips to help each one show up more often.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/2026\/01\/28\/six-signs-of-a-joyful-playground\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Six Signs of a Joyful Playground\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Read six ways joy might look, sound, or feel during playtime at your school or program, plus simple tips to help each one show up more often.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/2026\/01\/28\/six-signs-of-a-joyful-playground\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"New York \/ New Jersey\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-01-28T18:49:49+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-03T21:37:53+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/Joy-header-no-logos-1.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"jglasser\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Six Signs of a Joyful Playground\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Read six ways joy might look, sound, or feel during playtime at your school or program, plus simple tips to help each one show up more often.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/Joy-header-no-logos-1.png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"jglasser\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/2026\/01\/28\/six-signs-of-a-joyful-playground\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/2026\/01\/28\/six-signs-of-a-joyful-playground\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"jglasser\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/#\/schema\/person\/5f265d8dc79df4f39e79135a9d81958b\"},\"headline\":\"Six Signs of a Joyful Playground\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-28T18:49:49+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-03T21:37:53+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/2026\/01\/28\/six-signs-of-a-joyful-playground\/\"},\"wordCount\":811,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/2026\/01\/28\/six-signs-of-a-joyful-playground\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/Joy-header-no-logos-1.png\",\"articleSection\":[\"Updates\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/2026\/01\/28\/six-signs-of-a-joyful-playground\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/2026\/01\/28\/six-signs-of-a-joyful-playground\/\",\"name\":\"Six Signs of a Joyful Playground - New York \/ New Jersey\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/2026\/01\/28\/six-signs-of-a-joyful-playground\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/2026\/01\/28\/six-signs-of-a-joyful-playground\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/Joy-header-no-logos-1.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-28T18:49:49+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-03T21:37:53+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/#\/schema\/person\/5f265d8dc79df4f39e79135a9d81958b\"},\"description\":\"Read six ways joy might look, sound, or feel during playtime at your school or program, plus simple tips to help each one show up more often.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/2026\/01\/28\/six-signs-of-a-joyful-playground\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/2026\/01\/28\/six-signs-of-a-joyful-playground\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/2026\/01\/28\/six-signs-of-a-joyful-playground\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/Joy-header-no-logos-1.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/Joy-header-no-logos-1.png\",\"width\":600,\"height\":400},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/2026\/01\/28\/six-signs-of-a-joyful-playground\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Six Signs of a Joyful Playground\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/\",\"name\":\"New York \/ New Jersey\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/#\/schema\/person\/5f265d8dc79df4f39e79135a9d81958b\",\"name\":\"jglasser\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/47a9e59fa3b6679c126980c73405a01456eb8b2203b0d9ba5075dcdcdd053322?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/47a9e59fa3b6679c126980c73405a01456eb8b2203b0d9ba5075dcdcdd053322?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"jglasser\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/author\/jglasser\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Six Signs of a Joyful Playground - New York \/ New Jersey","description":"Read six ways joy might look, sound, or feel during playtime at your school or program, plus simple tips to help each one show up more often.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/2026\/01\/28\/six-signs-of-a-joyful-playground\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Six Signs of a Joyful Playground","og_description":"Read six ways joy might look, sound, or feel during playtime at your school or program, plus simple tips to help each one show up more often.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/2026\/01\/28\/six-signs-of-a-joyful-playground\/","og_site_name":"New York \/ New Jersey","article_published_time":"2026-01-28T18:49:49+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-02-03T21:37:53+00:00","og_image":[{"width":600,"height":400,"url":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/Joy-header-no-logos-1.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"jglasser","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_title":"Six Signs of a Joyful Playground","twitter_description":"Read six ways joy might look, sound, or feel during playtime at your school or program, plus simple tips to help each one show up more often.","twitter_image":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/Joy-header-no-logos-1.png","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"jglasser","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/2026\/01\/28\/six-signs-of-a-joyful-playground\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/2026\/01\/28\/six-signs-of-a-joyful-playground\/"},"author":{"name":"jglasser","@id":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/#\/schema\/person\/5f265d8dc79df4f39e79135a9d81958b"},"headline":"Six Signs of a Joyful Playground","datePublished":"2026-01-28T18:49:49+00:00","dateModified":"2026-02-03T21:37:53+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/2026\/01\/28\/six-signs-of-a-joyful-playground\/"},"wordCount":811,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/2026\/01\/28\/six-signs-of-a-joyful-playground\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/Joy-header-no-logos-1.png","articleSection":["Updates"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/2026\/01\/28\/six-signs-of-a-joyful-playground\/","url":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/2026\/01\/28\/six-signs-of-a-joyful-playground\/","name":"Six Signs of a Joyful Playground - New York \/ New Jersey","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/2026\/01\/28\/six-signs-of-a-joyful-playground\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/2026\/01\/28\/six-signs-of-a-joyful-playground\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/Joy-header-no-logos-1.png","datePublished":"2026-01-28T18:49:49+00:00","dateModified":"2026-02-03T21:37:53+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/#\/schema\/person\/5f265d8dc79df4f39e79135a9d81958b"},"description":"Read six ways joy might look, sound, or feel during playtime at your school or program, plus simple tips to help each one show up more often.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/2026\/01\/28\/six-signs-of-a-joyful-playground\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/2026\/01\/28\/six-signs-of-a-joyful-playground\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/2026\/01\/28\/six-signs-of-a-joyful-playground\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/Joy-header-no-logos-1.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/01\/Joy-header-no-logos-1.png","width":600,"height":400},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/2026\/01\/28\/six-signs-of-a-joyful-playground\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Six Signs of a Joyful Playground"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/","name":"New York \/ New Jersey","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/#\/schema\/person\/5f265d8dc79df4f39e79135a9d81958b","name":"jglasser","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/47a9e59fa3b6679c126980c73405a01456eb8b2203b0d9ba5075dcdcdd053322?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/47a9e59fa3b6679c126980c73405a01456eb8b2203b0d9ba5075dcdcdd053322?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"jglasser"},"url":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/author\/jglasser\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3653","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/112"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3653"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3653\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3662,"href":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3653\/revisions\/3662"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3661"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3653"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3653"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3653"},{"taxonomy":"region","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.playworks.org\/new-york-new-jersey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/region?post=3653"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}