Updates

Playtime is many things. It’s fun for children. It’s an escape for busy parents. But it’s much more than that. According to Dr. Stephanie M. Carlson, distinguished McKnight University Professor at the University of Minnesota, and Reflection Sciences co-founder, “Play is about as ‘blueprinted’ a behavior as you can have in terms of basic survival and reproduction.” Furthermore,…

Play isn’t just fun and games – it’s a vital aspect of our health and well-being. When we play, we engage our bodies, minds, and senses, creating opportunities for increased physical activity, learning, and connection with others. Play can even help relieve stress and support the development of important social-emotional skills, including communication and cooperation.…

The play opportunity gap Play is critical for healthy child development as it is a safe way for kids to experiment and practice building relationships and cooperating with others. And yet, even in normal circumstances before COVID-19, there wasn’t an equal opportunity for every kid to play. We need to make sure this disparity does…

This is an unprecedented moment for kids, teachers, families, and schools. Re-opening our schools will involve decisions based on incomplete information that must be made in an environment that, at best, would be described as uncertain. The Playworks School Reopening Workbook is a free resource and workbook aiming to bring a bit of ease to…

Rapport building is always key to a successful, engaging school year. When kids feel safe, empowered, and cared for, they are more likely to attend school, lean into their education, and develop critical social and emotional skills. This year, students around the country are going to school virtually, in-person with potential virtual experiences during COVID…

Playworks believes in a trauma-sensitive approach Educators should focus on providing a trauma-sensitive approach to the reopening of school. Students are all having different experiences right now. For some students, the shutdown of schools due to COVID has provided them with a welcome reprieve from toxic situations or stressors. For others, it has created an…

Playworks is helping schools continue to reimagine recess. For the past 24 years, Playworks has partnered with elementary schools to help kids stay active and build valuable social-emotional skills through play. As schools prepare re-opening plans, we want to help provide resources for implementing both in-school and virtual play or recess experiences. We developed Recess…

Explore your neighborhood in a new way. Summer trips may be closer to home this year, or might just include a lot of exploring your neighborhood. Simply taking a walk is not only great exercise but also a fun way to discover the little details that we all may overlook in the hustle and bustle…

Thanks to these corporate partners and supporters for being champions in helping Playworks through the challenges we have faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. With their help, we have been working to bring safe and healthy play to kids, and to adapt our programs to meet the evolving needs of our schools, educators, and children. “While…