Everything You Heard On The Podcast
What To Do Next
If you just listened to Elizabeth’s episode on the Transformative Principal about attendance and funding, you’ve got the core idea: when kids feel like they belong at school, they show up. Playworks makes that happen at recess, where kids spend some of their most unstructured time.
The resources below will help you dig deeper into what’s working for schools right now, assess where your recess actually stands, and figure out how to fund it all. If you want to talk through what this looks like for your school, fill out the form and let us know.
Explore Federal Funding For Recess
The money is already there in your budget. Title I funding works for this. So does Title IV-A. This guide breaks down which funding sources match your district, how each one works, and how other schools braided multiple funding streams together to make it happen. You’ll see exactly how to make the case to your board when you know the funding mechanism already exists.
Take The Recess Checkup
See exactly how recess is running at your school right now. Our quick assessment takes about five minutes and gives you a personalized report showing what you’re doing well and what to tackle first. Most leaders find at least one thing they can shift this week to make recess better. Based on the Great Recess Framework, you’ll get real, specific feedback.
Get The 30-Day Attendance Systems Reset
Stop treating attendance like a behavior problem. This guide shows how other schools built real connection into recess and watched their attendance move. You’ll find the practical systems that work: how to greet kids at the gate, what makes recess feel like the place they want to be, and how to measure progress so you know what’s working. These are moves you can start making this month.
Playworks Game Guide
Download this free guide to more than 150 games that will help kids practice important skills. Find games by skill, grade level, time and space available, and more. The games can be played anywhere and aim to keep as many kids playing as possible for as long as possible.
Talk To Someone
Questions about what this looks like for your school? Wondering how to pitch it or what to expect from implementation? Someone from our team has worked through every challenge you might be facing. Let us know what’s on your mind and we’ll connect you with the right person.
About Playworks
Playworks is a national nonprofit with 30 years of proof that safe, intentional play is one of the most effective tools a school has for reducing absenteeism, improving school climate, reducing behavior incidents, and improving student wellbeing. We create a place for every kid on the playground to feel included, build critical skills, and connect, and we back that up with independent research.
Playworks is about relationships. Our teachers often will play the games. When the teacher hops in the game and everyone’s playing together, that builds camaraderie between students and adults.
Principal at a Playworks school
Since partnering with Playworks, I noticed students are happier and excited to come to school.
School staff at Playworks school