Get in the Game Luncheon 2019
2019-04-11 11:00 - 13:30 (America/Chicago) | Wisconsin Center, 400 W Wisconsin Ave,, Milwaukee, WI, 53203
Thank you to all who attended our 2019 Get in the Game Luncheon!
What makes this event truly unique is the celebration of our Junior Coaches. The Get in the Game Luncheon happens concurrently with the Playworks Junior Coach Conference—the capstone experience for 500 fourth and fifth graders completing the Junior Coach Leadership Program. Attendees have the opportunity to interact with our Junior Coaches, hear from community leaders, and celebrate our 2019 Game Changers!
Event Details

When: April 11, 2019, 11 a.m.- 1:30 p.m.
Where: Wisconsin Center Ballroom A
400 W Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53203

Our Sponsors

High Five Hero
WaterStone Bank

Table Hosts
Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin
School District of Waukesha
Johnson Controls
United Healthcare
Park Bank
Milwaukee Bucks
Paul Schmitz

For information on sponsorship opportunities, please review our 2019 GIG Benefits of Sponsorship Packet
Please send all inquiries to Carolyn Muckelberg at carolyn.muckelberg@playworks.org
Check out our pictures from last year’s luncheon.

2019 Annual Playworks Wisconsin Corporate Kickball Tournament
2019-06-21 12:00 - 16:00 (America/Chicago) | LaFollette Park, 9418 W. Washington St., West Allis, WI, 53214
Lace up your kicks and join us for one day of fun to live out your kickball dreams! Corporate Kickball is an active employee engagement event and fundraiser for Playworks Wisconsin that gets your team out of the building and onto the field for a day of team building, networking, and fund through tournament play of a nostalgic game of kickball.
By participating in Corporate Kickball, your company can:

Increase Employee Engagement. Corporate Kickball offers a team building opportunity outside the office that’s inclusive, collaborative, and FUN.
Raise Visibility. Sponsors are recognized with logo placement on the Playworks website, newsletter, and other collateral, as well as listed in our annual report.
Support the Local Community. Money raised from Corporate Kickball sponsorships directly supports Playworks in our efforts to bring safe and inclusive play to students.

REGISTER YOUR TEAM TODAY
What to Expect

Opportunities for networking with area business leaders
Complimentary jerseys for all participants
Lunch and adult beverages
Two games will be round robin, and then we enter tournament mode
Stick around to participate in the Home Run Derby, eat food, and cheer on teams
The winning team will receive a trophy, plenty of high fives and bragging rights for 12 months
Participants will have the chance to also take home the homerun derby title and trophy
The game ball will be presented to the participant exhibiting the spirit of Playworks core values (respect, inclusion, healthy play, and healthy community)

Still have questions? Contact Carolyn Muckelberg at carolyn.muckelberg@playworks.org or call 414-220-4301.

Get in the Game 2020 in Wisconsin
2020-03-31 14:25 (America/Chicago) | WI, United States
Get in the Game 2020 in Wisconsin
In light of the current COVID-19 Pandemic, we are adhering to the CDC Guidelines in order to protect and strengthen our community, and therefore we have made the tough decision to cancel the Get in the Game Breakfast scheduled for April 30, 2020. We are being as supportive as possible in our community as the nature of the coronavirus response efforts change. The safety and health of our schools, partners, staff, and the children we serve is our number one priority.
Even though this event is cancelled, we need your support now more than ever.
We are grateful to know that supporting children and families, who are most vulnerable, matters so much to you. Much of the event planning and logistics have been completed, so your support will help us to cover any costs that have already been accrued, including staff hours.
Donate Now

Please send all inquiries to Carolyn Muckelberg at carolyn.muckelberg@playworks.org
Check out our pictures from last year’s luncheon.

Let’s Play For a Generation of Impact
2020-10-07 14:00 - 15:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | WI
How can play help kids develop, practice social and emotional skills, and get physically active in virtual or hybrid environments or in-person experiences that are COVID-19 safe?
Find out by joining Playworks and other supporters nationwide and Let’s Play!
During this unique virtual event, you will experience how play feels right now. Teachers, coaches, and kids will share their stories of the back to school journey and how play and Playworks have eased the transition. Playworks President Elizabeth Cushing will highlight the current state of the organization and our school communities, and Playworks Founder Jill Vialet will highlight her predictions for the future of play.
For almost 25 years, Playworks has leveraged the power of play to bring out the best in every kid. While historically our services have mostly been in person, we’ve transformed the Playworks experience to ensure that we can support kids and school staff in their current environment-whatever that is- and ensure they get to benefit from playing every day. We need support to be here for generations to come.
Let’s Play together to recognize this impact on the past generation and raise critical funds to support the next. Thanks to the generous support of Swapnil Agarwal for every $1 donated, Playworks will receive an additional $2, up to $100,000. If you can’t attend but still want to make a difference please donate now.
Register Now
If you can’t attend on this day, you’re in luck! We’ll be hosting a second event on Thursday, October 8.
Register for that event here.

2021 Annual Playworks Wisconsin Corporate Kickball Tournament
2021-09-17 12:00 - 16:30 (America/Chicago) | LaFollette Park, 9418 W. Washington St., West Allis, WI, 53214
Lace up your kicks and join us to live out your kickball dreams! Corporate Kickball is an active employee engagement event and fundraiser for Playworks Wisconsin that gets your team out of the building and onto the field for a day of team building, networking, and fun through tournament play of a nostalgic game of kickball.

By participating in Corporate Kickball, your company can:

Increase Employee Engagement. Corporate Kickball offers a team-building opportunity outside the office that’s inclusive, collaborative, and FUN.
Raise Visibility. Sponsors are recognized with logo placement on the Playworks website, newsletter, and other collateral, as well as listed in our annual report.
Support the Local Community. Money raised from Corporate Kickball sponsorships directly supports Playworks in our efforts to bring safe and inclusive play to students.

What to Expect

Opportunities for networking with area business leaders
Complimentary jerseys for all participants
Lunch and adult beverages
Two games will be round robin, and then we enter tournament mode
Stick around to participate in the Home Run Derby, eat food, and cheer on teams
The winning team will receive a trophy, plenty of high fives and bragging rights for 12 months
Participants will have the chance to also take home the home run derby title and trophy
The game ball will be presented to the participant exhibiting the spirit of Playworks core values (respect, inclusion, healthy play, and healthy community)

Register Today!

Still have questions? Contact PJ Dever at pj.dever@playworks.org or call 609-760-7692.

2023 Annual Playworks Wisconsin Corporate Kickball Tournament
2023-09-15 12:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago) | LaFollette Park, 9418 W. Washington St., West Allis, WI, 53214
Lace up your kicks and join us for one day of fun to live out your kickball dreams! Corporate Kickball is an active employee engagement event and fundraiser for Playworks Wisconsin that gets your team out of the building and onto the field for a day of team building, networking, and fund through tournament play of a nostalgic game of kickball.

By participating in Corporate Kickball, your company can:

Increase Employee Engagement. Corporate Kickball offers a team-building opportunity outside the office that’s inclusive, collaborative, and FUN.
Raise Visibility. Sponsors are recognized with logo placement on the Playworks website, newsletter, and other collateral, as well as listed in our Annual Report.
Support the Local Community. Money raised from Corporate Kickball sponsorships directly supports Playworks in our efforts to bring safe and inclusive play to students.

What to Expect

Opportunities for networking with area business leaders
Complimentary jerseys for all participants
Lunch and adult beverages
Two games will be round robin, and then we enter tournament mode
Stick around to participate in the Home Run Derby, eat food, and cheer on teams
The winning team will receive a trophy, plenty of high fives and bragging rights for 12 months
Participants will have the chance to also take home the home run derby title and trophy
The game ball will be presented to the participant exhibiting the spirit of Playworks core values (respect, inclusion, healthy play, and healthy community)

Register Today!

Still have questions? Contact PJ Dever at pj.dever@playworks.org.

Playground Mapping 101
2023-10-25 12:30 - 15:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | WI
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 | WI
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 - 18:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | WI
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.

2024 Playworks Wisconsin Kickball Tournament
2024-09-13 12:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago) | WI
Lace up your sneakers and join us for some nostalgia over green grass and a big red bouncy ball for our annual kickball tournament. The Playworks Wisconsin Kickball Tournament offers local businesses and individuals the opportunity to give back to their community while enjoying a few hours of play.
The Kickball Tournament will be held on Friday, September 13, 2024 from 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. The day will include complimentary shirts for all participants, lunch, kickball and opportunities for networking and friendly competition with other area businesses all while serving the kids of Wisconsin. The winning team will receive plenty of high fives and the coveted Golden Kickball trophy.
Our hope is that each participant walks off the field feeling like a rock star, having played a fun game of kickball while making a valuable contribution to an organization working to reducing bullying and improving the health and well-being of children in Wisconsin every day. All event proceeds support Playworks Wisconsin, which provides increased opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play to more than 19,000 students at over 48 elementary schools and youth organizations.

Register now!
Become a sponsor!

Thriving Through Play
2024-10-23 14:30 - 15:30 (America/Chicago) | WI
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 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.
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

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) | 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.
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

2025 Playworks Wisconsin Kickball Tournament
2025-09-12 12:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago) | WI
Lace up your sneakers and join us for some nostalgia over green grass and a big blue bouncy ball for our annual kickball tournament. The Playworks Wisconsin Kickball Tournament offers local businesses and individuals the opportunity to give back to their community while enjoying a few hours of play.
The Kickball Tournament will be held on Friday, September 12, 2025 from 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. The day will include complimentary shirts for all participants, lunch, kickball and opportunities for networking and friendly competition with other area businesses all while serving the kids of Wisconsin. The winning team will receive plenty of high fives and the coveted Golden Kickball trophy.
Our hope is that each participant walks off the field feeling like a rock star, having played a fun game of kickball while making a valuable contribution to an organization working to reducing bullying and improving the health and well-being of children in Wisconsin every day. All event proceeds support Playworks Wisconsin, which provides increased opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play to more than 19,000 students at over 48 elementary schools and youth organizations.

Register now!
Become a sponsor!

5th Annual Rock Paper Scissors Tournament
2026-04-23 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | Lakefront Brewery, 1872 N Commerce St, Milwaukee, WI, 53212, United States
Lakefront Brewery is partnering with Playworks Wisconsin to crown a Rock, Paper, Scissors champion on April 23, 2026. Join us and see if you can take the belt!
Bring your friends and family members and compete in a bracket-style elimination game to find the Rock Paper Scissors champion. There will be prizes for the winner, runner up, and the most spirited player!
This is an adults only competition. We will be doing kid tournaments in our schools!
Lakefront brewery has a wide variety of beverages including many, delicious non-alcoholic options.
Get tickets now!

Playworks Youth Leadership Fest
2026-05-14 09:30 - 13:00 (America/Chicago) | Henry Maier Festival Park, 200 N Harbor Dr, Milwaukee, WI, 53202, United States
Each year, Playworks trains over 1,500 Wisconsin kids to be peer mentors, role models, and game leaders for younger peers on the playground. To celebrate the year of service to their school community, Playworks invites Junior Coach youth leaders from across the state to Milwaukee for the Playworks Youth Leadership Fest where participants will meet young leaders from other communities and envision what leadership looks like for themselves in the future.
Playworks expects over 800 youth leaders to attend. We are looking for volunteers to help make it a day our young leaders will never forget.
Volunteer shifts run from 9:30AM-1:00PM on 5/14/2026. The event will take place at Henry Maier Festival Park in Milwaukee.
Click the button to learn more! Reach out to pj.dever@playworks.org with any questions or to get information on how to sponsor the event!
Volunteer Sign Up
