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Playworks Michigan

@playworksmi

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Get your game on!🏀🛝👟
Using the power of play to help schools across Michigan enhance the social, emotional & physical health of students.
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Every school community deserves recess that’s fun, inviting, and meaningful. 🧡

“We began to play some of the Playworks games with our intermediate grades on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and we saw so much less behavioral issues on those days. Students would be encouraging towards each other and celebrating people during games. It also led to the 3rd and 5th graders leading their own games during Tuesday and Thursdays.”
-Kathryn Thorpe, Support staff, Playworks partner school

When recess works, students have more opportunities to play, connect, and return to the classroom ready to learn.

See what Playworks can look like at your school: playworks.org/services/playworks-for-schools by @playworksmi

Board meetings hit different when paint rollers are involved! 🎨

Last week, the Playworks Michigan Board traded the boardroom for the blacktop at Taft Galloway Elementary, one of our partner schools.

Board members rolled up their sleeves to assemble new basketball hoops and paint fresh blacktop games—helping create a vibrant space where students can play, connect, and belong.

Thank you to our board and the @stellantisna volunteers who joined us for putting the power of play into action!

Stay tuned for before-and-after photos of the playground transformation. by @playworksmi

Afterschool groups are big, energetic, and mixed-age, which makes large group games both the best and the trickiest part of the day. 🙌

Swipe for four facilitation tips from our trainers:

1️⃣ Give teams a minute to plan
2️⃣ Rotate taggers often
3️⃣ Debrief when it’s over
4️⃣ End loud and together

Want to go deeper? Watch our free webinar for more strategies to strengthen out-of-school time programs through play: playworks.org/webinars by @playworksmi

Principals who get it, get it.

And Principal Johnson got to see the power of play firsthand!

After visiting a school participating in a Playworks Recess Reboot, Principal Johnson shared what he observed after just three days of recess support: opportunities for kids to use their voices, regulate themselves, and take the lead building skills that extend beyond recess.

As National Principals Month comes to a close, we’re celebrating school leaders who recognize the value of organized play and champion opportunities for kids to feel safe, build friendships, and experience joy.

To our partner principals and school leaders who advocate for play across Michigan: Thank you for your leadership and commitment to making recess a positive part of every school day!

#michiganeducators #powerofplay #playworks #michigannonprofit by @playworksmi

This Halloween, we’re ghosting the old ways of handling recess so our Michigan educators and students can thrive! 👻

Learn how Playworks partners with Michigan schools to transform play at playworks.org (Link in bio) by @playworksmi

There’s a kid in every adult—and today, Stellantis employees reminded us just how quickly play brings that joy to the surface!

Our table was buzzing at Together We Give at Stellantis Headquarters! Employees stepped up to spin the Playworks Wheel of Fun, landing on games or reflection questions—and jumped right in. The smiles, laughter, and connections were immediate.

At Playworks, we call them engaged adults, a key component of a great recess. When adults participate, model curiosity, and make space for fun, they help kids feel welcome and ready to join in.

That’s the power of organized play we bring to schools and out-of-school-time organizations: opportunities to connect, build confidence, and experience belonging.

Thank you, @stellantisna, for bringing community organizations and employees together—and to everyone who stopped by, played, and shared a little joy with us! by @playworksmi

Halloween week energy is REAL.🎃 Put it to good use with four no-equipment games for recess or afterschool:

Zombie Tag 🧟
Ghost in the Graveyard 👻
Blob Tag 🎃
Mummy Tag 💀

Swipe for how to play each one!

Find even more games in the Game Library playworks.org/game-library. by @playworksmi

Every child deserves time to move their bodies, have fun, and play.

For many kids, recess is one of the most reliable places to enjoy that right. It’s a chance to move, laugh, reconnect with friends, and reset before heading back to class.

It might seem trivial to some, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Kids need play now more than ever. by @playworksmi

Rock beats scissors—and play always beats taking recess away! 🪨✂️

We know that safe play builds happier classrooms, stronger leaders, and kinder playgrounds. Next time there’s a disagreement on the court, you know what tool we’ll be using to settle it! by @playworksmi

The kids on our playgrounds are the kids in your programs.

That message guided Playworks Michigan and Ohio leaders Judy Tipton and Stephen Nacarato’s local program spotlight, “Play That Carries Beyond the School Day,” at the Southeast Michigan Youth Sports + Afterschool Summit on October 16.

They shared how organized play helps kids build connections, navigate disagreements, and encourage one another—skills they carry from recess into afterschool programs, sports practices, and camps.

They also highlighted how training, modeling, consultation, and practical resources equip adults to bring playful engagement into their own programs, extending the impact long after a Playworks visit.

Thank you to the summit hosts and fellow youth sports and afterschool leaders for a day of learning, relationship-building, and collaboration.

Together, we can give kids more opportunities to feel connected, discover their strengths, and become leaders!

@fundplayfoundation @afterschool4all @projectplaysemi @rcwjrf

#YouthDevelopment #YouthSports #PlayMatters #SEMichigan by @playworksmi

From a Romulus High School gym to leading our team at Playworks Michigan, Executive Director Judy Tipton’s journey shows just how transformative play can be.

We see this same transformation happen in students every day through the power of play, helping young people develop empathy, leadership, and teamwork that extends far beyond the playground.

That’s why on National Boss’s Day, we are grateful to lead under someone who doesn’t just champion this mission professionally, but understands its power personally.

We know schools balance competing priorities every day, but Judy reminds us of one core truth: play is right, and every child deserves the space to experience its benefits.

Happy National Boss’s Day, Judy! Thank you for leading Playworks Michigan with heart, vision, and a deep dedication to the power of play.

#NationalBossDay #Playworks #PowerOfPlay #YouthDevelopment #Leadership by @playworksmi

Not all office spaces have fluorescent lights and cubicles…some have four square courts and cones!

Playworks consultants bring hands-on training and practical support to schools, helping staff create safe, organized, and joyful play experiences for kids.

From facilitating games and teaching conflict resolution to strengthening group management, our professional development and consultation services equip your team with tools to make recess a positive part of the school day.

Ready to bring the power of play to your school? 🙌 Visit the link in our bio to explore Playworks training and consultation.

#sayyestorecess #playworks #playmatters #recess by @playworksmi