Guided Learning

Foundations

Youth Leadership

Great Recess Framework

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SparkPlay Foundations + Leader Path

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SparkPlay Foundations + Leader Path

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Learn strategies, best practices, and tools to design, implement, and sustain a youth leader program that nurtures student leaders while supporting safe and healthy recess practices.

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Youth Leadership

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Youth Leadership

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Transform Your Recess

The Great Recess Framework (GRF) is an evidence-based assessment tool developed by
Playworks in collaboration with researchers at Oregon State University. You'll learn to use evidence to better understand recess quality and prioritize meaningful action.

Collect 2 Badges to Earn 2 Certificates

Whether you're just getting started or ready to put the framework into practice, you can complete either badge on its own or both together.

New to the GRF?

Develop a deeper understanding of recess quality through the Great Recess Framework.

Familiar with the GRF?

Build the knowledge and skills to confidently use the GRF at your school or organization.

See recess through a new lens

Turn observations into meaningful insights

Use evidence to
improve

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Grow your knowledge and skills with guided learning paths.

Get Support

Get Support with GoPlay

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Games Library:

Quick Tips

Looking to build skills? We've got you covered.

Find games that support skill development

Select a skill focus from the list below, then copy and paste it into the search bar to see games that develop that skill.

Accepting Help
Accurate Self Perception
Active Listening
Analyzing Solutions
Building Community
Communication
Conflict Resolution
Cooperation
Empathy
Ethical Responsibility
Growth Mindset
Identifying Characteristics
Identifying Emotions
Identifying Problems
Impulse Control
Integrity
Offering Help
Personal Responsibility
Perspective Taking
Physical Self Awareness
Playing Fair
Positive Language
Problem Solving
Relationship Skills
Resilience
Respect
Responsible Decision Making
Self Awareness
Self Confidence
Self Management
Self Motivation
Social Awareness
Social Engagement
Stress Management
Teamwork
Understanding Consequences
Using Your Voice

Limited on equipment? No problem!

Find games that require specific equipment

Select an item from the list below, then copy and paste it into the search bar to see games that require that item.

Ball
Bandana
Baseball Bat
Base
Basketball
Beanbag
Bouncy Ball
Chair
Chalk
Cone
Dodgeball
Flag
Football
Frisbee
Hula Hoop
Jersey
Jump Rope
Kickball
Soccer Ball
Tennis Ball
Volleyball
Volleyball Net
No Equipment Required

Want to find a specific type of game?

Find specific game types

Select a game type from the list below, then copy and paste it into the search bar to see games of that type.

Autonomous/Self-Access Game
Ball Game
Cooperative Game
Core Game
Icebreaker Game
Indoor Game
Readiness Game
Recess Game
Rotational Game
Tag Game

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Need help or don't see your email provider listed?

Click below to copy the trial information and link. Then, paste it into a new email to share with a friend.

Facilitator Playbook:

Tips & Resources

Need help introducing games?

Use the 4P's Framework!

Playworks uses a framework called the 4 P’s to introduce games to students. We recommend using the 4 P’s when you introduce games to your youth so they are learning both the game rules and how to teach them to others.

Pre-Game

Review the name, goal, and basic rules of the game using the ABC method:
A - Attention Getters: Focus the group’s attention using a quick attention getter. (Example: If you can hear my voice…” or “When I say _, you say _.”)
B - Basic Rules: Focus the group’s attention using a quick attention getter. (Example: If you can hear my voice…” or “When I say _, you say _.”)
C - Call and Response: Check for understanding by asking a call-and-response question such as “Point to our boundary.

Practice

Test out the game with low stakes with a practice round to normalize forgetting or not understanding rules, asking questions, and implementing modifications.

Play

While you’re playing, continue to check on group engagement. How is the interest level? Are there rules to reiterate? Deciding when to end a game is also an important element of play, so monitor when it appears students are getting tired and/or losing interest.

Post-Game

Debrief or highlight relevant parts of the game related to your goals for playing using the What? So What? Now What? method:
What? - Recap the game.
So What? - How did it make you feel? Why is this important?
Now What? - What can we take from this game to support _ going forward?

For more information on the 4 P’s, visit the Game Facilitation 101 course in SparkPlay.

Want to keep games feeling fresh?

Implement a Game of the Week.

The lesson plans provided include suggested games and often refer to a Game of the Week. The Game of the Week is a large group game that rotates regularly to keep activities fresh. SparkPlay users subscribed to curated emails will get weekly emails with a suggested Game of the Week. Depending on your capacity, you may choose to rotate less frequently and refer to it by another name (e.g. Game of the Month).

Looking for more game ideas?

Discovery a variety of games in the Games resource.

Find games for different group ages, group sizes, equipment types, and school settings in this playbook, and many others here.

Need a refresher on Group Management?

Check out these SparkPlay courses.

Attention Getters & Signals
Openings & Closings
Transitions

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Facilitator Playbook:

Blank Lesson Plan

Create your own lesson plan using our template

Click below to download.

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Write your awesome label here.

Guided Learning

Foundations

Youth Leadership

Great Recess Framework

Heads up,

Heads up,

Heads up,

Your Progress

Get Started

You're working on...

Congratulations! You've completed...

You're working on...

Congratulations! You've completed...

Your Progress

Get Started

You're working on...

Congratulations! You've completed...

Transform Your Recess

Collect 2 Badges to Earn 2 Certificates

New to the GRF?

Familiar with the GRF?

See recess through a new lens

Turn observations into meaningful insights

Use evidence to improve

Grow your knowledge and skills with guided learning paths.

Quick Tips

Looking to build skills? We've got you covered.

Limited on equipment? No problem!

Want to find a specific type of game?

Send a SparkPlay Trial

Tips & Resources

Need help introducing games?

Want to keep games feeling fresh?

Looking for more game ideas?

Need a refresher on Group Management?

Blank Lesson Plan

Create your own lesson plan using our template

Use evidence to
improve