Playworks TagTeam is a certification program that builds capacity for community-based organizations to run a recess service at elementary schools in their community.

Learn strategies to support
safe & healthy play

Playworks is the leading national nonprofit leveraging the power of play in elementary schools to transform children’s physical, social and emotional health. Through Playworks TagTeam, we’re sharing our evidence-based recess strategies that have been cultivated over 25 years with out-of-school-time partners in order to increase the number of adults who are trained to facilitate safe and healthy play at recess across the country.

Playworks TagTeam is a certification program that builds capacity for community-based organizations to run a recess service at elementary schools in their community.

Playworks is the leading national nonprofit leveraging the power of play in elementary schools to transform children’s physical, social and emotional health.

Through Playworks TagTeam, we’re sharing our evidence-based recess strategies that have been cultivated over 25 years with out-of-school-time partners in order to increase the number of adults who are trained to facilitate safe and healthy play at recess across the country.

Playworks TagTeam is a certification program that builds capacity for community-based organizations to run a recess service at elementary schools in their community.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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).

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

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For more information, email mc.edmonds@playworks.org

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