Contents

Introduction to the intersect of play and learning

Increased Time on Task

Promotes Engaged Learners

Builds Skills that Foster Academic Growth

Building Relationships and Connections

Impact of Playworks by the Numbers

Additional Resources

Play is essential— for fun, and also for learning. When kids play, they return to the classroom energized, focused, and ready to learn.

How kids learn through play:

• Play helps students feel good while having fun. Joyful play builds confidence and boosts mood—laying the groundwork for learning.
• Play teaches important skills. Through games, kids learn the value of teamwork, strengthen critical thinking abilities, and develop respect for their peers which helps students navigate the classroom.
• Play builds relationships. During recess, kids get to be the experts. Student leaders practice responsibility, communication, and trust with peers and adults.
• Play reduces conflict. Kids learn to solve problems and resolve disagreements constructively—freeing up more classroom time for academics.

 Increased Time on Task

Transitional moments—like shifting from math to reading, returning from lunch, or walking to art class—can be particularly challenging for teachers. During these times, students are often restless, distracted, or still carrying energy and emotions from the previous activity. Without intentional strategies to guide these transitions, they can become drawn out or disruptive, ultimately cutting into valuable instructional time and making it harder to re-engage students in learning.

But when students have time to move, play, and release energy, return to class more focused and ready to learn. In fact, schools with Playworks report spending 34% fewer minutes transitioning from recess to learning activities.

That reclaimed time matters. Over the course of a school year, it can add up to hours of additional instruction time that may otherwise be lost. It also helps create a learning environment that’s less chaotic and more productive. When classroom time is more focused, students are better able to build the critical academic and interpersonal skills they need to succeed.

Check out these five activities to help your students smoothly transition from the playground to the classroom.

Promotes Engaged Learners

When students feel active and connected on the playground, they’re more motivated to learn in the classroom. In a recent survey, 95% of educators at Playworks schools reported that our recess programming helps create an engaging learning environment. Additionally, 85% of students who participate in Playworks’ Junior Coach Leadership program reported a positive change in their academic motivation and incentive to succeed in school.

Feeling motivated isn’t just about enjoying school—it’s about building the confidence and sense of purpose that helps kids persevere through challenges, set goals, and stay engaged in their learning. Play lays the groundwork for this by fostering connections and a sense of competence that supports a strong classroom mindset.

When kids are motivated and ready to learn, classroom time becomes more effective—and more efficient.

Builds Skills that Foster Academic Growth

Through games and play, students develop skills like cooperation, communication, and conflict resolution that directly support academic success. Games require students to follow directions, solve problems, and collaborate with peers, all of which build the cognitive and interpersonal foundations needed in the classroom and throughout the rest of their lives.

A student who can ask for help from a teammate, resolve a disagreement about a rule, or focus during a game can find ways to translate these skills to the classroom. Play creates a space to practice these interactions and build confidence so they’ll be better positioned to work in groups in the classroom–and later in life in the workplace.

Building Relationships and Connections

We can most effectively build strong, lasting relationships in schools by leveraging something everyone enjoys: play.

Playing together is one of the ways we create strong connections with other people – at all ages. When we play, we are connecting, collaborating, cooperating, communicating, and solving problems.

When students play, they practice skills like respect, compassion, and teamwork. Relationship skills are naturally practiced on the playground when kids get to play with their friends and those they don’t normally interact with in class. 

Adults can set up students for success with developing these critical relationship skills at recess that help them immediately and that last throughout their time in the workforce in adulthood. Try using Playworks games to encourage students to play with peers they wouldn’t normally know or engage with at school by mixing up groups for the game itself or for school projects.