Why Play Works

Why Play Works provides a road map for schools in leveraging play as a tool for ensuring that access to social connection is prioritized in this process of adaptation.  Aimed at educators, school administrators and parents, Why Play Work’s aspiration is to promote the idea that play's future is deeply rooted in its past: a risky behavior that has nonetheless survived eons of evolution precisely because it teaches us to navigate the demands of social connection.

Why Play Works will feature sections on:

• Why Play: The importance of intentionally integrating play in day-to-day school operations-especially in this moment- because of its unique ability to mitigate the impacts of trauma and adverse childhood experiences.
• Intentionally Designing the School Day: Looking at how incorporating play into the various design levers- space, scheduling and staffing- contributes to creating a responsive and flexible structure that puts students and educators at the center.   
• Youth Leadership: Explore real examples of schools leveraging play to promote youth leadership and student agency through new behaviors that this moment requires- from physical distancing to wearing masks, and from handwashing to new procedures for eating lunch and cleaning up. In addition, learn how a focus on youth leadership can create an opening for adults to support student engagements while managing their own stress.  
• Virtual learning: How to infuse play into remote learning and create rituals that help students transition between and among different learning settings. The author will gather stories around how play can help with transitions, and how it promotes a recognition of the different strengths that different learning environments possess - illustrated by calling out different games and styles of play that schools have found best suited for the different learning environments and scheduling configurations.

Why Play Works will offer specific guidance around recess and outside activities along with a library of games that can be played both as schools re-open and experiment with the needs for physical distancing, as well as activities should reclosing be required. Supported by interviews with experts on play and school design, Why Play Works will stand out as a concrete guide for supporting the learning and well-being of our students in each context by leveraging the power of play.