Designing opportunities for
​meaningful social connection and healthy play at school.

The Recess Project is a collaborative of researchers, administrators, educators, and (most importantly) young students. During the school day, children need regular opportunities to play, socialize, rest, and re-energize. These opportunities improve mood, well-being, and school engagement. These are the things that give 'life' to a school because they focus on children's most fundamental social and emotional needs. Yet, many schools around the world do not have a history of quality recesses: research shows unacceptable levels of bullying, exclusion, intolerance and rejection that undermine opportunities to connect, play, and rest. Our goal is to purposefully design school spaces that support meaningful, inclusive opportunities for social connection, mindfulness, creativity, and play. 

What's new?

• Dr. McNamara is now a member of the Royal Society of Canada's Working Group on Children and Schools!  
• Read Lauren's article (with Pasi Sahlberg) in the Conversation Canada: Kids will need recess more than ever when returning to school. Over 72,000 reads in just a few months!
• In partnership with Physical and Health Education Canada, we've created a library of tips, tools and resources to support quality recess planning and implementation for all children and youth. Check it out at #TalkAboutRecess ​
• See Concrete Strategies for Recess During COVID from the newly formed Global Recess Alliance.
• Just released! Our National Position Statement on Recess ​(with Physical and Health Education Canada).
• Ready to develop policies to support and protect recess? See our recommendations here.
• See our webinar But What About Recess?
  
• Have a look at Have you seen Playworks.org Back to School Game Guide? It is an amazing free resource of suggested recess games categorized by risk.

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We work to transform schools around the world to:

• Ensure meaningful, inclusive opportunities for social connection, rest, and all forms of play are promoted and protected.
• Engage a national conversation about the relationship between social connection, belonging, and well being.
• Disrupt normalized patterns of bullying and exclusion and support a culture that nurtures positive social interaction.
• Oversee legislative changes, policy development, and workplans that ensure accountability.
• Ensure recess is an integral part of the school ecosystem and school-wide improvement efforts.
• Ensure school playspaces are fully inclusive and accessible - socially and physically.

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Looking for the Recess Project Changemaker's Guide?
Find it here!