Recess Facilitation

Connect Us collaborates with elementary schools in creating safe and inclusive recess environments, providing opportunities for all students to participate in group activities.

Recess Facilitation

Connect Us collaborates with elementary schools in creating safe and inclusive recess environments, providing opportunities for all students to participate in group activities. Professionals trained in the Social Aptitude Inclusive Play Model (SAIP) use evidenced-based strategies and input from each school to customize and implement a Recess Facilitation Program. The program can either be designed for parent volunteers or our recess team can be hired to facilitate structured group games on a short-term or long-term basis.

Benefits

SAIP Recess Facilitation Programs improve the social, emotional, and physical well-being of children. Research shows that bullying, injuries, and disputes decrease when children are engaged in purposeful play at recess (Thompson 28-29). Studies also show that when adults engage with children on the playground, positive social interactions and physical activity levels increase (Thompson 28-29). SAIP:

Maximizes the number of students involved in physical activities
Teaches children negotiation and conflict resolution strategies
Provides adult support and structure that many kids need to join group play
Promotes cooperative, peaceful play, inclusion and respect for others
Reinforces social behavior expectations and playground rules
Redirects arguing students back to play
Lessens the number of disputes carried over into classrooms
Strengthens school’s character education program
Reduces competitive intensity, rough play, aggressive behaviors, injuries and susceptibility to being bullied or becoming a bully
Programs are cost-effective and self-sustaining
Connect Us offers ongoing support, as needed.

*Source: Thompson, Thom. “People Make the Difference in School Playground Safety.” Executive Educator 13.8 (1991): 28-29.

SAIP Recess Model

At each stage of social development, the SAIP model targets the following skills while kids are engaged in inclusive, group play:

• Cooperation: Kindergarten

• Collaboration: First Grade

• Negotiation: Second & Third Grades

• Leadership: Fourth & Fifth/Sixth Grades

Playground Parents Volunteer Program

Connect Us provides all the tools, training, and ongoing support schools need to implement and sustain a volunteer recess facilitation program. Here’s an overview of the process:

Program Presentation – Connect Us will come to your school to present the program to staff, parent-teacher organizations, principals, etc.

Intake and Needs Assessment –

• Playground supervisors complete questionnaire to provide snapshot of each grade’s recess climate

• Meeting with key stakeholders – e.g., principal, social worker, P.E. teacher, parents and/or playground supervisors to identify school’s strengths, needs, concerns, and goals

• Assess configuration of playground, scope of available supervision, equipment, activity options, and social climate for each grade

Recess Review – Observe recess periods and provide recommendations

Implementation – Playground Parents Program or Connect Us staff facilitates recess

Playground Parents Program includes recess training for volunteers, parent coordinator consultations, all materials needed to recruit parent volunteers, a customized volunteer training handbook complete with games, rules, guidelines and inclusion strategies, and post-program follow up. Fees are based on program customized for each school.

Call 303-773-3960 or email programs@connectusnow.org for more information.