Revamping recess: Camp Fire pilots Playworks program at Three Rivers School

BEND, Ore., (KTVZ) – Ask elementary school kids what they love about school, and you’ll likely hear a number of them enthusiastically shout, “Recess!” But even with a much-welcomed break from the rigors of class, sometimes recess and playground experiences aren’t all fun and games.

Playgrounds can be breeding grounds for problematic behaviors, according to Lorin Page, assistant principal at Three Rivers School in Sunriver. While supervising recess over the years, she’s noted common struggles on the playground, including excessive tattling, kids feeling left out, and arguing over rules or over fair teams.

“We also see kids being overly competitive and must remind them that playground games differ from the club team they may play on,” she says. “When kids have a rough recess for one reason or another, they come inside and are often not ready to learn. They are dysregulated and still fixated on their problems while playing outside. This not only impacts their own learning but also the teacher's ability to teach and the kids around them.”

Enter Playworks, A Solution for Better Play

Stepping in to help make recess better and support the emotional, physical and academic experiences of our local youth is Camp Fire Central Oregon. The nonprofit youth development organization has just started piloting the nationally acclaimed Playworks program at Three Rivers School in Sunriver.

Launched before winter break with support from Camp Fire National, the initiative builds on the nonprofit’s existing relationship with the school, where it runs Camp Fire Afterschool (CFA) for Grades K-5, including kids impacted by HUB's afterschool program closure in Fall 2024.

So what exactly is Playworks—and why is it such a big deal that it’s now available to local students through Camp Fire Central Oregon?

As explained by the “Playworks” organization itself, for over 25 years, this nationwide program has offered a proven strategy for helping kids stay active and build valuable lifeskills through play. Primarily, it nurtures inclusivity and helps kids learn valuable conflict-resolution skills for working out differences and disagreements. In addition, kids build leadership skills, or the opportunity to develop a sense of fairness, confidence and communication. Youth who are engaged during recess are more likely to participate in class, which means better attendance and better grades.

Through Playworks, Camp Fire staff receive many hours of training, plus tools and resources designed to transform the way playground experiences look and feel for youth. With that support and learning, staff are empowered to equip kids with critical life skills they can use independently.

Making an Impact at Three Rivers School

Avara Roberts, Camp Fire Central Oregon’s Program Coordinator for South County sites, has taken on the role of a dedicated Playworks Coach at Three Rivers School. In late December, she introduced the program at an all-school assembly, then started rolling it out at recess that very day.

“We’re playing games like ‘Switch’ on the foursquare court, where there’s a high rate of player turnover,” Roberts says. “Everyone gets a turn, making it a very inclusive, equitable playing field. We use tools like ‘rock, paper, scissors,’ to troubleshoot conflict quickly, which are skills the kids can take back into the classroom and use throughout their day and even their lives outside of school. 

“We also have strategies for helping kids transition from the playground back into the classroom—little tactics for when they’re standing in line getting ready to go inside that help them reset and get ready for learning.”

Right off the bat, Page noticed a difference on the playground with the students and even a refreshing change in her playground duties.

“Playworks offers our kids direct instruction and support with cooperative games and problem-solving…the kids need as many of these skills as they can get,” Page said. “It also frees up those of us on duty outside by having additional adult help. I don't always feel like I can play with the kids because, without additional help, we always need to scan the playground to ensure the kids' safety. Extra adults mean I can be more playful with the kids, too. Today, I had the chance to play "Switch" with the kids because they learned it previously with Avara.”

Page says that for that reason, Three Rivers School is already loving this program, and the kids have embraced it, feeling particularly comfortable with the Camp Fire staff they’ve already come to know through the afterschool program. But that’s not all:

“Our primary goal is for kids to move their bodies and have tons of fun at recess so they are ready to learn when they return to class,” Page says. “I am confident that the Playworks program will help us achieve this goal…plus having Playworks regularly will help create a culture of inclusivity, positive problem-solving, and fun!”

Looking Ahead, Sustaining & Scaling the Program

Up to 25 Camp Fire Central Oregon staff will receive Playworks training in 2025, scaling out the strategies into all its school-year and summer curriculum, creating alignment and cohesion around how staff members engage youth around play and instill lifeskills in kids. The price tag? The program training alone totaled $24,000, which has been made possible thanks to collective, generous support: a $5,000 grant awarded in 2024 by Central Oregon Health Council; a $10,000 contribution from Camp Fire National; and a Playworks subsidy of $9,000. Offered to Three Rivers School at no cost, Playworks will require ongoing funding to cover staff wages for training and then scale it out. Anyone interested in contributing is invited to do so at campfireco.org/donate.