What happens on the schoolyard shapes how children feel, connect, and engage—every day.

Yet schoolyards remain one of the most overlooked drivers of student well-being, belonging, healthy school climates, and school success, particularly during recess. Schoolyards For Thought, led by Dr. Lauren McNamara, emphasizes the importance of how schoolyards function—not just how they look. The initiative examines the social, organizational, and environmental conditions that shape students’ everyday experiences, which are crucial for fostering a positive school climate and implementing effective anti-bullying strategies. Through research, policy, and applied partnerships, we work with schools and systems to design these environments that consistently support connection, inclusion, engagement, and mental health over time.

Why Schoolyards Matter

For millions of children, the schoolyard is where much of daily life unfolds—often their primary access to play, sport, nature, and social connection.

These experiences are not peripheral to learning. They shape how students feel about school, how they relate to one another, and how they engage in the classroom.

What students experience in schoolyards carries into classrooms—and accumulates over time, shaping belonging, well-being, and participation in school life.

Yet despite their importance, schoolyards have historically been underdesigned, under-resourced, and treated as separate from core educational priorities.

The Missed Opportunity

Schoolyards and Recess: Enhancing Student Inclusion, Well-Being, and Engagement

How This Work Comes Together

We work to redesign the conditions of schoolyard life—aligning space, supervision, and structure to improve how students experience these environments every day.

Research & Evaluation

Assessing schoolyard quality, access, and equity across physical, social, and organizational domains is crucial for fostering a positive school climate. This includes initiatives like anti bullying programs and ensuring that all students, including those led by advocates like Lauren McNamara, have equitable access to recess and safe school environments.

Policy & Systems Change

Supporting boards, governments, and organizations to move beyond design toward integrated, system-level approaches that enhance the school climate, promote anti-bullying initiatives, and improve the overall schoolyard experience, as advocated by experts like Lauren McNamara, especially during recess.

Advisory and Partnerships

Working alongside schools and systems, including initiatives led by Lauren McNamara, to align space, supervision, and structure during recess to foster a positive school climate that supports belonging, engagement, and well-being while addressing anti-bullying efforts in the schoolyard.

Professional Learning and Keynotes

Helping educators and leaders, like Lauren McNamara, understand and act on the role of schoolyards as critical environments for development, particularly in promoting a positive school climate and effective anti-bullying strategies during recess.