OUR PROGRAMS
Nationally, 42% of schools nationally have canceled recess. Also, low-income neighborhoods are the least likely to have resources to provide physical activity to their residents. Recess Cleveland believes play should not be a privilege and brings opportunities for play to all families, regardless of their race, gender, zip code, or socioeconomic status. Learn about our approach, the solutions we fund, and our partners on the ground below.
Year Round (Active and in-person)
The recessROOM is our family entertainment center featuring our rotating attractions including dodgeball/gellyball courts, bounce gyms, soft play area, recessLabs STEM space, and other fun play activities.
- Location:
4806 Hamilton Avenue, 2nd Floor. Cleveland, Ohio 44114.
- Time:
The recessROOM is closed for open play during the summer and will reopen in September.
Our family-friendly pop-up Recess events featuring kickball, dodgeball, bounce houses, art, music, dancing, and other fun play activities in neighborhoods lacking safe spaces to play. This program is formerly known as 70 Days of Summer Recreation.
- Location:
10 weekly events in 7 Neighborhoods starting in June 2023. Neighborhoods TBD. Text RESTOREREC to 216-242-2282 if you would like to receive updates or vote to bring recess to your neighborhood.
- Time:
TBD
Our famous pop-up Recess events (with an emphasis on learning through play) featuring kickball, dodgeball, bounce houses, art, music, dancing, and other fun play activities. Available before school, during school, after school, and out of school.
- Location:
Locations TBD.
- Time:
TBD
Recess Cleveland will give our supporters the opportunity to team up and compete against their peers in classic recess games at one of our pop-up recess locations.
- Location:
Exibition league play starts soon. Recruiting for summer leagues starts in mid-April. Text LEAGUES to 216-242-2282 for latest updates.
- Time:
TBD
Recess Playgroups invites people of all ages to sign up for invites to playgroups featuring some of their favorite games or our traditional recess events in smaller groups based on age, neighborhood, or interest.
- Location:
Actively recruiting in several neighborhoods
- Time:
TBD
Inspired by RecessKits, RecessPods are a shipping container or enclosed trailer filled with play equipment and game instructions curated by Recess Cleveland.
- Location:
TBD
- Time:
TBD
In partnership with Trust for Public Land, Park in the Box delivers a pop-up Recess programming, a community meeting space, and a work space to play deserts.
- Location:
TBD
- Time:
TBD
Virtual Play Programming
Recess Labs is our mobile RV tech lab that encourages visitors to learn coding through e-gaming
- Location:
Virtual
- Time:
Starting in April
Recess at Home families the opportunity to compete in classic recess games, Minuite to Win It mini-games, and play challenges for prizes from the comfort of their own home.
- Location:
Virtual, starting in April
- Time:
Starting in February 2021
Additional Play Equity Services
PLAYmakers is our monthly donor program (aka Friends of Recess Cleveland).
- Location:
Actively recruiting
- Time:
TBD
The Play Fund is our monthly donor program (aka Friends of Recess Cleveland).
- Location:
Actively recruiting
- Time:
TBD
The Fun Bus not only provides FREE transportation to recess events it provides round-trip excursions to sporting events, parks, and attractions for contest winners and supporters.
- Location:
Ongoing
- Time:
TBD
Play Champions invites community play organizers to apply for mini-grants, market their events on our platform, borrow play equipment at no cost, and grow their play community in their neighborhood with our support.
- Location:
Actively recruiting in several neighborhoods
- Time:
TBD
Provides on-site logistical support and marketing support to Cleveland-based organizations who wish to host fundraisers featuring recess and/or organized sports.
- Location:
TBD
- Time:
Launching June 2021
In 2021, we decided to create a social enterprise to fulfill event requests that fall outside the mission of our nonprofit, e.g. birthday parties. 20% of all proceeds from Epic Fun Party bookings are donated to Recess Cleveland.
- Location:
TBD
- Time:
Launching March 2022
Inactive Programming (out of season or needs funding)
Play Libraries are lockers filled with various play items you may sign-up to borrow for up to a week strategically placed in libraries, rec centers, and partner sites.
- Location:
Needs funding
- Time:
TBD
A RecessKit is a 5 gallon bucket filled with 70 play items and ideas for 20 games you can play with the items in the bucket.
- Location:
Needs funding
- Time:
TBD
It is a long established fact that a reader will be distracted by the readable content of a page when looking at its layout. The point of using Lorem Ipsum is that it has a more-or-less
- Location:
448 S Hill St · In Pershing Square Building Glamorous rooftop setting with French small plates,
- Time:
Monday – Friday Full Day: 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Monday – Friday Full Day: 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Monday – Friday Full Day: 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
