Strengthening schoolyards as inclusive and engaging environments
Recess has historically been treated as separate from the core work of the school day, yet research over the past two decades consistently shows that it plays an important role in shaping students’ mental health, sense of belonging, engagement, presence, and commitment to school.
This webinar explores how the social and physical environments of schoolyards influence students’ connection to school, their participation in the learning process, and their overall well-being. Drawing on research across education, public health, and child development, Dr. Lauren McNamara will examine how everyday experiences during recess contribute to how students show up in classrooms—socially, emotionally, and academically.
Participants will gain insight into how schoolyard conditions—including access to play, opportunities for movement, the presence of green space and nature, and how spaces are designed and supported—shape students’ sense of belonging and engagement across the school day. The session will also highlight practical, system-aware approaches to strengthening schoolyards as inclusive, engaging environments that support participation, reduce barriers to connection, and foster stronger connections to school.
Presenter
Dr. Lauren McNamara is an educational psychologist, Ashoka Fellow, and advisor who helps schools and systems rethink and redesign the environments that shape student mental health, belonging, and engagement.
A central focus of her work examines schoolyards and recess—reframing them as powerful, yet often overlooked, infrastructure for student well-being and school success. As the founder of Schoolyards for Thought and Recess Project Canada, and a research scientist at Toronto Metropolitan University’s Diversity Institute, her work is grounded in a substantial body of research across education, public health, and child development. She supports leaders in assessing and redesigning the social and physical environments where students spend time every day—expanding opportunities for play and recreation, strengthening peer relationships, and supporting more inclusive participation.
Through national and international collaborations, she works with educators, school and system leaders, policymakers, and child health experts to translate research into practical change at both the system and school level, including policy, guidance, and school-based strategies. She is the lead author of Canada’s National Position Statement on Recess with Physical and Health Education Canada (PHE Canada), co-founder of the Global Recess Alliance, and author of the Recess Project Changemakers Guide (endorsed by PHE Canada). She is also a member of the Royal Society of Canada’s Working Group on Children and Schools and a past executive member of the Ontario Healthy Schools Coalition. Her work has informed national and global policy and practice aimed at improving children’s daily experiences at school.
