September 30, 2022 2020–2022 Community Report In 2018, Trying Together launched its Strategic Roadmap. As the end of 2022 approaches, Trying Together reflects on the significant progress that was made in achieving its goals, instances where it was necessary to pivot and reprioritize to meet the needs of children, families, and educators, and opportunities to expand upon this work in 2023 and beyond.
September 3, 2021 You are a valued caregiver. Parents are a child’s first and most important teacher. The importance of the everyday interactions that adults have with the young children in their care have a great impact on their healthy development and learning. Thank you for utilizing Trying Together’s digital resources. Request free printed materials from our Developmentally Appropriate Parenting Series. Let us know your feedback and ideas for new resources via an anonymous survey. Record a video sharing your experience with utilizing our parent and caregiver resources. Consider making a small donation to help Trying Together continue to provide free resources for families in Western Pennsylvania.
May 14, 2021 #SummerofPlay Social Media Toolkit Social media is a powerful tool for advocacy, even if you don’t consider yourself to be an ‘expert.’ If you spend time on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn, you can use those platforms to advocate for issues that are important to you. For the Summer of Play in 2021, use social media to promote learning through play and engaging in playful activities. Download Summer of Play graphics (in English and Spanish) to share on social media and find sample posts and helpful tips in the toolkit.
April 23, 2021 Recess Advocacy Toolkit: Families Families Children deserve joyful, playful learning experiences this summer and beyond. This toolkit is meant to help guide how play and physical activity should be included as part of children’s daily lives. Tools for Families: Examples of Play (PDF) Student Recess Letter (PDF) Email Template (PDF) Social Media (PDF)
Recess Advocacy: Educators and Administrators Educators and Administrators Play provides opportunities for children to reduce stress, explore feelings, and form relationships with peers. For more than a year, children remained socially distanced from their peers and adjusted to a new way of schooling. As we shift from remote learning back to in-person school, the importance of play and recess must be at the forefront of the conversation around reopening schools and helping children adjust to a changed educational environment. Tools for Educators: The Case for Including Play and Physical Activity in School Reopening Plans (PDF) Examples of Play (PDF) PE Teachers: Advice & Tips (PDF)
Recess Advocacy Toolkit: Get the Toolkit In addition to the individual topic-based PDFs above, the complete Recess Advocacy Toolkit is available to read or download as a PDF below.
Recess Advocacy Toolkit: Acknowledgements Acknowledgements The creation of this toolkit was made possible by The Grable Foundation and Remake Learning Tomorrow Grants. Special thanks to the following organizations for their contributions and guidance in the creation of this toolkit. Their work on the Recess Advocacy Team has been instrumental in creating this toolkit and in the ongoing advocacy efforts. Each organization brings to the table their own expertise and perspective: Action for Healthy Kids Allegheny County Health Department A+ Schools ATL Parent Like a Boss (Parent LAB) Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC Department of Health and Physical Activity, University of Pittsburgh Let’s Move Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy Women for a Healthy Environment Questions & Feedback For questions or suggestions, please contact recess@tryingtogether.org.
Recess Advocacy Toolkit: Families quote “I hope we learn the lessons from this year and add more time for recess and play. Health and wellness matters. Our children need childhoods. I truly believe more play will benefit all kids.”
Recess Advocacy Toolkit: Educators & Administrators quote “Personally, I have witnessed over the years that students who have quality play/recess experiences generally exhibit better self esteem. Also, students who play together learn to negotiate and communicate with one another more reasonably.”
About the Recess Advocacy Toolkit The Recess Advocacy Toolkit is designed to be a resource for educators and families on the importance of recess and play for the healthy social-emotional growth of children and includes: information on different types of play; research to inform educators and administrators on the benefits of recess; testimonials and tips from Physical Education teachers; and template emails and social media posts for digital advocacy.
