Mossgiel Park Primary School
“Our school is no longer the same school it was. The energy, the connection, the way our staff turn up for each other. The School of Play has changed everything.”
The School of Play
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The School of Play
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Studied five times by La Trobe University. One hour of play: 40% more energy and 32% more mindfulness. Now in 600+ schools and organisations.
“Most schools measure everything except what matters most: how students feel.”
We built something about that, and La Trobe University put it to the test. See the evidence →
Since 2022, La Trobe University researchers have studied our programs five times: adult FunShops, our Student Agency program and the curriculum itself.
*Descriptive, preliminary increase, not statistically significant after adjustment. Adult study: 15 teachers and parents, Journal of Play in Adulthood. Student Agency: O’Dell (2024). Curriculum: Pearce (2026). All La Trobe University. Full details
In our peer-reviewed La Trobe University study, teachers and parents took part in one structured, one-hour FunShop. They left with 40% more energy and 32% more mindfulness: energised and present at once. That is play-based mindfulness, and it is what every School of Play session is built to create.
Ruddock, Draganovic & Gibson, La Trobe University (2022). 15 teachers and parents, one 1-hour session, self-reported before and after. All four changes statistically significant, with large effects. Published in the Journal of Play in Adulthood.
From kinder rooms in regional Victoria to international schools in Bangkok and Singapore. The numbers are real, the schools are real, the standards mapping is independent.
Plus 500+ more across Australia, the UK, the US, and Aotearoa New Zealand.
25–40 weeks of play-based learning, mapped to 16 global standards. Designed by educators, researched with La Trobe University, with Respectful Relationships built in.
Play · Exercise · Gratitude · Giving. Built by educators, tested in five La Trobe University studies. Tap any card to go deeper.
From kindergarten to primary school, different paths, same outcome. Hear it from the educators themselves.
“Our school is no longer the same school it was. The energy, the connection, the way our staff turn up for each other. The School of Play has changed everything.”
“Every staff member, every student, every family. This isn't a program at our school anymore. It's just how we do things.”
“It encourages children to communicate confidently, engages them through play-based experiences, and helps them build meaningful relationships with their peers.”
“It provides a strong framework for meaningful play-based learning while still allowing educators to adapt experiences to the interests and needs of their children.”
The PD academy, the app, books, podcast and free resources, all built to support the curriculum in your school.
Five-module certified pathway. VIT + AITSL aligned.
Daily play missions. Free for everyone.
Connector, Creator, Challenger or Carer?
1,000+ brain-break games. 100,000+ teachers worldwide.
365 Days of Play, All Work No Play and more.
Conversations on play and wellbeing with educators, leaders and athletes.
Downloadable PDFs, samples and starter packs.
One play idea every Monday. Loved by 8,000+ educators, parents and leaders.
Presented live by Dale Sidebottom & Paul Campbell
Screen time is quietly replacing connection, movement and conversation, in classrooms and at home. This free 50-minute session shows you how to win it back, without devices and without adding to your workload.
In this TEDx talk, Dale Sidebottom makes the case for why play is the missing piece in every school, workplace and family. It sparked a movement, and it's still spreading.
Over 1,000 workshops, keynotes and curriculum partnerships delivered across schools, corporates and governments worldwide.
“Wellbeing happens when people lead it themselves, through play, not pressure.
Top-down programs fail. Surveys get ignored. Lectures don't land. We built The School of Play around a simpler idea: people change when they get to lead the change, and when the work feels like play.
Whether you're a teacher, a parent, or a leader, The School of Play has a path built for you. Start with a free demo, a free game, or a discovery call.
8,000+ educators, parents & leaders already playing in 25+ countries
