What is PEP?

The Playground Enhancement Project™ (PEP) is a proven intervention for 'jump-starting' cooperative game play during school recess.(14) PEP provides field-tested and research-based curriculum resources that caring adults use to channel childrens' abundant energy into positive experiences and skill-building for success and confidence in school and beyond.

How are PEP resources(15) used?

1. The PEP Games Handbook and the companion PEP Games Video are primarily used on playgrounds, and in classrooms, gyms, parks and neighborhoods with children ages 5 to 13+. These user-friendly resources provide practical tips, tools and information for teaching:

Group games (read more about games below).
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Self-organizing strategies for group game play using:

- Indexes and lists that allow players to select games that match the age and number of interested players, weather conditions, set-up configurations and available games equipment. . . .
- The Ground Rules of Fair Play that articulate a common game etiquette that builds a culture of trust among players and decreases petty game disputes. Game facilitators require students who cannot abide by the ground rules and game rules to sit out for a short time before joining in the group fun again.
- Practical and pro-active skill sets that suggest (a) ways to form teams; (b) ways to select who is "IT"; and (c) ways to resolve game disputes peacefully. These skill sets provide for more fun play time and fewer frustrating game interruptions.

2. Schools make use of The PEP Can game resource center -
- to provide a stimulus and gathering place for interested players.
- to provide information on game options and game-playing tips.
- to store and give student access to the PEP games equipment.

Note: Summer camps may also benefit from the PEP Can. Games equipment used by smaller after-school programs, youth groups and individual classrooms can be stored in PEP Bags for carrying along on picnics and field trips.

3. Schools use the PEP Manual and other publications -
- to organize and oversee a sustainable school-wide PEP effort.
- to generally educate staff, students and parents about PEP.
- to paint playground markings (key to successful game play).
- to recruit, orient and training PEP playground volunteers.
- to select, train and organize student PEP helpers

Safety notes: We recommend that schools do not rely on the same individual(s) on the playground to play two roles simultaneously - that of game leader/facilitator and that of playground supervisor. All adults on the playground need to be responsible for monitoring the correct and safe use or PEP resources.

Why games?

Play is essential to humans. Games are a form of play. Play and games are a natural way that we learn about the world and how to be social. Even babies engage in simple games such as "Peek-a-Boo" that teach that objects and people are permanent even when you cannot see them. Games are a way that we learn many things that we use everyday and that give us delight.

On school playgrounds, games provide some measure of structure and predictability for our social interactions, even as they promise suspense, surprises and challenges. But all games are not the same in their effect on children. Children are not miniature adults. Most children under the age of twelve and not developmentally ready to play culturally-popular, highly competitive sports games successfully, fairly or on their own.(16) Many students are too intimidated to even consider joining these games.

Quality playground games have been found to make a difference on school playgrounds.(17) Quality games provides children with opportunities to meet their basis needs(18) in a way that no other playground activity can:

The need for safety/security - Basic safety is met by school rules and playground rules that are enforced consistently and with clear consequences. Beyond that, game rules provide structure along with other key game constructs (game etiquette, established language and procedures for game-playing techniques, and boundary lines and/or safe location for playing).

The need for love and belonging - Games create a way to make contact with others. Quality playground games are structured inclusively to allow all students to participate and succeed in some way while they are having fun as part of a cooperative effort. Players are not eliminated from play. It is only such games that allow elementary and middle school students to play unfettered, to immerse themselves in the timeless reverie of cooperative play, and to emerge from the un-self-conscious play with a satisfying sense of belonging, of acceptance among their peers.

The need for self-mastery of skills, for esteem - A quality game collection for playgrounds includes games that involve students in a wide variety of physical activities and challenges, as well as social challenges. Quality games often have competitive elements, but students are engaged in individual as well as group effort to meet a challenge(s) collectively. The games vary in their pace and complexity, but everyone emerges victoriously from the effort as there is little or no emphasis put on scores to determine winners.

Why PEP games?

The Playground Enhancement Projectª (PEP) focuses on quality games as the essential glue and anchor that is missing on today's school playgrounds. PEP provides a unique compilation of over 45 uncommon cooperative games that can be enjoyed by students age 5-13+*. The game collection includes a wide variety of games that span a century, ranging from very old games such as 'Cat and Mouse' to brand new games such as 'Cube' and 'Human Net" which were created in collaboration with older students. All the games are age-appropriate, inclusive, and do not rely on eliminating or dominating other players. PEP games have been tested for fun and workability with a wide range of students on real playgrounds over the course of 12 years. Many of the games have become the favorite of old and young alike.(19) Students are taught key constructs for playing each game and for playing games in general. These constructs allow students to learn pro-social skills and awareness that they can generalize and apply to many situations beyond the playground.

*PEP does not provide rules for common playground games such as four-square, wall-ball, tether-ball, kick-ball or hopscotch. If schools need or want to re-teach these games, game cards for each can be added to the PEP Games Handbook (the handbook is ring-bound to accomodate such additions in order to customize the resource for practical use at each school setting).

Why is PEP needed?

1. School playgrounds are under-utilized as a learning environment that addresses the wholistic needs and capacities of students.
2. Playrounds are where many students have negative experiences at school that can undermine their education in the classroom, and their general well-being and confidence.
   
3. Changes in culture and education have interrupted traditions of passing on age-appropriate group games for playgrounds (20)
   
4. Students need more positive activity options that can relieve their boredom and interrupt and replace negative patterns of interactions (including harsh social cliques).
   
5. Some students are lonely, overwhelmed and humiliated by repeated and failed attempts to 'fit in' with their peers during recess. Chronic peer rejection can lead to bullying, depression, educational failture and violent acting out.
   
6. Adults need a positive way to utilize teachable moments during recess and to directly and positively impact playground dynamics.

What is special about PEP?

1. PEP is focused. The best efforts to prevent bullying directly involve caring adults in mentoring students during the time of day when most school conflicts occur. PEP has been developed and refined to help caring adults spend time with students, to teach and model the kind of games and game-playing skills that allow them to play successfully on their own. Playing these group games provides intrinsic rewards, so there's no need for extranious prizes or reward systems.

2. PEP is practical. PEP resources are portable, waterproof and durable for use on playgrounds all year-round. The games handbook can easily fit in a hip bag or jacket pocket. The PEP Can is on wheels. PEP games require little if any preparation or equipment. PEP teaches practical ways for students to organize themselves and to avoid un-necessary conflicts, in addition to ways to resolve game disputes. Teachers and parents tell us that students even use their new skills off the playground.

3. PEP is flexible. Schools can use PEP resources to make gradual changes on their playgrounds. Our customers do not have to make a huge commitment and financial expenditure (i.e. be licensed to use PEP products*). Many schools start by purchasing a PEP games handbook and video and trying them out. Many times parent groups take the first step, and the school eventually invests in a School PEP Kit when more people are ready to help make systemic playground changes.

4. PEP is a good partner. PEP dove-tails nicely with other initiatives such as bully-free training, conflict resolution, and other efforts to teach and reinforce pro-social skills. In fact, the PEP Games Handbook is ring-bound so school and individuals can customize it for their own use by adding more games or information pages (i.e. rules for basic games like four-square or a game that students create themselves, or essential school rules that staff need to reinforce throughout the school day).

What are the origins of PEP?

The Playground Enhancement Project™ (PEP) had its beginning in 1993 when PEP founder Teresa Jacobs decided to take a close look at school playgrounds. Her first-grade son was complaining daily of troubles during recess. Jacobs approached school staff and was allowed to join students on the playground where she observed very little organized play. Jacobs offered to teach age-appropriate games to interested students. She noted that "they were starving for the games". Jacobs acquired grant funds to conduct a pilot project and to test the effect of game play on peer interactions. Research result (21) only confirmed her sense that even her lone game facilitation efforts had made a positive difference. Jacobs estimates she spent over 1000 hours over the course of the next 12 years facilitating games on school playgrounds and sharing the project with others while refining the PEP curriculum. So far, PEP has been introduced at over 60 schools.

* Note - Harmony Works Montana does not license the use of PEP products, as that would make PEP resources less accessible and affordable to all the caring adults who work with children in schools and in the wider community. Please refer to our copyright notice for more information.

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Is PEP effective?

Please click on Effectiveness to see research and testimonials.