CLEVELAND — From four square and tug-of-war, to bounce houses and race cars, Recess Cleveland is on a mission to highlight the importance of good old-fashioned fun.
"Recess Cleveland builds pop-up parks basically, in neighborhoods lacking safe places to play," Executive Director Alexander Robertson explained.
Robertson founded the non-profit seven years ago, after he realized too many kids right here in Northeast Ohio were losing access to outdoor recreation time. His goal was to support healthy, active, and connected communities using recess, organized sports, and playful learning.
"42% of schools have canceled recess," Robertson told 3News. "While other countries have figured out that more recess increases test scores... the United States has regressed and, during that time where [kids] should be having recess, they're having additional study time. They don't get that brain break that they need to perform well in school."
So, Robertson decided to do something about it, and what began as free weekly outdoor games in neighborhood parks has grown to include summer series, rec center leagues and plenty of meaningful connections.
"We have 108 games that we organize during the warmer months of the year. We go outside, we take these giant bounce houses. We invite 200, 300 people to come out and play. And while they're on the bounce houses, we organize community games [like] kickball, dodge ball...classic recess games."
Recess Cleveland also partners to offer regular programming with six local Rec Centers - and now they’ve expanded into an indoor warehouse on Cleveland's Hamilton Avenue to offer even more year-round fun. The space will officially open on November 6th, and will offer special monthly membership options, or you can pay $7 per hour to drop in.
"This is our first fixed location. We're going to be operating 365 days a year," Robertson said. "We're taking our outdoor programming and trying to squeeze it into 12,000 square foot space. We're trying to make it intergenerational so there'll be something for the parents to do, something for the kids to do."
Robertson and his team rewrote the rules to about 60 of their 108 games so they can be played indoors. Recess Coordinator Rhea Fomby showed 3News anchor Jay Crawford around the games and the new space and explained why the mission here hits close to home.
"I love to see smiles [on the kids faces]. I like to see people happy and I like to be able to make other people happy. So bringing them these activities and to be able to make the kids smile, especially through the schools and the rough neighborhoods that we grew up in, is really a joy every day."
It's a joy Jay and 3News Contributor Matt Kaulig had a chance to experience firsthand. The duo wasted no time checking out the games, activities and of course, couldn't resist a little friendly dodgeball competition - proving just how far the "power of inspiration" behind a mission for safe and fulfilling fun, can go.
"I've seen kids [grow up in the program] and they're teaching the next generation those recess games that we taught them," Robertson said. "They're dropping their cell phones, they're getting off screens, they're spending more time playing and less time on social media."
If you're interested in planning an event or getting involved, visit RecessCleveland.com
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