Playworks Minnesota

Our friends at SportsEngine are gearing up for another great year on the field at Playworks Minnesota’s Corporate Kickball Tournament. We are thrilled to welcome them back as returning competitors. We have room for one final team to join the lineup. A $2,500 sponsorship brings up to 15 of your staff out for a full day of kickball on September 18, 2026 while directly supporting youth leadership across Minnesota. It is an energizing, culture building experience that makes a real impact for kids in our community. If your organization wants to compete, connect, and champion youth leaders, this is your moment to grab the last spot!

Big news! U.S. Bank is back for another round of our Corporate Kickball Tournament. Their team brings incredible energy, and we can’t wait to see them out on the field again! Shout out to our rockstar board member, Denise Dau! And here’s the kicker: We still have ONE team spot left. If your company is looking for an inclusive, high-impact employee engagement opportunity, this is it. Friday, September 18, 2026 | 10AM-5PM Rally your team. Claim the last spot. Let’s play! #EmployeeEngagement #CultureStrategy

Last week, Playworks Minnesota was honored to be recognized as a Starting Five Grantee by the Minnesota Lynx and Minnesota Timberwolves through their Minnesota Fastbreak Foundation! This recognition reflects the strength of our partnership and our shared commitment to building communities where every child experiences belonging, leadership, and joy through play. Thank you to the PACK for standing with us and investing in the power of play to bring people together. Sondra Ciesielski Madison Connelly Carley Knox, President of Bus. Operations MN Lynx #PackOffCourt

Junior Coaches are 4th and 5th grade students who step up to run games, teach the rules, resolve conflict, and make sure nobody feels left out at recess. They learn to lead a group, build community, and speak up for others. These are skills that follow them back into the classroom and beyond. High five to all of our Junior Coaches!

Playworks Minnesota is excited to share that the Minnesota Twins, longtime partners in PLAY, will be joining us on the field for the very first time at our Corporate Kickball Tournament on September 18. Their commitment, alongside the Minnesota Twins Community Fund, to kids and community has been unwavering, and we’re thrilled to welcome them into this signature event! One team spot remains! If your organization wants to spend a day building community, having fun, and championing youth leadership and development in Minnesota schools, this is your chance to join us! Drop your email below for us to reach out with more information! ⬇️

Playworks Minnesota had the joy of leading a PlayShop for Avalara's national sales team visiting Minneapolis for their company retreat. After a full day of meetings, the room shifted into laughter, joy, and genuine connection the moment play entered the space. Play is not just for kids. It is a powerful employee engagement strategy that strengthens teams, builds trust, and reminds us how good it feels to connect as humans. If your company is planning a retreat or team gathering, we’d love to bring this kind of energy to your staff. Reach out to Chloe Czaplewski, Development Director, at chloe.czaplewski@playworks.org to learn more. #EmployeeEngagementStrategy #CultureBuilding #WorkHardPlayHard #CultureIsOurCompetitiveAdvantage

Last year, Thrivent joined Playworks Minnesota’s Corporate Kickball Tournament as a brand‑new team... and still walked away as runners up to the champions! Their energy, teamwork, and commitment to play made an immediate impact. We’re excited to them back on September 18, 2026. We have room for one final team to round out the bracket, and we’d love to bring another company into this incredible day of connection, competition, and community impact. If your organization is interested in joining us, comment with your email or send a message to get connected. Let’s play for a purpose!

Our Playworks Minnesota team gathered yesterday for a retreat that gave us space to reflect on a year that was challenging, uniquely difficult, and at the same time extraordinary. Despite everything our community faced, this has been our most impactful year to date. We celebrated the partnerships that helped us reach more Minnesota students with safe and inclusive play. We talked about how we are growing as a systems provider and how innovation shows up in our work every day. Most importantly, we recognized the resilience and care that our team brings to this mission. And because we are Playworks, we ended the day with PLAY. Huge thanks to our friends at Can Can Wonderland for hosting us before they opened and giving us a joyful space to wrap up the day! #CommunityImpact #CommunityPartnerships #TeamRetreat

What happens when schools, community organizations, and partners all invest in the same kids, at the same time, with the same goal? This spring at Mississippi Creative Arts School in St. Paul, we got to see the answer firsthand. The playground came alive with kite flying, student‑led games, and a community showing up together for its kids. As the article shares, “The result was more than a special event. It was a reflection of what can happen when schools, community organizations, and local partners work together in support of students.” Playworks Minnesota is proud to be part of a partnership that includes Saint Paul Public Schools, the Ecolab Foundation, the Minnesota Twins, and support from several local funders — all aligned around belonging, leadership, and joyful learning. From Junior Coaches leading recess with confidence to volunteers connecting directly with students, this day was a blueprint for what meaningful community partnership can look like. It proves that when we invest in kids through play, leadership, and connection, we are investing in the future of our communities. Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/gnTXKg37 Ramsey County Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) Ramsey County Children’s Mental Health Collaborative Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation SAUER FAMILY FOUNDATION Lillian Wright & C. Emil Berglund Foundation

The St. Paul Saints + Playworks Minnesota = a masterclass in what corporate culture can look like when teams step out of the boardroom and into something real. Our Corporate PlayShop with the Saints wasn't just a fun afternoon. It was a high‑ROI culture intervention. When adults experience the same play‑based leadership strategies we use with 25,000+ Minnesota students each year, something shifts. Communication gets clearer. Collaboration gets faster. People remember what it feels like to trust each other. This video captures that energy. It’s competitive. It’s joyful. It’s team‑building that actually works. If your company is investing in employee engagement, leadership development, or belonging, this is the kind of partnership that moves the needle. Let’s build something meaningful together! #EmployeeEngagement #WorkplaceCulture #BelongingStartsWithPlay #FunIsGood