School Shout Out: Recess Reimagined

How one Texas school district is inviting its entire community to come play

By Marie Kressin Last Updated: July 22, 2024

Take a moment to revisit your favorite childhood playground in your mind. What was it like? Was the ground covered in gravel, mulch or grass? Was the equipment made of metal or wood? Were the grounds cared for or in disrepair? Unfortunately, the quality of your playground likely depended on the neighborhood you grew up in and how affluent it was. Until recently, this was true in Texas’ Humble ISD as well. 

“When we started out, we had inequitable playgrounds,” says Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Fagen. “Typically, funds for playgrounds are raised by PTOs and PTAs. If an area is very wealthy, they have lots of money and lots of playgrounds.” Humble ISD knew they wanted to bring their playgrounds up to par across the district because, as Fagen says, “all kids deserve a great playground.”

But Humble ISD is doing even more than building new, high-quality playgrounds at each school site. They’re building themed playgrounds—inspired by everything from outer space to fairy tales—creating interactive spaces where families and students can enjoy making memories together. Plus, the playgrounds are free and open to the public outside of school hours. “We wanted to take it up a notch,” says Fagen, “so we pitched the idea of creating a communitywide asset.”

Now, children from all across the community—whether they’re enrolled in Humble ISD or not—can climb up the back of a dragon, slide out of a treehouse, zipline through a ski lodge and more. But it’s not just local families who are benefitting from what Humble ISD has created. Families from outside the community are driving in to enjoy some outdoor play, too.

And as great as these playgrounds are for the community, they’re equally good for the district. Every time a family visits one of Humble ISD’s playgrounds, it’s a positive touch point that builds the district’s reputation. By providing so many people with positive experiences, Humble ISD is sending a message: It’s a district that cares and can do great things.

Why build themed playgrounds?
You might imagine that convincing stakeholders to invest in a larger-than-life volcano jungle gym with a magma-colored base would be a difficult sell. Considering all the different ways schools can invest in students and communities, why playgrounds?

“For years I’ve believed in the power of play as an instructional strategy,” says Fagen. “Every child has a different set of skills for navigating relationships or challenges. When they’re playing, they don’t know it, but they’re working on those skills. Obviously we want our children to read, write and do math proficiently. But being a good person who can cope with challenges in life and have quality relationships—that’s equally important.”

And because playgrounds provide environments for students to learn how to interact with one another, it’s crucial that they are accessible to all students. That’s why Humble ISD planned each playground with inclusivity in mind, incorporating innovative equipment like rubber floor surfacing with fall protection, bucket swings and a wheelchair-accessible merry-go-round. The district also wanted to make play accessible to students of all ages, so they built outdoor fitness spaces reminiscent of “American Ninja Warrior” courses at their middle and high schools.

But Humble’s playgrounds aren’t just about student interaction. The district wanted to create opportunities for families to spend time together, too. It’s no secret that today’s kids (and adults, for that matter) spend a lot of time looking at screens—but most online activities aren’t meant to be done as a family. “I’m unlikely to play Minecraft,” Fagen tells us, “but I’ll go sit on the playground with a Starbucks and be around my children and my friends.”

So it’s clear: Playgrounds are worth the investment. But why playgrounds with such a wow factor? Well, you wouldn’t necessarily drive half an hour to try out a new slide. You might, however, make the trip if it meant climbing up a whale-shaped jungle gym or sliding out of a lighthouse. You might invite friends and family along. Maybe you’d even take pictures to share online. That’s because the more wondrous and unique the experience is, the more likely it is to be remembered and shared.

Child on a dino slide

More than just providing opportunities to play, Humble’s playgrounds are so special because they consistently go above and beyond. They’re more than swing sets and monkey bars; they’re treehouses and trains and spaceships. They’re a real-life rendering of what it means to go the extra mile. 

Positive experiences build buy-in.
Construction on Humble ISD’s playgrounds was funded primarily by a recently passed bond, so the way the district handled the project’s rollout was crucial. While the community had approved the playgrounds with their votes, they were now looking to Humble to follow through. Every step of the way, the district had to reassure constituents that they were good stewards of taxpayer money.  

So the district based their launch plan on what they already knew themselves to be experts in: positive experiences. The district’s communications team worked with each building’s principal to host a dedication ceremony at every new playground, and at each one, students were front and center. Some gave speeches, others sang songs, but the overall message was clear: These playgrounds are another way the district is taking care of kids, and the community is invited to be a part of it. 

“Every single time I talk about the playgrounds, I’ll repeat that these are community assets,”  Fagen tells us. “Everybody who is a property owner pays property taxes. So we wanted to communicate that our playgrounds are shareable assets that provide our community with opportunities that aren’t available in other places.”

Positive experiences get people talking.
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: Your district’s brand is the way that people think and feel about your schools. Your brand is your reputation. And the more a district does to create positive sentiment throughout their community, the more likely they are to have a good reputation. 

But how does Humble ISD know their playgrounds are truly improving the district’s reputation and strengthening their brand? “We have a lot of anecdotal evidence from employees and community members that our playgrounds are a really positive thing for the district,” Fagen says. “People will just walk up and say, ‘I love the playgrounds! The space one’s my favorite!’” 

But even more impressive are the overwhelmingly positive reviews of the playgrounds on social media. Influencers from nearby Houston have even driven over to play with their kids and post about their experiences. “Typically, I don’t read social media comments,” says Fagen. “But when it comes to our playgrounds, I love reading the comments because they say things like, ‘Why are all the nice places in Humble?’” 

A number of the comments on these posts are simply tags—folks sharing the photos or reels with others they think ought to see it, some even saying things like, “Let’s go next week!” That’s the thing about creating really awesome experiences: They’re not only great to share with family and friends. They’re also great to share online.

Whether commenting on how incredible it is that Humble ISD has opened their playgrounds up to the public or proudly claiming their status as a member of the district, just about everyone in the comments section agrees on one thing: Humble ISD has done something awesome.

Positive experiences build strong communities.
To have a community of people looking out for the district is any school leader’s dream scenario. After all, you and your staff cannot be everywhere and in every conversation at once. It’s important to have people throughout the community who believe in the work you’re doing and who want the best for your schools. How better to build a community than to invest in the one you already have?

Because Humble ISD has invested in their neighborhoods, those neighborhoods are invested in Humble ISD, too. “The people who live around these playgrounds really love them,” Fagen says. “People want these playgrounds to be taken care of. And they’ve also helped create care within our community. You just don’t normally see that anymore, but these playgrounds are creating that sense of community again—people coming out of their homes and talking in the streets.” Their playgrounds have also positioned the district as a pillar within the community. “There’s a sense of pride here,” Fagen says. “People will say, ‘That’s my school! That’s where my child goes!’ And I love that.” 

No matter which Humble ISD playground is your favorite, one thing is true: Each and every one has a wow factor that makes you wish you were within driving distance of the district. By inviting everyone to come enjoy the district’s playgrounds, Humble ISD is encouraging the community to take part and take pride in the district’s work. They’re building a whole community of people invested in the district’s success, and they’re constructing a network of goodwill—one positive experience at a time.

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