Who should be a part of your playground committee?

Having a diverse set of networks and skill sets on your committee will set up your playground for success. A few of the skills you may want to consider are fundraising, event planning, gardening and maintenance, and scheduling.

A Guide to Getting Your Playground Committee Started: 

1. Brainstorm partners! Using the resources below, make a list of your stakeholders such as your principal, community members, parents, elected officials, community organizations, local places of worship and hospitals. 
2. Outreach, Outreach, Outreach! Reach out to your stakeholders and ask them to assist in identifying the needs and interests of the community. Use this opportunity to build relationships while also collecting information. Use our Visioning Intake Sheet to get started in collecting information. 
3. Cultivate excitement and members! Collect your findings and present it to your stakeholders to begin planning. Tap enthusiastic participants to join your playground committee.

Once You Have A Committee: A Guide to Stewarding

1. Meet Regularly. Meeting regularly is a crucial part of keeping the momentum of your committee in motion. Depending on your agenda once every two months is usually a good place to start. It’s better to set a realistic goal than to have to cancel and reschedule meetings.
2. Set Goals. It’s important to connect your larger mission to clear and achievable tasks. Examples of Short range Goals : Removing trash, planting flowers, or starting a playground group email account fro coordination. Examples of Long-Range Goals: Attract regular programming by local organizations, plan weekend arts or environmental programs, training teachers to lead outdoor programs. 
3. Keep Growing. Having contact information and/or a sign-up sheet to join your group posted in the garden, at events, and/or on social media if a great way to cultivate new members of your group. It’s also a great idea to have rotating leadership roles so that sustaining your stewardship plan doesn’t fall on the shoulders on just one person, or disappear if your leader leaves the school community. 
4. Document and Celebrate. It’s good to record your planning process and to document your successes. This keeps the excitement up, helps you pass the torch to new members through the years, and can be useful in seeking funding for new projects.