On February 4, 2026, Rochester City School District students took part in the first ever Level Up! Read & Play Day. The district and Healthi Kids teamed up to join two global movements: Global School Play Day and World Read Aloud Day. The goal was simple and powerful—give kids time in the school day for unstructured play and read‑alouds that make learning joyful.
Healthi Kids and RCSD provided schools with ideas, tools, and support. Many schools built book themed play zones, invited community readers, and extended recess so students could move, create, and explore.
“Play is how children learn best—it’s their natural way of making sense of the world,” said Mike Bulger, director of whole child health advocacy at Healthi Kids. “When we combine play with reading aloud, we’re raising a new generation of readers who see books as joyful, life‑changing experiences.”
At Dr. Iris J. Banister School No. 33, students rotated through gym stations and enjoyed a technology free day focused on stories and play. Classrooms hosted read‑alouds, while the gym became a hub for movement and teamwork.
At Flower City School No. 54, the team lined up community readers all day long—25‑minute sessions running from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.—and set up play stations in the gym during specials. Students heard stories from neighbors and partners, then brought those stories to life through movement and games.
At Anna Murray Douglass Academy School No. 12, kids took learning and play outdoors. With help from volunteers, classes spent the day mixing read‑alouds with snow play—including snow painting, hula‑hoop hopscotch, and other active stations that kept everyone moving and smiling.
Schools across RCSD put their own spin on the day. Here are a few we loved:
- The Starbooks Café at John Williams School No. 5 created a cozy café setting for reading, active play, and healthy snacks.
- A PowerUp Reading Zone at Virgil I. Grissom School No. 7 offered comfy reading nooks, a “Story Quest” board game, and a build a story station for small groups.
- Active play station rotations at Dr. Charles T. Lunsford School No. 19 gave kids the chance for gym play, outdoor activities, a dance challenge, a class‑vs‑class game, and a healthy snack stop.
- Readers went to every elementary classroom at World of Inquiry School No. 58, with teachers weaving play‑based activities throughout the day.
- Pre‑K letter play at the Rochester Early Childhood Education Center had alphabet yoga, obstacle courses, “bowling for letters,” and a read‑aloud from community guests.
Reading aloud and unstructured play help children grow strong minds and bodies. They support language, focus, problem-solving, and social skills. They also help kids build positive relationships with adults and with one another. When we put reading and play together in school, students see learning as something they can lead and enjoy.
While we could only plan for one day to both celebrate and raise awareness of the benefits of unstructured play and reading aloud, here are some fun ways to keep the momentum going:
- Families and caregivers: Ask your child about their favorite story or game from the day. Take turns reading aloud to each other and choosing a new game to play.
- Educators and school teams: Keep a simple play and read‑aloud block on your weekly schedule.
- Schools, community partners, businesses, and local leaders: Host a PlayROCs Play Day for the kids (and adults!) in your community.
Our PlayROCs Anytime, Anywhere Play Kit is now available for checkout at Phillis Wheatley and Lincoln Branch Libraries, with interlibrary loan available across participating branches. In this short video, PlayROCs Project Coordinator Jesse Noth demonstrates the kit’s components and how families, educators, and community groups can use them to host play days or enrich classroom activities. Think family and neighborhood play days, classroom movement and playful learning, youth and resident‑led play streets or community events. To reserve a kit, visit Phillis Wheatley or Lincoln Branch, or request via interlibrary loan at your local library.