Thérèse Hoyle

Founder of Positive Playtimes, UK

Workshop Information:

In today's pressured educational climate, play is not a luxury—it’s essential. This interactive and energising workshop introduces a practical framework for transforming your school’s playtimes into vibrant, inclusive, and enriching experiences.

Drawing on the best-selling resource 101 Playground Games, you’ll explore fun, easy-to-implement games that boost children’s social, emotional, mental, and physical wellbeing. You’ll also discover how to create engaging play zones, and promote a culture of purposeful play.

This hands-on session will leave you inspired and equipped with ready-to-use strategies to make your school’s playtimes more joyful, structured and meaningful.

Session Outcomes:

• Understand why creating positive playtimes is more critical now than ever in supporting children’s post-pandemic recovery, wellbeing, behaviour and engagement in learning.

• Gain practical ideas for inclusive, equipment-free playground games from my book 101 Playground Games that encourage cooperation, physical activity, and social connection.

• Gain a clear strategy for revitalising Zoned Activity Areas in the playground, ensuring playtimes are well-structured, safe and engaging for all pupils.

Biography:

Thérèse Hoyle Bestselling Author | Award-Winning Educator | Founder of the Positive Playtime Programme

Thérèse Hoyle is a bestselling author, award-winning educator, international speaker, and executive coach with a passion for creating positive, harmonious school cultures. With over 25 years of experience in education, she has supported more than 1,500 schools, organisations, and local authorities worldwide impacting the wellbeing, engagement, and behaviour of over 37,000 individuals. As the founder of the Positive Playtime Programme, Thérèse has pioneered a whole-school approach to play and lunchtime wellbeing, helping schools eliminate serious behaviour challenges and significantly improve pupil relationships, engagement, and emotional health. Her innovative work empowers schools to transform the quality of playtimes through inclusive games, staff training, leadership development, and practical wellbeing strategies.

Her books include 101 Playground Games,101 Wet Playtime Games and Activities and The Big Book of Whole School Wellbeing.