TimeWise2 Integration:

Recess, Explore/Club Time, and Out of School Time (OST)

Before you begin, read how you might use TW2:

Recess, Explore/Club Time, and Out of School Time (OST) programs offer ideal opportunities to bring TimeWise2 (TW2) to life by integrating the curriculum's themes during structured and unstructured time.


These opportunities allow students to


  • Practice making choices
  • Experience new activities
  • Learn from reflection and peer interaction
  • Engage in positive risk-taking


Whether your school already offers these experiences or is looking to create them, these time blocks can support students in developing life skills, interests, and a greater sense of well-being.


  • How To Use This Resource

    Use this as a toolkit to:

    • Spark conversations with students
    • Engage in a planning and reflection process
    • Guide program design
    • Integrate TW2 themes like exploration, motivation, balance, and leadership

  • Goals For Students

    • Recognize that leisure time is valuable
    • Learn how to plan and reflect on time use
    • Feel empowered to make or request changes in how they spend their time
    • Understand how balance and variety support well-being
    • Explore interests that bring joy and purpose

  • Educator/Program Director Reflection Questions

    • What free time (structured/unstructured) is available during the class, program, day (including before, or after the official time)?
    • Who makes decisions about how that time is used?
    • How involved are students in shaping or choosing these experiences?
    • How can you help students develop a greater sense of ownership, choice, and value in these times?
    • How do students currently feel about recess, explore, or OST time?

  • Key TW2 Themes to Integrate

    • Exploration
    • Motivation
    • Choice
    • Responsibility & Ownership
    • Leadership Development
    • Awareness & Reflection
    • Leisure Benefits
    • Decision-Making
    • Planning
    • Variety & Balance
    • Risk-Taking

  • Conversation Starters & Prompts by Some Topics

    See the TW2 full program for your age group for more ideas! 


    Choice

    • What choices do you have during the program/school day?
    • Why is it important to have choices?
    • When do you feel most in control of your decisions?
    • Who or what is in control of your time? 

    Should We Have Free/Choice/Explore/Club Time and Recess During the Day?

    • Why do we have time that is not structured (free time) during the day?
    • If you don’t have free time during the day, what do you think the benefits would be?  
    • What are the benefits of having time to freely choose your activity?
    • Do you feel like you have a choice during this time?
    • How is this time helping you grow or feel better?

    Recess (Elementary Version)

    • Adapt with Zones of Regulation for feelings and self-awareness. 
    • Integrate with Live Your Why (and wellness/leisure benefits and themes)
    • What was your favorite part of recess today? Why?
    • Did you want to do something but didn’t?
    • How did you feel—relaxed, excited, connected, creative?
    • If you had three choices for next recess, what would they be?

    Add-on Idea:

    Create a reflection station where students place a rock/item in a labeled bucket to show how satisfied they were or what benefit they received (e.g., social, physical, creative). You also might consider using Zones of Regulation for this reflection with buckets labeled with each color/zone. 



    Your Lifestyle

    • What does “lifestyle” mean?
    • What kind of lifestyle do you want to have in and out of school/the programs you are in?
    • What are your interests, values, and habits?
    • What do you want to be able to do or learn?
    • What can you teach or share with others?



  • Student Planning & Feedback for Explore/Club or Recess

    Encourage students to help plan their recess or explore time. Use surveys or conversations to understand:

    • What are their current choices?
    • What’s missing?
    • What do they want to learn or try?
    • How can these activities reflect both avocational (leisure) and vocational (career) interests?

    Ideas to support this:

    Try a short survey or planning form

    Facilitate group proposals for new activities

    Let students co-lead or rotate leadership of groups

    Reflect together on what’s working

    Here’s an example student survey you can adapt.


  • Discussion Prompts for Student Reflection

    • What do you wish you had more time to do?
    • What are you usually doing for Recess/Choice/Explore/Club time)?
    • What drives your choice? (Fun, friends, new skills, etc.)
    • Have you ever suggested an idea? Would you want to?
    • What are you doing in your free time outside of school?
    • What would help you continue those interests during OST?

  • Next Steps & Notes

    This resource is a work-in-progress and will continue to be updated. Please share how you’re using it so we can gather more ideas, refine the materials, and offer support to your school or program.


    Also refer to additional TW2 program topics that support this integration:

    • Motivation
    • Roadblocks & Stereotypes
    • Turning Boring into Interesting
    • Planning & Decision Making
    • Identity & Belonging
    • Risk-Taking
    • Future Planning