How Play-Based Training Improves Staff Performance

When you think about staff training, what comes to mind first? A PowerPoint presentation? A long policy manual? Maybe a staff meeting with a few icebreakers before diving into logistics? If you're leading in youth development, you've probably experienced all of these. But here’s the truth: those methods rarely stick. Not because the information isn’t important, but because it’s not delivered in a way that reflects how people—especially younger staff—learn best.

You work with children and teens every day. You understand that they grow through hands-on learning, movement, creativity, and laughter. So why wouldn’t the same apply to your staff?

The answer to stronger staff performance might be simpler than you think. It’s time to lean into play-based training—not just for the kids in your program, but for the people leading it with you.

You already know that play is critical to youth development. It encourages risk-taking, teamwork, communication, and emotional regulation. What you might not realize is that play offers those same benefits for your team.

When you incorporate play into staff training, you’re not just helping staff memorize policies—you’re helping them internalize values. You’re creating a space where they can build relationships, try things out, and understand the emotional needs of their peers and the youth they serve. You're showing them what it means to lead with empathy.

Play reduces barriers. It creates an equal playing field, whether your staff is 16 or 36. When people laugh together, move together, and create something together, trust builds naturally. And when trust is strong, performance follows.

Let’s be clear: play-based training doesn’t mean you ignore the serious parts of the job. It means you teach those things through experiences that mirror what your staff will actually encounter.

• Instead of just talking about conflict resolution, you can run a roleplay where staff work through a disagreement between co-counselors.

• When covering camper supervision, you might play a game where staff have to "spot the safety hazard" in a mock cabin setup.

• To teach empathy, let your team participate in a storytelling circle where they share a time they felt left out—and connect that to how a camper might feel.

When you build your training around play, you’re not just informing—you’re transforming.

Empathy starts when people feel seen, safe, and supported. Your staff need to know that training isn’t about testing them—it’s about setting them up to succeed. That mindset shift starts with you.

“I believe you’ll learn best when you’re engaged. I value your perspective. I want you to feel confident, not afraid to mess up.”

And let’s be honest—camp and afterschool jobs can be intense. Your staff might be dealing with personal struggles, managing school stress, or stepping into their very first job. Training them through empathy, and giving them permission to play, models the type of leadership you want them to offer to your youth.

You don’t have to sacrifice structure or expectations. You just have to remember that growth happens when people feel connected—not corrected.

Bringing Play Into Your Next Training: If you're ready to improve staff performance and morale while staying true to your mission, here are a few simple ways to start:

1. Start training with a movement-based game.
Choose something that encourages teamwork and gets people laughing. It sets the tone for open communication and builds instant connection.

2. Design one policy training as a hands-on challenge.
For example, instead of reading safety rules aloud, create a scavenger hunt around camp that reinforces key rules in context.

3. Add a daily debrief that includes “What did we learn through play today?”
Help your staff connect the dots between the activity and the job they're doing. This builds reflective habits and leadership skills.

4. Empower your staff to lead a playful session.
Ask them to teach an activity they loved as a child or one that works with campers. They’ll gain confidence, and you’ll see leadership emerging organically.

Here’s the thing—when you build a training grounded in empathy and powered by play, you don’t just create better staff. You create better humans.

And you model exactly what you want them to bring to your campers every single day:
Connection. Joy. Trust. Curiosity.

It’s not about being silly. It’s about being intentional.

So next time you're planning a staff training, ask yourself, “Where can I add play? How can I make this human?” Because when you do that, you're not just preparing your team for the job—you’re preparing them to lead with heart.

And that, more than any manual or slideshow, is what drives performance that lasts.

Want help designing your next play-based training? You don’t have to do it alone. Let’s build something meaningful together—reach out anytime.

Michael Garcia; Youth Development Pro, LLC

04.22.2025