What Peaceful Playgrounds, Inc. does

Peaceful Playgrounds, Inc. is a privately held, founder-owned education company that develops and sells structured physical activity and recess programs to U.S. elementary schools, before/after-school programs, and early childhood centers. Founded in 1998 by former California principal Dr. Melinda Bossenmeyer, the company commercializes a recess program originally piloted at E. Hale Curran Elementary School in 1996, designed to reduce playground conflicts and increase student physical activity through painted game markings, structured conflict-resolution protocols, and accompanying curriculum. The company operates a parallel 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the Peaceful Playgrounds Foundation Inc., which pursues grants and donations to subsidize program access.

The core technology and product stack is physical-product based: painted playground stencils (hopscotch, four square, USA/World maps, 100-game recess pack), specialized equipment (paint striping machines, ball carts, pedometers), and modular program kits (Fitness Fun Zone, Fundamental Movement, Sensory Pathways, Walking/Jogging Track, We Count pedometer program, 2-Go Games indoor rugs, Physical Activity Court). Each kit is accompanied by blueprints, activity guides, instructional DVDs, task/assessment cards, and site licenses. A growing digital layer includes an online training portal offering certifications in playground supervision, bullying prevention, grant writing, and recess implementation, priced from $100 to $2,249. Products are made in the USA and shipped weekly via UPS Ground.

The business model is predominantly transactional and direct-to-institution: e-commerce storefront, phone sales, mail-in orders, and purchase order processing from school districts, with quotes honored for 60 days. Pricing spans one-time license fees for full program kits ($5,499 Recess Kit; $2,750 Fitness Fun Zone; $2,999 Fundamental Movement full kit) down to $64-$249 for individual stencils, plus $2,000 onsite professional services. The company is operated by a very lean team of approximately 5 employees and is currently led by Zia Bossenmeyer following the founder's transition to Executive Director of the affiliated foundation. No external institutional capital has been raised; marketing is conducted via content marketing, social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube 'Recess Doctor,' X, Pinterest), email newsletters, webinars, and industry conferences (SHAPE America, NAESP, AAPAR).

Name

Peaceful Playgrounds, Inc.

Legal name

Peaceful Playgrounds, Inc.

Website

https://peacefulplaygrounds.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Peaceful Playgrounds, Inc. is a privately held, founder-owned education company that sells structured recess and physical activity programs — including painted playground stencils, curriculum kits, equipment, and online training courses — to U.S. elementary schools, before/after-school programs, and early childhood centers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Physical Activity Programs

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), All Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (71399)

SIC

Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Early Childhood & Playground Equipment (Play Structures, Soft Play, Safety Surfacing) (EDAEAIAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Physical Activity & Motor Development Programs (Health-Focused) (EDACAMAI), Playground, Athletics & Recreational Facility Safety Inspections (EDAEAKAL)

Keywords

• School playground programs
• Physical activity curriculum
• Recess supervision training
• Playground stencil markings
• Elementary PE equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Duenweg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Sale of physical products including playground stencils, equipment packages, paint machines, playground markings, and educational materials. One-time purchase model with various product tiers.
2. Online Training Courses: Online courses and certifications for playground supervision, bullying prevention, recess improvement, and grant writing training. Ranges from $50-$2,249.
3. Digital Downloads: Digital products including instructional materials, PDFs, activity cards, and curriculum downloads available for purchase on the website.
4. Foundation Donations & Grants: Peaceful Playgrounds Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that accepts donations and partnerships to support healthy active youth programs.
5. Onsite Training: Onsite training services for schools implementing Peaceful Playgrounds programs, priced at $2,000.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Peaceful Playgrounds, Inc. sells physical activity and recess programs for K-6 schools, including the flagship Peaceful Playgrounds Recess Kit (painted games, stencils, paint machine, activity guides, site license), complementary program kits (Fitness Fun Zone, Fundamental Movement, Walking/Jogging Track, Sensory Pathways, 2-Go Games, We Count Walking Program), individual stencils and equipment, online supervisor/bullying/grant-writing training courses, and digital downloads.

Product overview

Peaceful Playgrounds, Inc. is a physical activity and recess program provider offering a portfolio of programs, equipment, training, and digital products for elementary schools, before/after school programs, and early childhood facilities. The core offerings include the Peaceful Playgrounds Recess Kit (the flagship program with equipment, paint machine, stencils, and training) and the Fitness Fun Zone Program Kit, supported by specialized programs like the Fundamental Movement Program, Walking/Jogging Track, Sensory Pathways, 2-Go Games Rugs, Physical Activity Court, and We Count Walking Program. The company also sells individual stencils (Hopscotch, Four Square, Basketball Court, USA/World Maps), equipment (paint machines, ball carts, pedometers), digital downloads (brain breaks, station cards, posters, articles), and professional development courses (playground supervision, bullying prevention, grant writing, recess training). All products are designed to promote physical activity, reduce conflicts and injuries, and prevent bullying on school playgrounds.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Peaceful Playgrounds Recess Kit Comprehensive recess program kit providing equipment, paint machine, training, stencils, activity guides, and site license to implement 100 permanent games and activities on school playgrounds for Pre-K through Grade 6.
• Peaceful Playgrounds Recess Program - Digital Access Digital version of the comprehensive recess program offering online access to all program materials, blueprints, and training resources without physical equipment shipment.
• Fitness Fun Zone Program Kit Fitness program including jump rope and Fun Zone stencils, jump ropes, beanbags, dice, nutritional cards, activity manual, music CD, instructional DVD, storage backpack, paint machine and site license.
• Fitness Fun Zone Trail 24-station fitness trail configurable into two 12-station trails with exercise stations and jump rope stations, including QR codes for activity demonstrations.
• Fundamental Movement Program Physical education curriculum program with PE stencils, equipment, task cards, assessment materials, parent letters, instructional DVD, and site license for fundamental movement skill development.
• Walking and Jogging Track Walking and jogging track kit with 40 plastic reusable stencils (letters a-z, numbers 0-9, shapes), paint machine, walking program curriculum, parent newsletters, step tracking cards, and site license.
• Sensory Pathways Stencil Set Sensory motor pathways program with 5 stencils, instructional task cards, vocabulary cards, assessment cards, extension activities, and at-home parent cards designed for children ages 4-9.
• 2-Go Games Rugs - Brain Breaks Indoor activity program with 6 large game mats and 180 matching student table cards featuring 42 integrated movement and learning activities for brain breaks.
• Physical Activity Court: Dots-Lines-Ladders Permanent physical activity challenge court with dots, lines, and ladders painted on the playground, including line drills, ladder drills, and dot drill card sets.
• We Count! Student Walking Program Walking program using pedometers with progress charts, parent letters, step logs, certificates, motivational stickers, teacher materials, and Songs in Motion CD.
• Playground Supervisor Course Online training course for playground supervisors providing instructions, quizzes, and certification.
• Bullying Compliance and Prevention Course Online training course covering bullying compliance and prevention, helping schools understand their legal obligations.
• Recess Before Lunch Training Online training on implementing recess before lunch programs for improved student outcomes.
• Grant Writing For the Beginner Online training course teaching grant writing skills for school playground and physical activity funding.
• Make Those Steps Count: Pedometer Walking Program Training Online training for implementing pedometer-based walking programs in schools.
• Playground Games and Strategies for Improving Recess Course Online course on playground games and strategies for improving recess quality and student engagement.
• Low Cost, High Activity Playground Training Online training on maximizing physical activity with limited budget resources.
• Onsite Peaceful Playgrounds Training In-person training service delivered at school sites for comprehensive program implementation, priced at $2,000.
• How to Have a Peaceful Playground Training Comprehensive online training on creating peaceful playground environments. Available from $100 to $2,249.

Quantifiable outcome

• 66% decrease in playground confrontations; 83% reported more children participating in games; 56% reported students getting along better; 67% decrease in playground injuries; 64% decrease in bullying

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Head Start Body Start National Head Start Program BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Dr. Bossenmeyer served on the Head Start Body Start: The National Center for Physical Development and Outdoor Play board. The National Center is a key component of the Surgeon General's Childhood Overweight and Obesity Prevention Initiative, organized and managed by AAPAR and NASPE.
• National Program for Playground SafetyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Bossenmeyer served as a Board Member for the National Program for Playground Safety
• SHAPE AMERICAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Bossenmeyer served on the writing team for 'Strategies for Recess in Schools' guidance document put out by SHAPE AMERICA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinated with CDC in conjunction with SHAPE AMERICA on 'Recess Planning in Schools' national guiding document for organizing and implementing recess at school sites.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Playworks: Playworks is a nonprofit that provides recess programming, coaching, and professional development to US elementary schools to create safe, inclusive play. It directly competes with Peaceful Playgrounds on the school recess mission and grant-funded distribution model.
• GoNoodle: GoNoodle provides free movement and mindfulness video content used in elementary classrooms and at home. It is the most direct functional substitute for Peaceful Playgrounds' recess and indoor activity programs, though delivered digitally rather than via physical stencils.
• BOKS (Build Our Kids' Success): BOKS provides before-school physical activity programs and curriculum for elementary students, supported by the Reebok Foundation. It is a direct peer in school-based physical activity programming targeting the same K-6 segment.
• SPARK Programs (Gopher Sport): SPARK is a research-based PE curriculum and equipment program sold to K-12 schools through Gopher Sport. It competes directly with Peaceful Playgrounds' Fundamental Movement Program and PE curriculum offerings.

Emerging players

• PLT4M: PLT4M is a digital PE curriculum platform for middle and high schools with lesson plans, videos, and assessments. It represents an emerging, software-first alternative to Peaceful Playgrounds' Physical Education curriculum and stencils.

Broad incumbents

• Playworld Systems: Playworld is a major commercial playground equipment manufacturer and installer. While Peaceful Playgrounds focuses on stencils and curriculum rather than large play structures, both serve the same K-6 playground improvement budget within school districts.
• Action for Healthy Kids: Action for Healthy Kids is a national nonprofit that partners with schools to improve nutrition and physical activity; it runs grant programs and school recognitions. Peaceful Playgrounds has received its 'Best in Class' award, but AFHK is a broader incumbent in the same grant-funded school wellness space.
• CATCH (Coordinated Approach to Child Health): CATCH is a school health program with PE, nutrition, and classroom curricula distributed via grants and school district partnerships. It competes with Peaceful Playgrounds' Physical Activity + Nutrition approach at a broader scale.
• GameTime: GameTime is a leading US playground equipment manufacturer offering turnkey playground design and installation for schools and parks. It is a broad incumbent in the elementary school playground space, overlapping with Peaceful Playgrounds on the playground improvement budget.

Others

• National Program for Playground Safety (NPPS): NPPS is a national nonprofit that provides playground safety training, inspections, and certifications (CPSI). Peaceful Playgrounds' founder sat on its board, and both organizations operate in the school playground safety and training category, though NPPS is non-commercial.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/recessdoctor
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/recessdoctor
• Facebookfacebook.com/peacefulplaygrounds
• Instagraminstagram.com/peacefulplaygrounds
• Pinterestpinterest.com/recessdoctor
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/peaceful-playgrounds

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Peaceful Playgrounds, Inc.