Jumpstart your experience with Playground through our comprehensive onboarding guide. Designed to equip staff with a thorough understanding of the platform, this guide ensures a seamless transition and effective use of all its features. From account setup to mastering essential tools, you'll gain the skills and confidence needed to maximize Playground’s benefits for your center.
Sign up for Playground as a Teacher
Receive a link from your Center
When your center first joins Playground, an administrator will collaborate with our onboarding team to set up your center’s information. Once this is complete, the only step left for you is to activate your account!
You will receive an email from [email protected] with instructions on how to create your account. If you don’t see the email in your inbox, please check your spam or junk folder.
Creating an account
Prefer to watch a video? Click here.
💡 The email address used to create your account must match the one where you received the invitation.
Click the Create Account button.
You'll be brought to a webpage on your browser where you can set your account information. Fill in all the fields.
When you're ready, click Create Account.
You’ll receive a notification once your account is created, along with links to download the mobile app from the App Store or Google Play. After installing the app on your device, use your new account credentials to log in.
Congratulations! You are all set up. Playground will also send you an email that confirms your account has been created.
Start Your Training Journey
Welcome! This training is designed to guide you through the essential skills and knowledge you'll need. We’ll cover key features, best practices, and how to navigate the system effectively. Get ready to dive in and equip yourself with the tools to succeed!
💻 Teachers should primarily use the mobile app, as it is the best practice for most tasks. The web version is suited for paperwork and lesson planning. Although paperwork can be completed on mobile, some staff prefer a larger screen for this task. Lesson plans can only be created via the web while posting observations and assessments is done through the mobile app. Learn more about creating lesson plans here.
🚨Payroll sign-up must be completed on the web. If you're unsure whether you need to sign up for payroll, please contact your administrator.
On the mobile home screen, staff have access to:
Chat | Start conversations directly within Playground with guardians, teachers, and administrators. | |
Clock In/Out | Clock in and out, view your scheduled hours, and request time off. | |
Kiosk Mode | Check students in using your center's QR code or PIN. | |
Roster | View a list of students in your center and classroom. | |
Post and Feed | Engage with a social media-style forum to record and view updates for students in your class. |
Clicking on the three-bar icon, staff have access to:
My Profile | View and manage your profile information. | |
Programs | Explore current programs offered by your center and see which students are enrolled. | |
Lessons | Access lesson plans created for your classroom. | |
Calendar | View your center's calendar for upcoming events and schedules. | |
Carpools | Review carpools organized by guardians. | |
Settings | Adjust account settings, select languages, and access support. |
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Training Videos
Check students in and out
Easily track student attendance by managing their check-ins and check-outs. This feature allows you to monitor when students arrive at and leave your center, ensuring accurate records for both daily operations and reporting purposes. This video explores all the options for attendance tracking, whether logged by parents or managed by staff.
Clock in and out
As a staff member using Playground, you can efficiently manage your work hours by clocking in and out directly through the mobile app.
💡 The ability to clock in via your mobile app, without using the center’s kiosk, is enabled at the discretion of your administrator. If this option is not available, you will need to clock in and out by scanning the QR code or using the provided PIN.
Communicate with guardians
The Chat feature allows you to send and receive messages seamlessly. You can communicate with individuals or groups, and easily organize your conversations by naming groups for quick reference.
💡 Your center has control over whether teachers can initiate chat conversations with parents, which may restrict who you are able to start conversations with.
Finding Student Information Using the Roster
The Student Roster tile enables teachers to quickly find information about a student with filters for check-in/out status, classroom, wellness check status, and more. How to use the Student Roster tile to look for information about students including notes, activities, allergies, and medications.
Navigation panel
Explore the available options under the three-bar icon to discover the various features and tools at your disposal.