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Recess Squads: Minigames

Your go-to crew for games, laughs, and weekly adventures.

Squads
Make new friends as you play games like Jackbox, Garticphone, hexanaut, board games and more!
Gain confidence through positive interactions and shared experiences with a community of like-minded peers
Discover new passions through our diverse community and class offerings!
Organized by Recess

Hosted by 2 expert guides

Pick a time

Age ranges are just suggestions! You can register for any cohort.

Recess Squads: Minigames

Recess Minigames Squad is all about variety, creativity, and group decision-making. Whether it's a fast-paced Jackbox round, a tactical Steam game, a browser-based co-op, a word game from your imagination, or a classic board game on Board Game Arena — your squad chooses what to play and how to play it.

Note: This squad might require some help from a parent to set up your account on a few different platforms.

Check the cohort before you join to make sure you have the appropriate tech set up. Squads that are playing games through Steam will require a free steam account before joining

What You'll Do:

  • Choose and play new minigame(s) each week as a group
  • Rotate through a mix of game styles — digital, browser-based, tabletop, and verbal
  • Practice group leadership by helping decide what the squad plays and how it's run
  • Try games you've never played before in a fun and friendly space
  • Reflect on each game experience to shape future sessions
  • Laugh a lot, explore together, and build friendships
  • Receive personalized guidance to enhance communication and emotional regulation skills

What you'll learn:

  • Adaptability: Quickly learn and engage with different types of games
  • Creative Problem-Solving: Navigate rules, strategies, and twists across formats
  • Collaboration: Support teammates and take turns leading
  • Communication Skills: Practice speaking clearly, listening actively, and managing group decisions
  • Self-Reflection: Consider how each game went and how to improve teamwork in the next
  • Social Confidence: Built through positive interactions and shared experiences.
  • Emotional Intelligence: Learn to navigate feelings and responses in a supportive, accepting setting.
  • Community Connection: Form meaningful relationships with peers from different backgrounds. Attend the Recess Community hour with a group of friends!

What you'll need:

  • Ability to join sessions on gather.town (The Recess Virtual Universe)
  • A working camera and microphone
  • A free Steam account (for select games)
  • A Board Game Arena account (free, recommended)

Specific Squad Selection

All squads are different and change constantly. If you need help selecting a squad for your kid please reach out to Christopher! You can also just register for a squad that fits and Christopher will reach out to confirm the details

Meet the guides

Expert guides leading this course

You probably met me in Orientation ;) (profile art by Tegan!)
Recess Community Director, Mindustry Enthusiast, Former Soccer Coach. Living in a Van with my Wife, Jess & dog, Akio - PfP credit: Olileanya

Course updates

Updates from guides of this course

Oct 23 @ 12:00 AM

A Selfless Team and a New Adventure!

This cohort absolutely made my day yesterday. We’ve been playing Void Crew (and getting pretty good at it), but it’s a tough game to run unless you have a gaming computer. ***** has been an incredible sport for weeks, patiently working through long loading times and tech issues s...

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Oct 30 @ 10:11 PM

The Frogs do Halloween! 🎃👻

Today, The Frogs got into the Halloween spirit with a makeup session! 💄 We all brought our supplies and had a blast creating looks together. Between showing off our makeup skills, sharing Halloween plans, and chatting about costumes for tomorrow, it was a fun, festive time from ...

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Oct 1 @ 11:49 PM

Back to Our Roots and Conquering Sectors!

We kicked off today’s session with a game of Random Objects, a fun callback to our early days as a group. Then, we reopened the discussion of “what should we play today?” After careful deliberation, we decided to stick with our originally agreed game—Mindustry.

As a group, we ju...

Apr 10 @ 10:11 PM

🐻 ***** ***** - Feedback Session Recap! 🐝

This session was different than any we’ve had before—and honestly, it was incredible! Instead of diving straight into our ***** ***** campaign, we paused to run a feedback session—and wow, you all handled it like total pros.

🎤 Giving...

Today was SUCH a fun session! We had a smaller group, but we completely changed up the format—and it worked SO well!

Instead of asking what you all wanted to play, I gave you three options, and you all chose House Hunt. Let me just say... it was a BLAST! Not only did we run all ...

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Oct 3 @ 11:38 PM

The Mystery Deepens in Honey Heist!

In our last session, the bears ventured deeper into a cave, only to find themselves surrounded by giant, territorial crabs! After an epic battle, thanks to *****’s quick thinking, *****’s brute strength, and *****’s cleverness, they managed to defeat the crabs. With the path clea...

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Oct 17 @ 10:11 PM

Honey Heist Action & Name Change Proposal!

We kicked off today’s session with ***** proposing a squad name change! The team decided to hold a vote next week to give everyone time to think about new name ideas. Exciting times ahead!

After that, we jumped right back into our Honey Heist action! We officially welcomed *****...

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Dec 30 @ 11:05 PM

Back in Action! 🛠️👁️

And we’re back! After a week off, we jumped right back into our ******** world and made some exciting progress.

Here’s what we accomplished today:

Found the ******** ***** (check that off the list! ✅).
Reacquainted ourselves with the game mechanics.
Established a base in the ne...

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Apr 16 @ 11:40 PM

************, ***** ***** 🐸💚

*****! **** I ***** ******. ** *** ** *** ** *** **** **** ** *** **** ***, *** *** ***** *** ** ******** ** ** ******* 3D?! *** *** **** **, ***** ** *** ********* ******** ** **** ** *** ***** ****** ** *** ****, *** (** ******) ***** ****** *** ...

Dec 17 @ 4:00 PM

New Faces and Laser Chaos! 🎮

We welcomed a new member to the squad—******, it was so much fun having you join the group! 🎉

We started the session chatting about our experiences with snow sports, and then we jumped back into the world of Pico Park 2. This game… well, it’s quite a bit tougher than its predec...

Oct 17 @ 4:15 PM

🥊Showdown in the Shadows: 🐻 The Bears vs. The Pack! 🐺🦝

Today the gang faced their toughest fight yet—six enemies standing between them and the ancient door. The bears had a lot to handle!

**** ***** was the first to act, but panic got the best of him. He darted behind the massive ********** for cover, trying to launch an arrow at th...

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Jun 19 @ 9:47 PM

Today we found out ************ was on sale—so we grabbed it, downloaded it, and dove right in! A few of us hit some tech snags (those are always a bummer), but the support and patience from everyone was incredible. 💛

We split into two groups: one jumped into the ice puzzle lev...

Aug 19 @ 8:45 PM

🚀 G.U.R.Ns Squad Update 🚀

Today we started with the big question: what should we play?

Three of us are still fully locked in on PEAK and jumped straight back into climbing. Meanwhile, ***** and I started talking about games that can work across Apple devices AND Windows, whic...

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🐾 Back with the Puppies! 🐾

I’m so happy to be back with The Cute Little Puppies after being away for a few weeks! 💕 Today was extra special because we got to welcome a brand-new member to our Squad: *****! 🎉🐶

To kick things off, we dove back into Pico Park 2, and wow—these kids are pros! 🚀 They blaste...

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May 5 @ 11:16 PM

********* ******: ******** **** and ***** *****!

******* ***** session *****! ****** diving into *** ********* ******** world, ** *** some clear goals:

🎯 ******'s ***** *****:

[✅] ***** ****** has **** **** ***** (or ******)
[❌] ***** ****** has ** **** ***** (or ******)
[❌] ...

Jan 17 @ 12:57 AM

Perseverance Pays Off! 🍯✨

Today was tough—but so rewarding.

We disagreed, we talked over each other, and yes, we died (quite a few times). But then we persevered, we discussed, and eventually, we succeeded!

Getting 8 people to move in sync, hear each other, and agree on the next step is sooo difficult—n...

Jul 23 @ 10:41 PM

🕯️ Welcome to ********* ********* for Magically-Inclined Youth 🐸

The Frogs kicked off our new RPG campaign today: The Hollowing of ********* *********. The students arrived by creaking carriage, fog curling at the wheels, familiars uneasy. The school emerged slowly through the...

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Mar 27 @ 10:03 PM

What a session! Chaos, courage, and a surprising amount of potato-based weaponry. Let’s break it down:

🥔 ***** ***** opened with a final glorious blast from her trusty potato gun, splattering the last standing guard, who was visibly appalled.
🌀 ********** awoke (again) mid-dra...

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Jul 15 @ 6:32 PM

Today we officially welcomed ***** to the squad! It turns out this group shares a lot in common—especially around game interests and art styles. Even though it took us ** minutes to pick a game (classic G.U.R.Ns energy), I genuinely enjoyed catching up and hearing everyone’s thou...

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Oct 2 @ 10:01 PM

Today was wonderful! We welcomed a new member to the squad (Hi ****) and found a repeatable process for choosing our minigames. Since last week it took us a while to decide, this time I made a poll with your suggestions. It worked like a charm. we quickly picked Goose, Goose, Duc...

Apr 17 @ 9:42 PM

***** ***, *** ***** and ********** ***** 🍦🐻

***** *****, **** just ********!? This ****** was ****** ******** in the **** ******** way. From ********** ****** to ********* ******, this might have been **** most ************ (and **********) ****** yet. Here’s a ***** of **** ...

Sep 17 @ 2:13 AM

Teen Squad Update - Welcome Jad!🎉

Today, we welcomed our newest member to the squad. We explored a new virtual office space that Recess is considering and let the Teen Squad test it out and give feedback. After playing a few minigames, we decided to change our course of action for the next few weeks.

One of our ...

Aug 14 @ 10:01 PM

🍯 Honey Squad Update

We missed a few familiar faces today, but we also got to welcome a brand new friend to the squad — Welcome, ******! 🎉

We kicked things off with a round of 2 Truths and 1 Lie, and it was such a blast learning quirky and surprising facts about each other. I...

Jun 12 @ 9:52 PM

We welcomed two new members to the squad!! ******** and *******, it was awesome to have you both join!
Today we started with a game called “Same and Different.” We split into two groups and had to figure out one unique difference between us all—and as many similarities as we coul...

Dec 19 @ 11:10 PM

🐻 The Final Chapter of Our Honey Heist Adventure! 🍯

The bear crew pulled off the heist of a lifetime, packed with chaos, a surprising ally, and one magical twist. It all began when the guards launched grappling hooks to free their comrade from the bears’ grasp. A tug of war ensued, but ********’s quick thinking turned the tide. As...

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Aug 20 @ 8:18 PM

We're headed back to ******** today! Here's what we got up to last time...

We opened right where we left off: inside ******’s office, footsteps closing in, the doorknob beginning to turn. In a panic, the students tried to cast a group invisibility spell. Sparks fizzled, magic fa...

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Mar 26 @ 1:24 PM

A G.U.R.N.S. Send-Off for **** 🎉🎨

Today was ****’s last session with the GURNS for a little while and the GURNS gave him a great Farewell!

🎮 At ****’s request, we dove headfirst into "Garlic Bone" (Gartic Phone, for the uninitiated), playing a few hilarious and chaotic round...

Apr 28 @ 10:15 PM

****! I’ll admit — I was skeptical... but you proved me wrong in the best way.
I have not seen many groups in Minecraft run a truly collaborative experience like you all did today. You organized, created a plan, and executed it beautifully!

So far:
- Our Mining Team brought back...

Oct 23 @ 9:48 PM

Today’s Honey Squad session was awesome from start to finish! We kicked things off by sharing our Halloween costumes, here’s the lineup:

🦖 ***** — Dinosaur

💀 ***** — Skeleton

🟥 ***** — Squid Game Guard
🪆 ***** — Scary Doll

🪄 ***** — Harry Potter

👻 ***** — TBD (but back...

Roaring Lions: Gearing Up for Battle! 🦁⚔️

This week, we set our sights on our first big Terraria milestone—defeating King Slime! 👑🪓

Before we take him on, we realized we all need a full suit of armor. That means:
- 60 bars of iron or copper per person
- Which equals 120 ore ...

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Nov 21 @ 10:45 PM

Today was ********’s first day, and ********, you jumped right into the group! It was awesome getting to hang out and learn a bit about you.

***** ***** kept our streak going with more ******** games, but this time we tried a new one, ******** ***** *****! The questions were tou...

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Jun 26 @ 2:46 PM

Today we debuted a brand new class-based game mode created by **** called Freedom Mode—and it was awesome. ****’s world is turning into a full-blown PvP experience, and the creativity is really starting to shine.

Afterward, we played a round of Warlords with teams. Things got a ...

Sep 27 @ 12:06 AM

Crab Nest Chaos: *****’s Epic Entrance!

We kicked off today by introducing our newest member—welcome to the team, *****! 🎉 After making some character modifications and crafting amazing backstories for our BEARachters, we jumped back into the heist!

As the bears ventured deeper into the cave, the faint scuttling of l...

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Sep 25 @ 12:13 AM

Decision Paralysis Conquered!

We started off today by trying something new—creating our own card deck in a game called Rankio. In this game, we create questions, provide a series of possible answers, and one player ranks 5 answers from least to most favorite. We played two rounds to test it out, and I had so ...

Dec 6 @ 6:20 PM

The Honey Heist Continues with: The Mystery of ****** and the Tuna Sandwich 🐻✨

The Honey Heist continues, and what a session it was! Here’s a breakdown of the session:

- Grand-Paw bestowed wise words upon the gang, urging them to stick together as the dangers around them grow.
- The mysterious items from Portaltopia surged with magic, gaining special abili...

Feb 7 @ 10:02 PM

We played one single level on Pico Park for 20 MINUTES!!?!! That was brutal. Only a few rage quits and power outages, but we FINALLY conquered it! 💪🔥

We’ve talked a lot about how stressful this game can be and the emotions it brings up. I’m so proud of you all for sticking thr...

Apr 24 @ 9:58 PM

This week was an instant classic. From shopping montages to backroom negotiations the bears did it.

🛍️ THE GEAR-UP MONTAGE
- ******** picked up a wallet with $100 (convenient) and stocked up on firearms and ammo
- ****** caught our hostage trying to escape—shot him in the leg ...

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Dec 6 @ 6:44 PM

Unity Through Junktopia! And Cereal or Milk?

We kicked off today’s session with an essential debate: does anyone actually put their milk in the bowl before their cereal?! The answers were...interesting, to say the least.

Then came our usual deciding phase—what to play and whether to split into smaller groups. BUT this week...

Oct 8 @ 2:00 AM

Fair Play and Strategy in Risk!

We stuck to our plan today and jumped into Risk! We agreed on a game mode where the player with control of 70% of the map wins. This allowed us to play almost three full games in just one hour!

While we’re quickly picking up on game strategies, today’s session centered around th...

Sep 19 @ 11:44 PM

Nova Squad is on a Honey Heist: Introducing *** **********

We picked things up where we left off in our Honey Heist adventure. The mysterious man in purple knocked ***** ********** unconscious! He then introduced the group to a new ally—*** **********, a hulking retired grizzly bear. *** brings some much-needed muscle to the crew! And lu...

Jul 15 @ 3:03 PM

****************** ** ***** ********** ** **** *****-***** ***** *** ***** *** **********, ****** **********, ***-********* *** ************, *** **** **** ********** ********** ** **** *** ******. ** ********** ************, ********** **********, *** *** ** ***** ** * ******...

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Jan 6 @ 9:57 PM

Island Hopping & Cozy Connections with The Cozy Gamers!

Over the past few weeks, The Cozy Gamers Squad has been diving into the world of Animal Crossing—and what a journey it’s been! Everyone brought their unique, established islands, and we've loved exploring each other's creative spaces. While we’re not done touring yet, we’re excit...

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$15 per week