School Games Day Newsletter: Building Anticipation for a Day of Play and Competition
A school games day is one of the most purely enjoyable events of the school year. There is no curriculum to explain, no academic stakes, and no complex message to deliver. The newsletter's only job is to get students and families excited about a great day, give them the logistics they need, and make sure no one shows up unprepared.
Make the newsletter sound like the day will feel
Games day is high energy. The newsletter should be too. Write with some enthusiasm. Tell students specifically what they are going to do. "Get ready for relay races, a school-record-attempt tug of war, the notoriously muddy obstacle course, and an end-of-day whole-school freeze tag battle" is a lot more compelling than "students will participate in outdoor games and relay activities."
Both describe the same event. One gets students talking about it at dinner. The other gets filed away as an informational notice.
Team assignments: send them early
If the school games day uses teams or house colors, publish those assignments in the first newsletter. Students who know they are on the yellow team can wear yellow. Students who find out their color on the morning of the event cannot, and arriving without team colors makes students feel like they are not fully part of something their classmates are.
If team assignments are not finalized when the first newsletter goes out, send a follow-up specifically for assignments the moment they are ready. Do not hold them until the next general newsletter.
What to wear and bring
Be specific. Team color clothing. Athletic shoes with closed toes. Clothes that can get dirty if the event includes messy stations. A labeled water bottle. Sunscreen applied before school if it is a full outdoor day. A hat for extended sun exposure.
Families who receive specific preparation guidance take care of these details. Families who receive "dress appropriately for outdoor activity" have to guess what that means. Appropriate is doing a lot of work in that sentence. Spell it out.
Spectator information
If families are welcome to watch, tell them when and where. Include the approximate schedule so families know which part of the day is most worth attending for their child's grade level. A parent who leaves work and arrives to find their child's events are in two hours needed a better schedule in the newsletter.
Post-games-day results and celebration
Send a results newsletter within two days. Share the winning team or the day's highlights if the event is competition-based. Share a photo or two. Celebrate any records broken, memorable moments, or exceptional sportsmanship that stood out.
Games day creates the kind of shared school memory that students reference for years. The post-event newsletter is what captures and extends that shared experience for every family in the community, including those who could not be there.
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Frequently asked questions
What should a school games day newsletter include?
Cover the date, location, schedule, which grade levels participate, the list of games and activities, what students should wear, what to bring, and whether families are welcome to attend and cheer. Include the rain contingency plan if the event is outdoors and state whether games day runs as a full school day or a partial day.
When should schools send a school games day newsletter?
Send the first newsletter two weeks before the event so students know their team and the games they will participate in. A reminder one week out and a day-before logistics note complete the sequence. Two weeks is sufficient for an event where student preparation is minimal but family planning (appropriate clothing, sunscreen, watching schedule) benefits from lead time.
How should the newsletter make the event feel exciting rather than just informational?
Describe the games in terms of the experience, not just the logistics. 'This year's obstacle course includes a crawl tunnel, a balance beam, and a surprise station students have been asking about all month' is more engaging than 'there will be an obstacle course.' The newsletter's tone should match the energy of the event it is promoting.
How should schools handle competitive games day events so all students feel included?
Communicate clearly whether the event is primarily about competition or participation. If individual scores are tracked, say so. If the event is organized around team points but every student's participation matters equally, explain that. Students who know the structure before they arrive can manage their expectations and compete with appropriate effort and attitude.
How does Daystage support games day communication?
Daystage makes it easy to send the games day announcement with event details, schedule a reminder with a countdown, and follow up with results and photos after the day. All three touches go directly to families without relying on paper notices or social media posts they may not see.
Adi Ackerman
Author
Adi Ackerman is a former classroom teacher and curriculum writer with 8 years in K-8 schools. She writes about school communication, parent engagement, and what actually works in real classrooms.
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