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Primary Project

 

PP logo

Helping Children
 Connect to School 
Through Play
 

A child associate plays with a child.
WHAT IS PRIMARY PROJECT?

Primary Project is a tier two prevention program to help children in pre-K to 3rd grade adjust to the school community using a child-centered play approach.

PROGRAM BENEFITS

Primary Project was built on decades of research conducted by Children’s Institute. Children who participate in Primary Project have been shown to:

  • have more confidence​
  • have improved attendance​
  • be better able to connect to school
  • more successfully interact with peers and adults
EVIDENCE-BASED FOUNDATION
  • Primary Project is the flagship program of Children’s Institute, developed by Dr. Emory L. Cowen in 1957 and was first implemented in the Rochester City School District.
  • Dr. Cowen is largely considered to be the father of community psychology and was a student of Abraham Maslow, who famously developed the Hierarchy of Needs.
  • Building on it's rich history, Primary Project stays grounded in evidence-based program implementation guided by our Best Practices Rubric to support ongoing research, resources, and training nationwide.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
  • Built on Strong Relationships: Selected students work with a child associate who establishes a positive relationship through play. Child associates are supervised by a school mental health professional.
  • Play-based Approach: Child associates meet with students in a dedicated playroom for 12-15 sessions using a child-centered therapeutic play approach.
  • Data-driven Decision-making: Children are screened using a standardized tool called the Teacher-Child Rating Scale (T-CRS) to inform program selection. T-CRS results are analyzed before and after the intervention is complete.
Program implementation is based on six foundational core components:
PP Core Components 2025 FINAL

 

SEE PRIMARY PROJECT IN ACTION

 

 

Primary Project has been critical to our success in delivering high quality social emotional supports to students, while at the same time freeing up mental health professionals to work with students that are at a higher risk. 

—John Bittner, School Counselor

PRIMARY PROJECT PROUD

Primary Project teams across the country bring joy to their schools each day. Our Primary Project Proud initiative offers schools a chance to share powerful stories of success. Check out our featured schools.

Interested in being featured in a future edition of Primary Project Proud? 

Submit Your Story Here

Watertown

Learn why the Watertown City School District is Primary Project Proud

PS/MS20

Learn why PS/MS 20 in the Bronx is Primary Project Proud

PRIMARY PROJECT BY THE NUMBERS 
 
Improved Social-Emotional Health

Students identified as at-risk on the T-CRS improved

87%

in one or more social-emotional domains.

Declines in Chronic Absenteeism

Students who participated in Primary Project programming were

51%

less likely to be chronically absent than similar students who did not participate.

High Professional Satisfaction

After implementing Primary Project for at least one year,

81%

of mental health professionals would recommend Primary Project to a colleague.

Impacting Schools Nationwide

During the 2023-2024 school year, Primary Project was implemented in

128 

schools in five states. Children's Institute provides support and training to each of these sites.

 

 

 

 

BLOG
Stay informed on the latest Primary Project updates. 
Newsletter
 Read our newsletter From the Playroom for updates and resources. 
National Certification
 Explore our standards-based certification program. 
Consultation
 Learn how Children's Institute provides ongoing assistance. 
 
 
PARTNERSHIPS 
National

 

GET INVOLVED!
Start a Program in New York:

If your district or school is located in New York State, you may be eligible for funding. Applications for the 2025-2026 school year are now closed. Applications for the 2026-2027 school year will open in November 2025.  

To explore opportunities to begin a program using district funding, please reach out to Shelley Sanyshyn at ssanyshyn@childrensinsitute.net

 
All Other States: 

To learn more about how to start a Primary Project program in your state, school, or district, reach out to Lynn Smith at lsmith@childrensinstitute.net

Lynn sitting next to a child playing

 

Contact the Primary Project Team

Lynn Smith, Co-Director

Shelley Sanyshyn, Co-Director

Arlene Bobin, Senior Project Coordinator

Lindsay Dryden, Project Coordinator