Is it going to be belly laughs or burnout for you this school year?

What if the one thing your school culture is missing isn’t more structure—but more laughter? That might sound counterintuitive in a world of assessments, deadlines, and academic rigor, but research shows fun is far more than just fluff. A landmark study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships found that shared laughter strengthens relational bonds, builds trust, and increases emotional connection in all kinds of relationships—including professional ones. This insight has profound implications for schools. Just like great families thrive on inside jokes, shared games, and joyful traditions, great schools become emotionally safe places when students and staff experience fun together. Fun doesn’t compete with learning; it lays the emotional foundation that makes deep learning and real connection possible.

Think of fun as the glue that makes belonging stick. When we laugh with someone, we let our guard down. When we play, we reveal our humanity. Play, after all, is one of the first languages we speak as children—and it remains a vital language of connection, even in adulthood. School culture initiatives often focus on compliance, character, and consistency. But without joy, those efforts can fall flat. A culture without fun becomes transactional, not transformational. Embedding joy—through spontaneous dance breaks, friendly competitions, or community-wide traditions—signals that people matter more than policies. And that’s when culture begins to change.

Here are three practical ways to make this real in your school starting tomorrow: (1) Start a “Fun Friday” tradition—whether it’s karaoke, a mini game show, or staff vs. student challenges. (2) Integrate humor and movement into lessons, allowing students to teach or present through skits or songs. (3) Celebrate small wins with visible enthusiasm, whether that’s a hallway high-five tunnel or classroom confetti moments. And the beliefs that support this shift? (1) Fun is a strategy, not a distraction. (2) Belonging grows through shared joy. (3) Culture doesn’t change through mandates—it changes through moments. If families that play together stay together, then schools that laugh together thrive together.