Occupation · SOC 39-9032
Recreation Workers
Conduct recreation activities with groups in public, private, or volunteer agencies or recreation facilities. Organize and promote activities, such as arts and crafts, sports, games, music, dramatics, social recreation, camping, and hobbies, taking into account the needs and interests of individual members.
Median wage
$35,380
$25,640–$49,460
Projected growth
—
—
Annual openings
—
per year
Employed (US)
309,640
Job Zone 4
Typical preparation
Considerable preparation
Stackable credential programs
17 mapped
Core skills
Active ListeningService OrientationSpeakingCoordinationSocial PerceptivenessMonitoringInstructingTime Management
Knowledge areas
English LanguagePublic Safety and SecurityCustomer and Personal ServiceEducation and TrainingLaw and Government
Technology & tools
Computer based training softwareCharting softwareOffice suite softwareData base user interface and query softwareDesktop publishing software
Representative tasks
Enforce rules and regulations of recreational facilities to maintain discipline and ensure safety.Organize, lead, and promote interest in recreational activities, such as arts, crafts, sports, games, camping, and hobbies.Assess the needs and interests of individuals and groups and plan activities accordingly, given the available equipment or facilities.Manage the daily operations of recreational facilities.Administer first aid according to prescribed procedures and notify emergency medical personnel when necessary.Complete and maintain time and attendance forms and inventory lists.Explain principles, techniques, and safety procedures to participants in recreational activities and demonstrate use of materials and equipment.Direct special activities or events, such as aquatics, gymnastics, or performing arts.Evaluate recreation areas, facilities, and services to determine if they are producing desired results.Supervise and coordinate the work activities of personnel, such as training staff members and assigning work duties.Document individuals' progress toward meeting their treatment goals.Greet new arrivals to activities, introducing them to other participants, explaining facility rules, and encouraging participation.Confer with management to discuss and resolve participant complaints.Meet with staff to discuss rules, regulations, and work-related problems.Oversee the purchase, planning, design, construction, and upkeep of recreation facilities and areas.Encourage participants to develop their own activities and leadership skills through group discussions.Meet and collaborate with agency personnel, community organizations, and other professional personnel to plan balanced recreational programs for participants.Provide for entertainment and set up related decorations and equipment.Serve as liaison between park or recreation administrators and activity instructors.Schedule maintenance and use of facilities.Conduct individual in-room visits with residents.Develop treatment goals for individuals based on their assessments.Evaluate staff performance, recording evaluations on appropriate forms.Take residents on community outings.
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Facility rules and safety regulations — enforce under supervisor guidance to maintain discipline among participants at a community recreation center.Recreational activity schedules — follow and facilitate using provided lesson plans and program outlines in a structured program setting.Participant needs and interests — gather through structured intake forms and observation under the direction of a senior recreation worker.First aid procedures — administer according to prescribed protocols and escalate to emergency medical personnel when required on-site.Time and attendance records — complete and submit accurately using office suite software at the end of each program session.Activity materials and equipment — demonstrate correct and safe use to participants following established instructional scripts and safety guidelines.Special events and activities — assist in coordinating logistics such as aquatics or performing arts programs under direct supervision.Participant communications — convey program information clearly and professionally using oral and written English in a recreational facility setting.Inventory lists — maintain and update using spreadsheet software to track equipment availability at an assigned facility.Recreational programs — support setup and breakdown of activity areas in accordance with daily operational schedules at a recreation center.
developing
Recreational facility rules — enforce consistently and independently, resolving minor disciplinary issues without escalation at a multi-program community center.Activity programs in arts, crafts, sports, and camping — organize and lead with reduced oversight, adapting plans to group energy and engagement levels.Participant needs assessments — conduct using structured interviews and observation tools, then adjust program offerings to match identified interests and abilities.Daily facility operations — manage routine functions including staff scheduling, equipment readiness, and room assignments across a single-site recreation program.First aid and emergency response — execute independently and coordinate with emergency medical personnel, documenting incidents per facility protocol.Attendance and inventory data — compile and analyze using database and spreadsheet software to identify trends and inform resource planning.Safety principles and activity techniques — explain and demonstrate to diverse participant groups, adjusting instruction style for age and ability level.Special activities such as gymnastics or aquatics — direct with limited oversight, ensuring appropriate safety standards and participant engagement throughout.Program communications — draft participant-facing materials including schedules and event announcements using desktop publishing and presentation software.Staff coordination — apply time management and coordination skills to align team tasks with daily program timelines at a recreation facility.
proficient
Facility-wide safety and discipline standards — enforce autonomously and refine policies in response to emerging risk patterns across multiple program areas.Diverse recreational programming — design, lead, and promote across arts, crafts, sports, games, and hobbies, tailoring content to varied population needs without oversight.Comprehensive needs assessments — conduct across individual and group populations, synthesizing findings into evidence-informed program plans aligned with available resources.Full daily operations of recreational facilities — manage independently, including staff deployment, vendor coordination, budget tracking, and facility compliance.Complex emergency situations — assess, respond to, and debrief using advanced first aid knowledge and incident command principles in a multi-use recreation environment.Program records and reporting — produce detailed time, attendance, and inventory reports using integrated database and office software systems to support organizational decision-making.Multi-modal instructional delivery — apply learning strategies and instructional design principles to teach safety procedures and activity techniques to participants with diverse backgrounds.High-profile special events — direct end-to-end, including aquatics competitions or performing arts productions, managing logistics, personnel, and participant experience simultaneously.Staff performance issues — identify through monitoring and social perceptiveness, and resolve using critical thinking and personnel management strategies in a recreational services context.Community stakeholder engagement — use persuasion and oral communication skills to build partnerships that expand program reach and resource availability for a recreation department.
advanced
Organizational safety and regulatory frameworks — establish and continuously improve across all recreational facilities, ensuring alignment with public safety law and government standards.Strategic recreational programming vision — set at the departmental level, driving innovation in activity offerings that serve evolving community demographics and organizational mission.Needs assessment systems — design and institutionalize across a multi-site recreation organization, ensuring data informs resource allocation and program equity decisions.Recreation department operations — lead at executive scale, overseeing facility management, capital planning, staff structure, and multi-year operational budgets.Emergency preparedness policy — author and champion organization-wide protocols governing first aid response, evacuation, and coordination with municipal emergency services.Data governance and reporting standards — establish for attendance, inventory, and outcomes tracking across all programs using integrated software platforms and analytics tools.Professional development curriculum — design and deliver for recreation staff, embedding evidence-based instructional, safety, and leadership competencies across the workforce.Signature large-scale events and programs — conceive and oversee, including regional aquatics meets or community performing arts festivals, representing the organization publicly.Organizational culture of cooperation and service — model and cultivate by mentoring leaders, recognizing staff excellence, and embedding social orientation values into hiring and evaluation.Cross-sector recreation policy — influence at municipal or regional levels through advocacy, partnership-building, and presentation of program impact data to government and community stakeholders.
Also known as
76 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Fitness WorkerField ScoutRecreation DirectorPlayground DirectorRecreation AideHospitality Specialist (Navy 003758)Fitness Plan CoordinatorGroup Work Program AideActivities AssistantCamp CounselorTherapeutic Recreation SpecialistSpecial Events CoordinatorRecreation CoordinatorRecreational LeaderField RepresentativeRecreation TechnicianRecreation CounselorParks Recreation DirectorDay Camp CounselorPlayground OfficialRecreation Activities CoordinatorActivity LeaderParks Recreation CoordinatorRecreational AssistantActivities CounselorSummer Camp CounselorActivities DirectorRecreation LeaderPlay LeaderCommunity Program AssistantTherapeutic Recreation LeaderGuest AdvisorTeen CounselorRecreational CounselorRecreation SpecialistPlayground WorkerSummer Camp TeacherRecreation AssistantGuest AssociateActivity Coordinator