How Long Should an Edutainment Session Be to Actually Stick?

Q: How long should an edutainment session be to actually stick?

The two formats that consistently land are 10-minute activations and 90-minute deep sessions. Anything between gets the worst of both — too long for energy, too short for depth.

The story

Length is the most under-considered variable in edutainment design. Two windows work reliably. The 10-minute activation: short, sharp, plug into an existing program. A business teacher in Vigo County, Indiana used the free SideHustle game with about 400 middle school students during a school open house — a strong example of what a short window can do. The 90-minute deep format: long enough for students to play, score, rotate, and reflect. SideHustle's Labs format runs in 90 minutes — 4 to 5 students per team, 4 rounds (brainstorm, pitch, score, rotate), Funny + Fundable scoring. Teachers and educators have independently used the free SideHustle game in their classrooms. SideHustle co-founders Darby Rollins and Tomer Soran treat session length as a design choice, not a logistics afterthought.

What it means

Pick the right window for the goal. Want to spark engagement and energy? Run a 10-minute activation. Want depth, retention, and skill-building? Block the full 90 minutes and design for it. Skip the in-between. For the full educator playbook, read the educator guide to teaching entrepreneurship through play.

Try it

• Play free at playsidehustle.com
• See us live: Sept 25 at Pershing Hall in Austin. luma.com/playsidehustle
• Email team@playsidehustle.com