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. SideHustle's one-time 10-minute activation at Vigo reached ~400 students and proved the format. 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. Run one-time at Mars Hill, the University of Oklahoma, Penn State, Xavier, and the University of Wisconsin, that 90-minute window consistently produces the kind of moments students remember. 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.

Try it

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