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Tips to Achieve a Safe and Healthy Recess at Your School

In my previous article, The Value of a Safe and Healthy Recess, I talked about the importance of recess for elementary school students – specifically, how one that is not well run can result in a host of social problems and injured bodies and feelings that spill over into the classroom, while having a safe and healthy recess can leave children happy, energized, and heading back to class focused and ready to learn.

It’s possible that many readers thought that creating the well-run recess I described just couldn’t be done.  But after 18 years as the leader of an organization focused on play and recess, I can tell you that it is not only possible but in fact very doable, with less effort than you might imagine. 

Recess in many schools is a chaotic time.  There are kids running around, not knowing what to do and sometimes getting into trouble.  Other kids are sitting on the sidelines, either because they don’t know how to play whatever games are underway, or because they’re afraid of being hurt or bullied on the playground. Teachers also may be sitting on the sidelines, letting students do their own thing. Many elementary school principals reading this article know that following recess is when they’re most likely to have a line of kids out their office door – either because of discipline problems or injuries.

With just a handful of changes, this scenario can change considerably.  By putting a few systems in place, you can create what I would call “organized chaos” – a worthy goal for any school.  The first step is to understand that in this day and age, children really do need some help in learning how to play.  They need to know and follow the rules of the game, and learn the social skills necessary to resolve simple conflicts and play fairly.  Unlike when many of us were kids, children today often don’t have the opportunity for outside sports or free play – leaving an un-level playing field in the schoolyard.

So, here are a few basic tips to get you started:

 

  1. Have a dedicated, trained adult on the playground who gets in the game.

This simple act is the most important step that a principal can take to improve the recess experience for students and teachers alike.  By having a proactive adult who helps organize activities and is an active participant him- or herself, the playground becomes more productive and children feel safer getting involved.  Even better: have the principal and other adults get in the game as well.

 

  1. Map your schoolyard.

Take a good look at your school’s play area – its assets and its liabilities – by observing how kids are using it now:

  • What games are they playing?
  • What parts of the schoolyard are they using?
  • Where do the kids who aren’t participating hang out?
  • What are the adults doing?
  • How do students enter the schoolyard and return to class?

Once you’ve reviewed the current situation, think about what you’d like to see and draw a rough sketch of your schoolyard. Designate areas for three to five games that students will participate in daily. Choose a place for kids to check out and return equipment.  Consider using cones to separate certain areas for basketball or soccer.  See if you can paint lines for four square or other games. Develop game rules and post them where everyone can see them.

 

  1. Teach everyone the rock-paper-scissors game.

In most cases, conflicts on the playground are minor.  With a simple tool like rock-paper-scissors, problems are resolved quickly and games can continue. Kids would rather play than argue, and readily use this device. Of key importance is using the tool for all types of disagreements, so extending it to the classroom can help children work and play together more amicably.

 

  1. Work with smaller groups to teach group signals and game rules.

One of the keys to achieving “organized chaos” is to have certain ground rules that everyone understands and agrees to follow.  By talking to small groups in classrooms, you can teach signals such as rhythmic clapping to get students’ attention and explain  that you’ll be using these signals on the playground as well.  Making sure children understand the rules of the games is also essential to their playing well together, and it is often easier to explain these rules in a small group setting.

 

  1. Give kids responsibilities.

Children gain confidence when they are given a task and trusted to carry it out.  At Playworks, we have a program called Junior Coaches, where older students (fourth- and fifth-graders) help manage activities on the playground by distributing and collecting equipment, teaching games to younger students, and splitting kids into teams.  Consider giving such responsibilities to children in your existing student leadership groups.

 

Incorporating even one of the above tips should make a difference on your school’s playground. Implementing all of them can result in a remarkable change – with many more smiles on the faces of children and teachers alike. 

Article by by Jill Vialet, EducationWorld Special Contributor
 

Vialet is the CEO and Founder of Playworks, a national nonprofit organization serving more than 400,000 students in 900 schools throughout the U.S.