Sweat on your brow, butterflies in your belly, and a frantic look to the nearest exit. These feelings of fear that are quite often connected to dating are also what many adults feel about the daunting task of monitoring recess.
For Valentine’s Day, I’d like to publicly profess my deep love of play and recess AND my sincere gratitude to school staff who make recess work! So, whether you are a parent helping out, a teacher transitioning students from lunch to the playground or a seasoned recess aide, this blog is dedicated to you!
Here is my top five list for playground supervisors to rekindle your playful feelings and fall in love with recess all over again:
5. Play Up Down Stop Go. This is a great game to get yourself and your kids up and moving. You can do it during indoor recess or as a great opening energizer outside on the playground.
4. Use Rock Paper Scissors to resolve conflict on your playground. Who’s out? Who got to the base first? Who did or didn’t get tagged? Allow your students to “Rock it Out” to resolve minor conflicts. Teach your students to play Rock Paper Scissors to resolve conflict. Not only will it save you time and energy, but students learn to utilize a safe, healthy and respectful tool to use when conflicts arise.
3. Introduce a new game. It’s easy to get into a rut and keep playing the same old games, but more fun to change it up. Think back to games that you played as a kid. Check out our free online database of games OR, if you are overwhelmed and don’t know where to begin, see #5. If you are having fun at recess, your students will have fun too.
2. Jump in and play. It means so much for kids to see adults having fun. Enjoy your time on the playground. Think back to when you were a kid and recall a time at recess that was fun. Think about a favorite game and how you felt when a teacher would play. We have an amazing opportunity to create lifelong memories for our students simply by playing along. Not only will you have fun, but you’ll also knock time off of your trip to the gym!
1. High Fives. There is no better way to build rapport and let your students know that you are ready for recess fun than getting down on some high-five action! Fist bumps are also acceptable. Check in with your students. Ask questions and be sincerely interested in the response. Learn names, it matters! This all starts with a high-five!
It’s time to fall in love with recess again. Big ups and much love to all the recess teams around the country making sure that recess is safe, inclusive and fun!
Peace, love and play,
Coach Jeremy
Guest blogger Jeremy Babcock is a Playworks trainer with over a decade of cooperative learning facilitation experience and a sincere love of high-fives! He is moved by the mission of Playworks and honored to assist with the process of creating spaces where play is safe, meaningful and ALL are invited to join in the fun. He believes that every kid deserves a great recess, no exceptions!
