TLDR: would the return of traditional playground games be beneficial to young children? Would they benefit from a scheduled slot in the school timetable for this? I am not a journalist.
Hi
I have been thinking about this recently and another thread has prompted me to ponder it again now.
My children are all grown up now so I don't know what break times in primary schools involve these days. But when I was at school, we spent break and lunch times doing the following:
- Skipping (sometimes quite a few people were involved in this and obviously 2 on the ropes)
- 'Hop Scotch' and variations of it (a grid was marked out on the playground)
- Games such as 'What's the Time Mr Wolf', 'Tag' or 'Catch' and 'Om Pom'
- Shooting balls into the netball basket
- A game called 'British Bulldog' was banned! But we used to play a gentle version of it
What other games and activities can people remember playing?
Some of my golden memories of junior school are of the times I spent with people playing these games outside (in most weathers!).
Do children still play together in this way at break times?
These games and activities felt like a lovely way to pass leisure time in school but really, when I think about it, they were actually beneficial to us all in so many other ways, such as:
Teamwork
Laughing with our classmates (bonding)
Physical activity
Fresh Air
Did these games somehow play a part in wiring our brains in a really healthy way? Would they act as a counterbalance to screen time?
The only time in recent years that I have played these games has been with our local Scout group.
Do you think that children might even benefit from a dedicated time slot in their weekly timetable for 'traditional games' (like P.E. but in addition to it)?
I am would love to hear people's thoughts as I am considering taking this idea further (petition, speak to my local teachers and MP's etc. perhaps).
Thank you for reading.
YABU - no need to bring back traditional playgroup games
YANBU - get on and start that petition!