To be a bit peeved that my DS's school have banned Tig games?

[openclass]

He's just informed me that they can't play tig or any chasing games. He's a bit annoyed. The other obsession of his school friends is WWF wrestling cards (swapping cards I guess) He's not interested in that at all or football. any other schools done this?

So sitting still and swapping pictures of wrestlers is OK, but running around getting healthy exercise isn't. Sounds bonkers. Presumably someone got hurt?

Yanbu why are they banning it? Is it a case of health and safety gone mad again?

Well, we can't having children falling down in the playground and grazing their knees, can we?

By 'tig' do you mean 'tag'?

I think many schools are under increasing pressure because the LA keep forcing them to take extra children.

That's all well and good if they have classroom space, but it means an over crowded playground for many of them.

Perhaps they've had a huge rise in the number of accidents due to these games?

I'm guessing it's because there must have been accidents but haven't spoken to the school yet because he only told me this morning. Good point about the increase in numbers - the playground is busy and the school is up to its full capacity after school closures in the past couple of years. Seems a shame what with kids needing to run around. They have an astroturfed football pitch but that tends to get comandeered for football (as you would expect) ay playtimes. Seems that if you don't play football you can't get to let off steam.

My school did this 35 years ago, so it isn't new!! They said it was because smaller children were being knocked over. It was a small playground though. If there is enough space then I can't really see the justification in this day & age, where lots of children don't get the chance to exercise at home.

I know what you mean

My local Infant school was 2/3 form entry a few years ago. Now every year has 4 classes and one year (reception) now has 5!

The playground remains as tiny as ever, as does the lunch/assembly hall.

The LA are now looking into building upwards to include yet more classrooms but that's not going to widen the playground or lunch hall

What's tig?

Well if they do, that's down to the parents...not the school.

Tig (we called it that ) but I believe some call it tag.

As much as I think playgrounds are for running around in...

A child will not get fat because they're not running around at playtime

However, if the parents don't ensure they get a healthy diet and lots of exercise at home, it's quite likely they will.

Many children choose to do simple, quiet activities at break time rather than run around and they're not all obese because of it.

I think far too much is expected of schools nowadays that parents themselves should actually be doing.

Yes, Mutt if a child is obese of course it's not the school's fault.

Children do PE at least twice a week in most schools anyway and for some, that's the most exercise they're going to get because often over protective parents not only refuse to let them play out alone, they also refuse to compensate for that by taking them to the park themselves...or standing in the cold street watching them play and burn off energy.

Yanbu! I'd be livid if it was banned and would be challenging the school. Why is it ok for football - that's a chasing game of sorts and involves tackling? Is it ok for children to have a running race? What about skipping?

I think that the teachers will see worse behaviour in the classroom as a result as the children won't be as refreshed when they come in.

Kids need to let off steam, they need to be able to run around. IF a game of tig /tag looked like it was getting too boisterous then the supervisors should have a word with them.

I think we are, Mutt

Worral- it's dark by 4:30pm these days so not a lot of time to exercise outdoors during the week. (That's assuming no after school activity or after school club)

Exactly crazy

Disappointed. Though tig was some new bouncing game sweeping the playground

thought

really no tag?!! madness, kids need to run around, my ds2 would be a nightmare in the classroom if he hadnt had a good run around at break/lunchtime.

and with regards to playing after school, when the boys come out of school at 3:15 we often stay in the playground for a bit, by the time i gather all 4 kids together and then walk home it can often be as late as 4:30 so no time to play out once they get home, esp when they have clubs etc so ihave to sort dinner/snack and get them changed and out again!

in our primary school they have a bit of the playground that is just for the infant children (reception up to and including yr2) so the bigger kids can run around in their half without knocking over little ones.