Playtime in big playground.

[skewiff]

DS is 5 and in reception. He does have mild cerebral palsy, but it is quite mild. He can't run as fast as other children, but can run.

Anyway when I ask him what his least favourite part of the day is he always says play time in the big playground. He says its too long and he can't find anyone to play with. He says as soon as he sees someone he knows he runs up to them and asks if he can play with them and sometimes they say yes and sometimes they say no. The overall feeling I get though is that he is a bit lonely at this time. The OT has been into school and observed that DS was mostly standing and staring at other children during playtime.

I just wondered if this is something I need to worry about or talk to the teacher about. Is it usual for reception children to feel this way and does it change as they get older?

DS does not have a TA - he doesn't need one at the moment. He is not treated any differently than the other children in the playground. I suggested that he go up to the dinner ladies (who organise games) and see if he can join in with what they're doing. But DS says he wants to play with little people, not big people.

thank you.

Does the school not have a buddy bench? DD2's has one where if you have no-one to play with you can sit on the buddy bench and someone will come and ask you to play.
Being kind to other people is a big thing at her school and children often get certificates for helping other children and including everyone.

I am a dinner lady and I find, if children are on their own they come up to me and I'll start a game of i spy (or similar). Usually other children join in, I get called to some other thing but leave the children together, playing and happy.

I'd mention it to the teacher, she may be able to have a work with a lunchtime controller (yes that's the official name for a dinner lady!), who would keep a little eye on him.

My observation is a gets a bit easier to join in as they are older, but encourage him to speak to the dinner ladies whenever you can, I think they'd like to help, especially in reception.

One school I worked in had a "buddy bench" where children sit if they are lonely, I kept a special eye on it. Maybe you could suggest that to the school?

Hope your DS starts to lovel playtime very soon.

Hi
I would talk to the teacher and just say you're concerned. I have done this in the past for DD1 who has always struggled with The Playground. There should be enough adulkts in the playground to keep an eye out for him and see if they can involve him in games etc

We did a pupil questionnaire a couple of years ago which showed that lots of the infants felt unsafe when they were in the playground with the big children, so we decided to have staggered KS1/KS2 break times in the morning, with an added treat that KS1 are allowed to bring their toys in to play with.

The toys have made a big difference to children who have found it difficult to mix - the toys do the mixing for them!

Actually this is an infant school only and the playtimes are staggered so that its only reception children playing - Yr 1 and Yr 2 come out later.

However there are 4 classes per year - so just with reception they'll be at least 120 children.

DS seems to be a bit bamboozled by the lots of children running round. I watch him after school in the playground and he's the same. But if he's there with just one friend (when that friend's brother is doing football club) he is as happy as larry and good at playing and running about.

They do have a friendship bench, but I think DS told me a while ago that noone uses it. However I will ask him again.

I will encourage DS to to up to a dinner lady as well and will also speak to the teacher.

thank you.

Let us know how he gets on. Good luck to your DS.