How much recess for kindergarten?

[littlehawksmom]

I am wondering what the average is for most full day kindergarten (which is too long, IMO, but that's another thread).

My son is in school 8-3 with one 30 min recess and 20 min for lunch. It just isn't right.

Ds, I am pretty sure, has some sensory processing stuff going on and this all day in a room (or a few rooms) without many sensory-rich activities is amking him hate school, hate us for sending him, also he has been having behavior problems at school (and at home, when we are stuck inside due to extreme weather or sickness-it is much better when he can play outside).

The school asked for a special ed teacher to observe him and would like to meet with us (tomorrow-I asked that the principal be there as well).

How can I advocate for more outside and sensory rich activities. I think that if ds is fully engaged, he wouldn't be having a problem. Ds always comes home with 3-7 worksheets that he has done during the day. The school is just cramming reading down his throat. He can basically read now, but at what price? Grants come from this "Reading First" program they do, which, IMO, is terrible, and I can't very well tell the swchool that they don't need the money. so what should my approach be?

Also, if we did go forward with the special ed and a diagnosis and therapy (and I would love to be eligible for some kind of help-this kid is tough and we do need help with some things), what would be available? I mean, how can push for my child to have access to something different besides the 'normal' program?

Thanks for any input. If I could afford it, I would hire a private tutor and do a kind of half homeschool thing, but I do need help with ds-to go to work, to get things done and just to get a breadk from his intensity.

Thanks again!

[bubbamummy]

Before getting pregnant and the moving here to the US I was a kindergarten ('reception class') teacher in the UK. Our class had a 20 min recess at 10am and then an hour lunch from 12-1pm the afternoon was also *always* 'free play' when the children could choose from a range of activities (both inside and out) like the sandbox, water play, crafts, a number related activity (that they could do by themselves) a 'writing activity' and an opportunity for 'creative play' this was when we obseved the children to evaluate their daily devlopments both academically and socially, we rarely even made ourselves known, the children just played. The school where I worked was all about 'play is childrens 'work'...oh and we also had a 15min afternoon recess

[Evan&Anna's_Mom]

DDs K is from 8:30 to 3 PM. They get 3 set recesses -- 20 min. in the AM, 30 min. after eating lunch (or before, I forget), and 15 min. or so in the afternoon. But they also have 45-60 min. of sports in the afternoon so that's more outside time. The teachers can (and frequently do) give extra recess time when the class has finished work ahead of schedule or is being extra difficult. Plus they have either music or art most mornings, so that's a different classroom and much more hands on activity.

Unless you can get it classed as "therapy" I doubt you will have any luck getting extra outside or play time for just him. You might try to collect info and try to get more recess time in general, but it might be a tough sell unless you can gather lots of parents together and make it a campaign. Do they have PE/sports? Maybe you could get more of that as an anti-obesity thing? That's a pretty hot goal right now.

[Ceili]

The K program my ds will be in next year (8-3) has three outdoor recesses. 15 minutes in the morning, 30 minutes after lunch and another 15 minutes in the afternoon. They also have PE twice a week and a "resource" class every day (art, music, spanish, library, or computer) and an hour nap/quiet time. They also build in free play time in the classroom.

He's going to a small private school. I'm not sure what the norm is here.

[Drummer's Wife]

My K son has 3 recesses per day. He's full day as well. Most mornings the bus gets there early enough that he gets about 10 min. outside then as well.

[fadedgirl]

8-8:30 Recess (kids aren't required to attend this)
8:30 Class
10:00-11:00 Outdoor Snack & Recess
11:00 Class
11:30 Outdoor Lunch (Recess after eating)
12:00 Class
1:00-1:45 Recess (two days per week they do "PE" outside instead of Recess)
2:30 End of Day

Summary: 1.75 hours of Recess out of 6 hour school day OR 2.25 hours of recess if they start at 8:00am and go 6.5 hours per day.

[CarrieMF]

Here K-6 have the same recesses & at the same times.

8-8:55 recess, how long depends what time the kids get to school. School starts at 8:55.

10:30-10:15 recess

11:45-12:10/15 is lunch time, 12:10/15-12:45 is recess

except for Wed(early dismissal) 2-2:15 is recess

school is out at 3:30

[griffin2004]

My DD is in kinde from 8:15 to 2:15 which is considered full day. They have a 20 minute recess in the morning and a half hour after lunch.

[ChinaDoll]

My DD gets 20 minutes on most days. Not enough IMO

[williamsmommy2002]

We do 1/2 day kindergarten here with pretty much the same amount of recess. About the sensory stuff, they might be able to work in some sensory activities and solutions if he qualifies for it. Ds1's is in special education classes. For his kindergarten class they did a lot of sensory activities throughout the day. Now in first grade he is in a more academic class and less of the kids have sensory issues. He does get OT and there are sensory tools they can use in class. They also know that if he is having trouble concentrating that often times taking him for a quick walk helps him out.

[littlehawksmom]

The meeting went well. They have some good ideas to help ds throughout the day, and agreed to let him go outside for 10 min two additional times, if he can be attentive in class. I don't know what to think about the reward thing, but at this point, if it works, I am not going to argue.
I wish all the kids could be outside more, and I am going to everything I can to get the policy changed for Grade 1, which is at a different school.
But in the meantime, those extra 20 minutes could make all the difference in the world.
Baby steps, but so far so good.
Also, they are not pushing for any kind of diagnosis or anything, which is a relief for me.
Thanks for the replies. It seems like most schools have considerably more time outside.