Help! Need recess games that are "no contact"

[straighthaircurly]

My son is in K and the adjustment has gone amazingly well thanks to his fantastic teacher. However, one problem has been popping up repeatedly. The boys in the class keep designing games during recess that end up in big wrestling or tackling matches.

Just so I set the scene, his recess time is generally outdoors, there are about 80 kids total with about 3-4 staff supervising (not the regular classroom teachers though). There is a very large field, a large playground with slides and ladders, a basketball court, and some asphalt area that the girls usually use for jumping rope. There is an adjacent natural area but there are not enough supervisors to take the kids there.

They started the year playing Power Rangers and chased imaginary bad guys but one day my son decided to be the bad guy and everyone ended up tackling him and of course he fought them off but they all got in trouble. Power Rangers is now banned. The next game they invented was puppies and lions which ended with a similar problem. One recess supervisor taught them to play "tap football" where just a one finger touch counts as a tackle. Yesterday the game had a couple boys get carried away and they started tackling and could not get themselves back under control. That continued today and turned very unsafe when a kid tackled my DS from behind while he was standing in line (on asphalt) to go inside. My son is not a victim in this as he has been right in the middle of each escalation.

The teacher has met with the boys (whole class actually) a couple times to discuss rules for staying safe on the playground. The principal has met with various groups of the boys to strategize. But here we are....

Today I volunteered to help supervise them everyday next week and try to teach them some good alternative games that involve NO contact. Even light contact seems to escalate within a day or two. I need help coming up with some good ideas that involve lots of running, minimal equipment, and minimal setup so eventually they can take over themselves. (Note: these incidents generally involve a group of about 6-10 boys).

Here are a couple ideas I have had:

relay races
obstacle course (but I need some ideas that would be easy set up)
some tumbling or gymnastics practice (learning different jumps or moves)
maybe the school will let me take them for a walk in the natural area (but eventually I would only plan to come once a week unless I can enlist other parents to help)

I know some of you will have some specific fun games I can teach them that maybe involve cooperation instead of fighting.

[eepster]

When I was a kid (YK back when dinosuars roamed the earth) the big recess nonviolent games were:

redlight, greenlight, 123
mother may I
simonsays
hide'n seek
kick ball (similar rules to baseball, but with a big rubberball you kick)
hot potato
jacks
marbles

Of course there were the games only the girls played, but the boys at your DS's school may not veiw them as girl games:
hopscotch
jumprope

[Momily]

Can they handle freeze tag -- tagging games are great because they get everyone running, and freeze tag has the nice feature of not leading to the tagging/tagging back frenzy of regular tag -- a lot of kids who can't handle "regular" tag can handle this (I'm speaking as a special ed teacher who has taught classes of severely emotionaly disturbed kindergarteners).

Our students love a variation called toilet tag -- when you're tagged you crouch down and put your thumb up -- when someone "flushes" you by presing your thumb down onto your fist you can get up and run again.

Another great tag variation that you can make "no touch" is Wizards, Giants and Elves. Divide into 2 teams. Each team meets in secret and decides whether they will be wizards Giants or Elves -- then you line up toe to toe and say 1 2 3 and the kids act out whichever one their team chose -- then they chase each other (can instead be race to the fence/boundary in the right direction) according to the following rule:

Wizards chase elves
Elves chase giants
Giants chase Wizards

If you race, then it's just a race, with one team having a tiny headstart -- if you tag then the kids who are tagged join the opposite team.

Also, any chance you can get a parachute -- parachute games are awesome for wearing kids out because of all the upper body work involved -- you can do things like having kids run and switch places under (e.g. "if you have red shoes switch places) or put a bunch of balls on top and try and "pop corn" while keeping them on.

If they're doing a lot of fantasy play -- even innappropriate, I also wonder about introducing some fantasy themes where they're all on the same theme -- maybe "photography safari" where you give them props like play cameras and they crawl through the bushes pretending to look for animals.

[Bekka]

Can the kids bring or can someone donate a bunch of "bandanas", you know, scarves or squares or strips of fabric all one color, the kids tuck them in the back of their pocket or belt or on their side, then the kids can grab the bandana kind of like flag football for tag? Then they get it back when they are "it"?

We always brought our marbles to play during recess.

[supervee]

Four-square (ball game)

[CarrieMF]

The boys in our school play

four squares(causes alot of problems though, I really dislike this game)

wall ball

soccer

baseball/kickball/basketball/hockey

on the play equipment - swings, monkey bars, gliders

skip rope

If it's the same 6-10 kids causing problems then i'd address the kids & honesly they may turn any game into a bigger issue. At our school if a kid is repeatedly misbehaving during recess they walk with a supervisor. If it's bad enough they have to go into the office for one-on-one time with the principal.

I'm amazed that with 3-4 teachers they have issues that big for such a small group of kids. We have 2 supervisors for 250 kids & don't have problems like that. Four Squares is the biggest issue right now & it is the same group of kids each day. On occasion we've taken the game away for the rest of the recess if they cannot cooperatively play fairly. It's 1 of the few reasons I"m looking foward to snowfall.lol

[straighthaircurly]

I love some of these ideas. I will check if they have a parachute, that would be awesome. I also like the idea of the bandanas for a game of tag. I would add in a rule that if you crash into anyone, even if accidental, you have to sit down until the next round. Any other form of tag seems to escalate after a couple days but maybe that form they could handle. I also like the imaginary play idea of the photo safari, and I'll bet the teacher would even work a session into her class where they could make pretend cameras and binoculars.

The problem is that this particular group of boys likes to be very physical (my son included, he is sensory seeking with SPD and LOVES to crash into anything). They don't know how to play many regular playground games and so when they make up their own, they tend toward the overly physical. Whenthis happens they have to sit up by the bulding or go to the principal's office (twice now for my son), but that doesn't help. They don't intend to get too rough when they start but they lack judgement and impulse control. And I don't want to see them keep losing out on this short but important time of the day. Hopefully with these great ideas we can get some activities that they like. The teacher said the boys are relieved that I am going to help them next week. They don't like getting in trouble or feeling unsafe but they just can't quite do it on their own yet.

[CarrieMF]

Whenthis happens they have to sit up by the bulding or go to the principal's office (twice now for my son), but that doesn't help.

A big reason why it doens't help is that they're not burning their energy off if they're just sitting.

I would add in a rule that if you crash into anyone, even if accidental, you have to sit down until the next round. Any other form of tag seems to escalate after a couple days but maybe that form they could handle.

I'm not sure on the having to sit if you accidentally crash into someone. Accidents happen.

If you were to have certain games on certain days then it'd would help prvent things escalating after a couple of days. ie, monday is tag day, tuesday is parachute, etc.

[Momily]

Originally Posted by straighthaircurly

The problem is that this particular group of boys likes to be very physical (my son included, he is sensory seeking with SPD and LOVES to crash into anything).

If they're seeking out crashing -- what will work best is if you work with that, not against it. What fantasy games can you come up with that give them the chance to crash (into the ground, not each other) -- I've seen kids go on imaginary "scuba diving trips" for example where at a certain signal they all jump into the "water" at the side of the playground equipment -- thus satisfying the crashing urge but noone gets hurt.

[Momily]

I'm coming back to add more, because now I have more time. If the kids are crashing into each other it's because they NEED that form of sensory input -- if you're going to be successful redirecting them you're going to need to find a way for them to meet that need while meeting the adults need for safety (which I'm not understimating).

Crashing is a need for deep pressure in the joints and muscles. So if they're going on a photo safari, then have them wear heavy backpacks while they're doing it. If you're doing obstacle courses, go across the monkey bars, make crab walking or bear walking a fair part of them, and put down crash pads for them to slam their bodies into and roll across. Better yet, make one of those stretchy tunnels (just a length of stretchy fabric tubing -- cheap and easy).Think about fantasy play that includes opportunities to crash -- pirates walking the plank, magicians dueling from a distance and being slammed to the ground by each other's spells.

Maybe play freeze tag only when you're frozen your dramatically fall to the ground and play dead until someone stands over you and says a magic spell to revive you.

An extra advantage to all of these things is that you're actually teaching the kids how to safely meet their needs, so that one day you'll be able to not go to recess.

[straighthaircurly]

Originally Posted by CarrieMF

A big reason why it doens't help is that they're not burning their energy off if they're just sitting.

Exactly, but they don't have enough people to supervise out of control kids. The big reason I am volunteering is so that they won't lose out on bigger and bigger parts of the already very limited (IMO) recess.

Originally Posted by CarrieMF:12513437

I'm not sure on the having to sit if you accidentally crash into someone. Accidents happen.

These particular boys are doing more crashing on purpose than accidental and I don't want arguments over accidental vs. on purpose. Part of the reason it happens accidentally at times is because they like to push the limits and try to come really close to crashing but misjudge.

Originally Posted by CarrieMF:12513437

If you were to have certain games on certain days then it'd would help prvent things escalating after a couple of days. ie, monday is tag day, tuesday is parachute, etc.

I am do like this idea because it does seem that things always escalate after they play a particular game for 3-5 days in a row.

[straighthaircurly]

Originally Posted by Momily

I'm coming back to add more, because now I have more time. If the kids are crashing into each other it's because they NEED that form of sensory input -- if you're going to be successful redirecting them you're going to need to find a way for them to meet that need while meeting the adults need for safety (which I'm not understimating).

Crashing is a need for deep pressure in the joints and muscles. So if they're going on a photo safari, then have them wear heavy backpacks while they're doing it. If you're doing obstacle courses, go across the monkey bars, make crab walking or bear walking a fair part of them, and put down crash pads for them to slam their bodies into and roll across. Better yet, make one of those stretchy tunnels (just a length of stretchy fabric tubing -- cheap and easy).Think about fantasy play that includes opportunities to crash -- pirates walking the plank, magicians dueling from a distance and being slammed to the ground by each other's spells.

Maybe play freeze tag only when you're frozen your dramatically fall to the ground and play dead until someone stands over you and says a magic spell to revive you.

An extra advantage to all of these things is that you're actually teaching the kids how to safely meet their needs, so that one day you'll be able to not go to recess.

This is a great reminder to me. I am very aware of my DS need for the deep joint and muscle stimulation. I try to start his day with a wrestling match at home and at night we push him into the mattress to help him settle to sleep. We get him outside to jump and climb and spin as much as possible.

So thank you reminding me that I need to include this into the recess time. I love the magician wrestling idea, what a riot. I could give them each a magic wand and watch them fling themselves to the ground

I do hope to teach them enough games and techniques that they can do without me. Right now the teacher says they are taking each rule very literally. When they were told not to play Power Rangers, they didn't and then were surprised they got in trouble for playing puppies and lions. They have not gotten the message of no playing games that make people feel unsafe or are likely to cause injuries to another child. Personally I think the school really missed out with the Power Rangers when they simply banned it vs. recognizing that the only reason it went awry was because the kids switched from chasing and fighting imaginary bad guys to chasing and fighting "real" bad guys (another kid). I think they would have been able to switch back to original version if given the chance. But maybe I am naive.

Thank you everyone for your great ideas and feel free to keep brainstorming!

[cchrissyy]

freeze dancing ?

[EXOLAX]

Originally Posted by straighthaircurly

So thank you reminding me that I need to include this into the recess time. I love the magician wrestling idea, what a riot. I could give them each a magic wand and watch them fling themselves to the ground

Would it be too much to give them nerf-type balls to throw at each other as a spell? If the ball hits you the spell did and you throw yourself on the ground, you can then run after the ball and use it as spell, adding to your arsenal.

Our DD's preschool has a mat, boxing gloves, gear etc. and one of those weighted blown up clowns... it requires direct supervision but the kids have a blast with it.

Our eldest does kung fu and they do lots of relays (crab walk, bear walk, lunges, tuck rolls). The kids also have a _blast_ with 1 on 1 pushing games. Both kids have a body shield (similar to this: http://www.blackbeltshop.com/kidkickshield.htm) and they try to push each other out of a circle with the body shields. Both of their hands are holding onto their own shield so they are just pushing on each others shields. If someone falls you win and take on the next 'challenger'. There's no keeping score, and everyone gets a turn.

Not the most physical game but you need a predefined square (you could set up four coats even to mark each corner). Put someone in the center of the square and have them cover their eyes (they only need their ears for this one). Everyone else playing tries to quickly but quietly go to a corner while the center person counts to 10. When done counting the center person points to a corner where they think someone is standing then they can open their eyes and see if they caught someone. If you are caught you sit out and then the round starts again. Repeat until down to two players running the square and the one not caught gets a turn in the middle and the game starts anew.

I think it's wonderful you are helping out in this way!

[CarrieMF]

Exactly, but they don't have enough people to supervise out of control kids.

3-4 staff members SHOULD be enough for 80 students, especially when there are 6-10 who are out of control. If they have to walk/stand with a supervisor it isn't a choice & they're still moving(vs sitting at the wall/in the office) What is the school's policy on discipline, because I see this more as a school issue than just these 6-10 kids.

[straighthaircurly]

I agree to a certain point that it should be enough but I really don't think anything will be accomplished by the boys just having to follow along with a supervisor. They aren't trying to be naughty, they really are trying to get their heads around what they can and can't do during recess. They just need a little extra coaching right now. I really want them to be able to break their cycle of getting in trouble once a week (and the kids do too). The classroom teacher told the boys on Friday that I will be coming for recess next week to help them and they were excited and very relieved.

There are closer 100+ kids (I said 80 because I was guessing) because there are 4 classes outside at a time. The times are staggered so there are always kids coming and then two classes trying to line up. The area is huge (1.5 acres about) and two of the supervisors are lining kids up for their classroom teachers to come meet them up near the doors. The other 2 are watching the kids but I have to say that I don't think a couple of the supervisors are very good. They don't move around much (one is a very old woman who moves very slow) and I don't think they even scan very well (I have seen stuff happen right under their noses).

But really, to me, this is not the issue for my son and his friends. They just need a chance to learn some more suitable games and have a bit more coaching until they have a better understanding. They are really trying hard to not get in trouble, but their impulse control and decision making capabilities are a bit behind the rest of the kids.

[straighthaircurly]

Update after 2 days of recess

Monday I organized a color scavenger hunt where the kids paired up and hunted for baggies hidden with different colored pieces of yarn. They had to find each of 5 bags and take one piece from each to put in their team's baggie. The results: the kids loved it, they got to run but there was no crashing into each other, they worked as a team, teams even helped each other as the game went on (the problems I had were other kids moving the baggies from their hiding places).

Tuesday we played Popcorn. I was hoping this would eventually be a good game for the kids to play on their own as there is no equipment or setup. The game has a leader that can change each round. The kids run around (in a defined area) until the leader shouts out a number and a thing (like 2 and elephant) and the kids hurry to group themselves by the number shouted and act out the thing. It did NOT go well. About 25 kids came to play. BUT some of the boys and one of the girls ended up purposefully crashing into each other or tackling even though it had NOTHING to do with the game. I had to have a bunch of them sit out various rounds and they then lost interest. The girl ended the game by punching someone in the stomach and got written up. Aargh! A group of about 10-12 kids really liked the game and kept playing the whole time but the target audience did not do well with it. I did learn something though: I asked my son at the end of the day why he felt he needed to purposefully crash into other kids. He said he didn't. I said I watched him running in a line, then look over at a kid and veer straight toward them. He said that he was trying to "just miss" them and misjudged. A light bulb went on and I realized that he gets a thrill from "near misses" and doesn't really care if it ends up being a hit instead of a miss, he just wants to experience the rush. Now I need to brainstorm how to address this.

Today we are doing an obstacle course but I worried I am going to have too many kids. My activities are becoming quite the buzz of recess, but that creates its own challenges.

[lightheart]

I wonder if there is any funding in your school system to get some more playground equipment? Sounds like other kids might not know what to do either, just not playing aggressivly for them to be noticed...

I hope as the week progresses things go smoother.

[Girlprof]

I arrived at my son's after school program on a rainy day last week to find them playing Steal the Bacon. Steal the Bacon? This was an ancient game when MY mom was a kid. I'm surprised they were able to find out the rules, but you can get them on google, of course. This involved a lot of running. There is some tagging, which might get rough with your group, but you could solve that with strips of cloth to be grabbed out of pockets instead.

Good for you for doing this!

[straighthaircurly]

Today went great. We did an obstacle course, the kids listened well and I only had 2 kids who had a little trouble keeping their hands to themselves. I made the course long enough that even though there were 25+ kids involved the line stayed relatively short and moved fast. It even drew kids from classes that came out later and I stayed an extra 15 minutes beyond my son's class. I brought some simple props along, but am working on ideas for them to steadily transition into setting up their own courses with items/equipment on hand.

The main classroom teacher and I have been discussing my observations. And combined with her observations she has realized this particular class of kids has a lot of students with sensory issues. So she has sought the assistance of the OT in school who has given her some specific activities to incorporate into her classroom to try to meet more of the sensory needs of these kids. I am SOOOOOO glad my DS gets to have her as a teacher for 2 years.

Gonna go google Steal the Bacon now