The New Kind of Recess

Everything this year is new and different, and this includes recess time. Let me walk you through our new kind of recess and hope I can inspire you a little bit with yours.

This year we are lot allowed to interact with any other class of students, and this includes at recess. So how did we plan recess out and how do we make this fun for our students? Let’s walk through it all.

Select Individual Recess Spots

Since my building has 6 kindergarten classes, we have created or found 6 kindergarten spots where we will host individual recess locations. Sadly, this means that my class can only go to the actual playground once every 6 school days, but we can outside every day!

Not every location is perfect or ideal , but since out students don’t have a lot of freedom to move in the classroom, we really REALLY need to let them have recess daily. This is when we have to get creative.

Make a Recess Schedule

Now, we made a schedule to rotate recess spots. Since we go to specials like computer lab, music, art, and PE before recess, we assigned recess spots based on specials. And we selected recess spots based on the specials locations. For example, our music room exits close to the black top, so if you have a music, your class goes to the black top. Art gets to go to the playground. PE is just a small patch of grass. You get the point.

Get a Few Supplies

The new recess... it looks different but we can still make it FUN.

Next, I got a few supplies. I know not everyone has the ability to use objects like balls, but think about the things you can use. Students can play with balls against walls individually, as they can with frisbees. Sidewalk chalk is another great tool to use. And BUBBLES.

Here are some of the things I grabbed or want to grab for recess.
Balls
Frisbees (These were donated to us by a business in the area.)
Sidewalk Chalk (I am having a tough time getting chalk not through here.)
Bubbles with a Bubble Machine
Hula Hoops
Jump Ropes
Ball and Catch Game
Sport Markers
Scoop Ball and Catch Set

Each Recess Location Gets a Few Items

Bubble Machine is a great recess activity.

I do not recommend taking a huge supply of materials outside at once. Instead, I highly recommend taking a few things out to each location per day. For example, when we are on a black top, sidewalk chalk and bouncing balls are great choices. In a small patch of grass, bubble machines for the win! We also take a few hula hoops with us.

Then, in larger areas we can take out scoop balls and catch games. Jump ropes are also great options, although my kinders do not know how to use them. We are working on it.

The New Recess: Wet Days

Wet recess ideas... chalk obstacle course.

Rainy days are not fun. But the worst kind of recess is actually when it is super WET outside but not raining. Since we have random recess locations, many of them are not ideal for draining and stay wet for a while. But, we want to take these kiddos out.

When you face this kind of recess, I have a fun suggestion. Use sidewalk chalk to make a quick obstacle course. My students LOVED having a challenge of jumping with feet apart and together, left foot and right foot, and jumping towards different directions. Once we went through our onstiable course a few times, I started timing the kids. They loved this even more!

Cleaning and Sanitizing

We clean students hands after “the new recess” and we clean the equipment regularly. We also follow all the rules we have been given about procedures. Yours may be slightly different and that is okay!