My son's K-2 school is big into cup stacking. The gym teachers introduced it last year, and the kids love it. They also offer it as an after school club. The gym teachers sent home order forms for speed stacks last month for those who wanted to buy them for home use. They were offered at a discounted price, and the school recieved one free set for every twenty purchased (this was offered to over 800 1st and 2nd graders). My son brought his set home last night and was really excited to demonstrate them for me this morning. We ordered from the same company mentioned in the previous post. I think these would make a great indoor recess activity.

I know this is a bit late and hopefully you all are back outside for recess but for rainy days and winter I thought I'd share what I just did the other day for our school. Our PTO bought games "recess activities" like: Jenga, Uno attack, uno, scrabble, boggle, payday, chess, checkers, candyland, chutes & ladders, clue, sorry, upwords, and some small sized grease boards for drawing for our classes. The kids were so excited they were hoping for rain so they could stay inside for recess.
Good luck and know that we in Ohio have been praying for all of you over there in DC.

1) For a rainy day last week, our gym teacher had all the kids in the gym with plastic badminton rackets and balloons hitting them back and forth over a volley ball net. I think every two kids had a balloon, so a LOT of them were playing.

2) Do any of your schools do "Cup Stackings"? I never heard of it until I saw my niece playing with them. It's plastic cups (like drinking cups) that you stack in pyramids. It enhances hand/eye coordination, and the kids are FAST!

They have relay races, contests, tournaments. I think it started in Colorado. Some people are really serious about it.

Anyway, I was told it was popular PE activity in a lot of schools. My niece had a set of cups at home, and my kids found it addictive. (Needless to say, we are now ordering some for our house.)

Here's one website, but I don't know how many companies make something similar or if you couldn't get by with just cheap plastic cups.

www.speedstacks.com/sport.htm

I wonder if some of these vendors wouldn't donate some items or offer a special price to the DC area schools.

[ 10-17-2002: Message edited by: JHB ]</p>

Does your group have a few extra bucks, or some time to go beg (for lack of a better word) from local vendors? Each semester we hold a contest at meetings - everyone signs in under their child's grade. The grade with the most attendance for the semester gets a basket of "inside games" to be used during indoor recess. Games that don't take long to play but could be construed as instructional - Uno, Decks of Cards, Memory, scrabble (there is a junior version with the words printed on the board) etc. Long games like Risk and Monopoly won't work in a 20-30 minute period. Craft kits? Try Michaels or a teachers supply store. Also - if your school is equipped with televisions and VCR's, how about G-Rated movies?

I feel for you. My brother is a 7th grade principal in your area and I hear from him regularly that this is a trying time for them as well. Our prayers are with you.

hi guys, well as you all know here in the DC metro area we have a sniper still at large. The schools have cancelled all outdoor activities, including recess. The teachers are trying really hard to find things to do inside. I figured I could come here and see if anyone had any ideas. This could be for an extended period so the more ideas the better. Thanks. maggie
PS: using the gym is out as there are gym classes in it and it's not big enough to divide because usually there are 2 classes at a time.

[ 10-17-2002: Message edited by: nicurn ]</p>