My school combines two classes in a room and the PTO provides games and such. The children are also aloud to bring in toys from home on rainy days. We dont have use of the gym because other classes are using it. But for those of you who are able to use a gym for recess on rainy days...........should definityly find some organized physical exersise that the children can do. They have all just slept about 8-10 hours and then they come to school to sit for 6-7 more and now you want them to sit and watch a movie??????????? They need to blow off steam and exersise. The dance a thon idea is great. And if its not that then just let them dance. Kids love to line dance. Be creative. You can have Cotton Eyed Joe Rainy Day Jams.
I just had to respond to this one. As a parent in a nation where childhood obesity is at severely high levels, if I were you, I would be LIVID that the children are forced to sit quietly and watch movies during their 20 minute recess time.
First, and most obvious, they need the exercise and they need to " blow off steam". Secondly, they need the social time. A lot is learned about social rules, cooperation and friendship out on the playground.
I absolutely think a dance a thon would work.. or if not that.. then have your PTO have " ready" activities for rainy days.. If your PE dept doesn't have hula hoops or jump ropes, then buy them. Another option is simon says. or freeze dance you can do that with 100 people in the room!
I understand that there are a lot children in a small gym during recess, as compared to during gym class.. so if the physical exercise isn't an option because of safety... then your PTO should offer to buy board games, puzzles, trivia games and things that create interaction.
Lastly.. I would go to your Principal and ask what the rationale is regarding movies/gym on rainy days. Once you hear the answer, maybe you can offer better suggestions.. and the one many PTO'ers use when dealing with this same issues is " Mr. Principal, would you or your staff want to sit queitly in a room with your peers, and be told you couldn't talk to them during your lunch and break time?"
Why can't the students play in the gym instead of watching a movie? That would make more sense. I wouldn't worry so much about having a dance-a-thon. I would ask the principal about the children playing in the gym instead of watching movies.
At our school, the children rotate between the auditorium and the gym. When they are in the gym, they play. When they are in the auditorium, they watch movies. I don't agree with them watching movies because children already watch too much television. I'd like our students to play board games or bingo, but their recess is only 15 minutes long. You can't get much accomplished in 15 minutes.
Ok......so I have an idea...tell me if it's feasible!
We have the long standing dilemma at our school regarding indoor recess. The children are to sit in the gym and watch a movie any time the weather prohibits them from going outside. My plan is this: What if we did a dance-a-thon where the children collect pledges for each hour that they dance and then we spread the dancing out over the course of any indoor recesses that would occur during let's say the January and February months. Each recess is 20 minutes long so it would take several recesses to reach the 60 min. mark and if parents and grandparents pledged money/hour danced it wouldn't be over the top as far as a donation. Does this sound like something that we could do and still maintain some order?
