What: An easy way to increase time outdoors is to provide more opportunities for outdoor free play. This can be done be extending recess time, adding an additional recess or outdoor break and can include play instruction to teach students new games, strategies for playing respectfully with others.
How: Adding extra recess or additional break/play time outdoors can add more outdoor minutes to children’s school day without additional planning and preparation. Perhaps take students outdoors 10 minutes before recess is scheduled to start. If recess is after lunch, you could come outside at the end of recess and gather your class either for play instruction or explain that they will have additional free playtime. You could teach a new game or have students share different games they already play as a way to teach each other new ideas. In addition, you can model or do role-plays with students about how to solve playground conflicts, how to include others, how to gather people to play a game, etc.
Students greatly benefit from direct instruction around how to use free playtime and how to navigate social situations during free play. Recess is often very unstructured with minimal supervision and engagement from adults. Conflicts often arise during this time that can carry over into instruction. Increasing student’s abilities to handle conflicts, play inclusively and more creatively while outside makes outdoor time more fun, more productive and more beneficial for students. See Class Contract or Expectations Across Groups for more ideas.
If the schoolyard has an outdoor area other than a playground such as a field or woody area, consider taking your students out to that area for some free play/exploration. Again, play instruction here is key. If students have not had a chance to play with sticks before, they could start using them dangerously. Having a discussion and modeling with students how to play with sticks safely and respectfully equips them with the skills to be able to play with them rather than having sticks become off limits. When blanket limits are set on playing with certain items outdoors, like sticks, true outdoor play is limited and stunted. Rather than telling students they can’t do something, think about what you need to teach them to be able to do that thing safely.
When: Extend existing recess time or add in additional outdoor free play such as a morning break for 15 minutes or time at the end of the day.
Who: Teachers can take their classes outside for extra free play whenever they find it makes most sense in their schedule. Another option is to have free playtime with a collaborative class such as a buddy class or other sections of the same grade. Classroom assistants can supervise students during outdoor play, which frees up teachers to meet with individual students.
Materials: None (unless materials are needed for a specific game you would like to teach)
Why: Increasing free time outdoors adds outdoor minutes to children’s school experience but also adds additional playtime. Play and outdoor time are both essential for healthy development and are both very limited in today’s school climate. Prioritizing adding additional free play outdoors is easy to plan and extremely beneficial.
Consider: Consider adding in at least 20 minutes of additional outdoor free play a week.
Barriers addressed: Class Management; Social Conflict; Curriculum Connections; Student Background Experience; Student Interest/Willingness; Values and Beliefs