Great Neck Playground Handbook
PLAY SAFE! HAVE FUN!
GUIDELINES AND ACTIVITIES FOR THE GREAT NECK PLAYGROUND
EVERYBODY CAN PLAY AT RECESS
Teachers, parents and students at Great Neck School have written a handbook for children to look at and read so that everybody can play at recess together!!
Our students are learning to play games and follow rules. There is a section on games that we like to play but will need to be supervised by an adult. The games in this handbook are in alphabetical order with pictures of our students playing the games.
Our students have many ways to solve problems at recess without asking the teacher on duty. Emotions are part of the game but remember that there is always a way to solve the argument, keep your friends and stay in the game.
We have included a page on being a good sport because being a good sport is an important part of the game. We like playing with each other and want to be invited to join more games. If we are fair, follow the rules, and let everybody play we will have fun at recess!
We hope you enjoy reading this handbook and it helps you at recess!
BEING A GOOD SPORT MEANS..
- to be tolerant of others.
- mixing teams.
- everybody should be allowed to play.
- playing safe.
- deciding and talking about the rules before you start the game.
- picking fair teams.
- playing fair.
- taking turns turning jump ropes.
STUDENTS' SUGGESTIONS to solve problems without asking a teacher on duty.
- Use words, not hands.
- Let it go if it is not very important.
- Vote.
- Talk about the problem with other students and take their advice.
- Use "Paper, Rock, Scissors" or "Odds and Evens".
- Walk away.
- Pick a number from 1 to 5 behind your back.
- Go by the "O.U.T. Rule".
O.U.T. RULE
If someone is playing a game and you see a rule broken, yell "O.U.T. out!"
That person says, "What did I do?"
You tell them what rule was broken.
They say, "How many saw it?"
If two or more people raise their hand and saw it, you have to go along with the results of breaking the rule.
NO ARGUING OR REDOS
BASKETBALL
Everyone on the team tries to score more points than the other team by putting the ball in the hoop. Start the game by picking captains to get two equal teams. Boys and girls can play on both teams. When a team makes a point, the other team will check the ball to someone on their team. They get the ball and try to shoot it.
RULES:
- Dribble the ball in bounds.
- Do not travel or walk with the ball.
- Don't throw the ball at people. Pass it to them.
- Stealing and blocking is allowed.
- You cannot go out of bounds.
- No pushing, tripping, fighting, yelling or hitting.
- Don't sit on the ball.
- No hacking (fouling).
- Don't stand under the hoops.
- 10.No more than 10 people on each team.
IDEAS FOR FUN!
- Play horse.
- "Knockout"
- Make it. Take it.
- Around the world.
FOUR SQUARE
The objective of the game is to hit the ball into another person's square and try to make them miss it so they cannot send the ball into another square. Everyone wants to be in the number 1 square so you can serve the ball. Start the game by dropping the ball then hitting it into a different square. If you miss, you go to the end of the line or the last square.
RULES:
- Don't let it bounce twice in your square.
- No spikes, catching or kicking the ball.
- You cannot bobble (hit it twice up in the air).
- You have to rotate the positions and the person in square 4 goes out if there is a line.
- You cannot hold the ball.
- If you slam or hit the ball too hard and it hits a player, it is a foul and you go directly to the last square.
- Lines are out.
FREEZE TAG
Find somebody to be IT. Give everybody a chance to be IT and play several times. When the IT tags you on the shoulder, FREEZE stand with your legs apart or open. When someone crawls under your legs, you are not frozen anymore and may begin to play again.
TV TAG
Decide who is going to be IT. Before the IT tags you on the shoulder, sit down quickly and say the name of a TV show. If you can do this before you get tagged, you are safe! Get up and play again. If you do get tagged, sit down; you're out.
HIGH FIVE TAG
More than 1 person can be IT. The ITS must tag people on the shoulder and when they do, the player must stand still with their hand up in the air. Yell help! Another player will hit your hand with a "High Five" and then you are free and can play again!
OCTOPUS TAG
Pick an IT and give every player a number from 1 to 5. Each time the IT calls your number, run across the area and the two octopi chase the fish (other players).
Try to make it across the ocean (playing area) to the safe side without being tagged. If a fish is tagged, she/he is frozen on the spot. The frozen fish can tag running players freezing them too. The game is over when everyone is caught. Start the game again with new octopi and have fun.
ELBOW TAG
Everyone gets a partner and hooks elbows. If 1 person is left over, have 1 group of 3. Pick a runner and a tagger. The runner can rest or escape the tagger by hooking onto the end of the pairs or group of three. The person at the other end must begin to run from the tagger. If the tagger gets tired or wants to stop, (s)he can hook up at the end of the line and the other end person is the tagger. If a tagger taps a runner, this runner becomes the tagger.
ZIG ZAG TAG
Just tell someone to be IT. If the IT comes around, you just run in a circle to get away. If the IT tags you, you become the IT. It is safe on the wall or fence. Don't run into them.
KICKBALL
The objective of the game is to score the most points by running around the bases. Start the game by picking captains and they pick fair teams. Make sure boys and girls are evenly divided on both teams. Talk about the rules before you start the game.
RULES:
- The team that picks first, is the first team on the field.
- If the other team catches the ball in the air, you are out.
- Don't peg hard and make it below the shoulders.
- No sliding, stealing, leading.
- 3 outs per inning.
- Foul is outside the baseline, you cannot run on a foul.
- Fly ball rule (Tag Touches) - When a fielder catches the ball in the air, the kicker is out. The runners on base have to go back and tag or step on the base again and then he/she can run to the next base.
- Double play is when 1 person is out and you get another person out too on the same play.
- You cannot be on a base with another runner.
- Your foot has to touch the base but you can overrun 1st base.
- Don't let the ball touch you if you are a runner.
- Don't take the ball away from your teammate.
- A tie goes to the runner.
- The pitcher is the only player on the mound. Other players spread out and play a position.
IDEAS FOR FUN!
- Don't over react and ruin everyone else's good time
- Pitch or roll the ball on the ground so you can kick it better.
- Don't fight! Have self-confidence.
HOOPS
Hoops are a way to have fun with other people. Hula hoop on the black top only.
BEING A GOOD SPORT MEANS:
- Giving other people a chance to use it.
- Only hula hoop for 1 minute and then pass it on.
JUMP ROPES
There are lots of ways to have fun and jump with a rope. First decide what you are going to do and make sure everybody agrees. Play jump ropes on the black top only.
RULES:
- If you are using a long rope and want to jump, you have to turn for somebody else.
- Your turn is over after 2 misses.
IDEAS FOR FUN:
- Jump with three people in the middle.
- Jump on one foot.
- Run through the long rope.
- Try Double Dutch jumping.
- Sing rhymes.
- Jump in and count your jumps.
RHYMES TO SING
Candy, Candy in the dish.
How many pieces do you wish?
One, two, three, four, five..
My mother made a chocolate cake.
How many eggs did it take?
One, two, three, four, five..
Standing on the corner
Chewing bubble gum.
Along came a teacher
Who asked me for some.
How many pieces did she take?
One, two, three, four, five..
Mabel, Mabel, set the table,
Just as fast as you are able.
Don't forget the salt, sugar, vinegar, mustard.
Red-hot PEPPER! (use you own name)
Apple on a stick,
Five cents a lick.
Every time I turn around
It makes me sick!
Fudge, fudge, tell the judge,
Mama's got a newborn baby.
It isn't a girl and it isn't a boy,
It's just a fair young lady.
Wrap it up in tissue paper.
Send it up the elevator.
First floor, miss.
Second floor, miss.
Third floor, miss.
Fourth floor, miss.
Fifth floor, miss.
Sixth floor, miss. (On the floors, the enders raise the rope gradually).
Rhymes are from Anna Banana by Joanna Cole
LARGE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT
Have fun with your friends on the large playground equipment.
SAFETY RULES:
- Don't tickle people on the monkey bars.
- Swing forward and backward ONLY! No "side to side" swinging or bumping other children.
- No jumping off the swings.
- Don't push on the slides. Only one person goes down the slide at a time.
- Keep your hands to yourself!
- Feet first on the slide.
- No spitting, hitting or throwing rocks.
- Go down (not up) the slides.
- No balls or jump ropes in the Big Toy area.
IDEAS FOR FUN!
- Pump yourself high on the swings!
- Cross the monkey bars with your hands. Let go when your hands hurt.
- Chin up on the bars. Se how many you can do!
SAFETY GUIDELINES
Cartwheels are allowed on grass only.
Back walkovers are allowed on grass. (NO backflips)
NO standing on top rung of metal Monkey Bars.
NO chicken fights on Monkey Bars.
Only one person at a time on balance beam.
Hanging upside down only allowed on parallel bars and no where else.
Sitting allowed on parallel bars and climbing ladder.
Do not sit on or hang from the blue pipes on the Big Toy.
When pushing the tire swing, let go of the chains after you push one time. No spinning.
| 
Top