June 29th, 2006 | 
Author: USATODAY.com – ‘Not it!’ More schools ban games at recess
Some traditional childhood games are disappearing from school playgrounds because educators say they’re dangerous.
Elementary schools in Cheyenne, Wyo., and Spokane, Wash., banned tag at recess this year. Others, including a suburban Charleston, S.C., school, dumped contact sports such as soccer and touch football.
So soccer and touch football are contact sports now? What are they supposed to play? Proximity football? ‘Hey! I got within 3 feet of you! You’re down!’
“They learn to change and to problem-solve,” says Rhonda Clements, an education professor at Manhattanville College.
Joe Frost, emeritus professor of early childhood education at the University of Texas-Austin, sees playground restrictions as harmful.
“You’re taking away the physical development of the children,” he says. “Having time for play is essential for children to keep their weight under control.”
emphasis mine. How long have I been saying this now?
Educrat1: ‘Kids are getting fatter.’
Educrat2: ‘Really? Huh. I know, lets limit sports and activity.’
Educrat1: ‘Sounds good!’
Educrat2: ‘What do want to do now?’
Educrat1: ‘I dunno. Wanna raise taxes?’
Educrat2: ‘Sounds good! Um, what for?’
Educrat1: ‘We need to fund our new Lardass Awareness program.’
Educate2: ‘Do we make them sit still and do nothing for hours in the program?’
Educate1: ‘Absolutely!’
Educate2: Sounds good! Um, what if they move.’
Educate1: ‘Drug them!’
Educate2: ‘Sounds good!’
During one of my many walks at lunchtime in the Timonium area this recent winter I came upon the elementary school at St. John’s Church. The kids were having after-lunch recess, they were all over the jungle-gym (probably something banned at public schools), jumping on top of each other and screaming at the top of their little lungs. They were moving a mile a minute. I have not seen a similar situation of discord at area public schools, which doesn’t seem to promote the concept of recess.
The nuns at this school were quietly sipping coffee nearby making sure that the kids weren’t going to hurt themselves. And, most likely, smugly knowing these very same kids were going to be way to tired to cause any trouble during their afternoon lessons.
Recess is a good thing.
I tend to agree with you but this new study might prove us wrong:
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/124/115598?src=RSS_PUBLIC
Interesting, but my first thought is if the U.K. is experiencing the same trends as the U.S. in terms of ADD/ADHD diagnosis rates, playground equipment and sports/game restrictions. If the kids in the U.K. are actually allowed to be kids, then the study makes more sense.