Typically, when we begin each school year, we spend the first 6 weeks building class community. Much of the community building involves playing games and participating in activities that allow us to get to know one another, work as a team, tie in some academics, and have fun! This community-building happens in the classroom and at recess, when kids, (even big kids), can just be kids, socialize, and play. This is important for the social-emotional development of children.
As a result of COVID-19 and social distancing guidelines, many of our community-building activities will be different. Recess will be different too but it doesn’t mean we have to sacrifice it altogether. According to Scholastic’s article, Recess Makes Kids Smarter, research shows that when children have recess, they gain the following benefits:
- Are less fidgety and more on task
- Have improved memory and more focused attention
- Develop more brain connections
- Learn negotiation skills
- Exercise leadership, teach games, take turns, and learn to resolve conflicts
- Are more physically active before and after school
So, for the sake of all of these research-based benefits, community building, and the social-emotional health of children, here are some safe, fun & structured activities that can be played any time outdoors and during your scheduled recess time. All of these activities keep social distancing guidelines in mind with the added benefit of fun!
Scavenger Hunts
Zoom Scavenger hunts were always a requested activity during distance learning. I love scavenger hunts because you can tie these hunts into any theme, subject area, or content you are teaching. Scavenger Hunts are great for all grade levels K-5. You can make the hunts as easy, complex, or as silly as you’d like. Scavenger hunts get students outside and moving! It’s a great form of exercise too. All you have to do is give the students some clues, they can run off to find the item and either bring/tell you the item or record on a sheet with a clipboard. Here are some ideas:
Math: Go find something that is symmetrical, something with a right angle, something that is round.
ELA: Go find something that starts with the letter W, go find a noun, go find something that rhymes with…
Science: Go find something that is living, go find something that you can smell, hear, or feel (textures).
The topics and possibilities for scavenger hunts are endless!
A Good Old Fashioned Game of Kickball
How about a good old-fashioned game of kickball?! I like this game because, for the most part, it is easy to manage and play. Students are spread out but be sure to remind students who are waiting in line for their turn or are standing on or guarding a base, to stand six feet apart from one another. With a little dose of healthy competition, this game is super fun to play, and to even watch!
Is there a DJ in the House? Freeze Dance
Turn the music up, spread out, and just dance! This game is an oldie, but a goodie. It gets kids busting a move while exercising and having fun. Just pump up the music, dance and when the music stops, you FREEZE! You and your students can decide if you want to include the rule that whoever doesn’t freeze when the music stops is “out” OR has to do something like 10 jumping jacks or pushups in order to get back into the next round. Vote for the students who have the BEST dance moves at the end.
*Other organized line dances are fun too, like the Cha, Cha Slide, The Cupid Shuffle, and Watch Me (Whip/Ne Ne). Student favorites!
Let’s Get Fit With Exercise Stations
Exercise is so important, especially when we are all spending so much time behind screens. Have different stations to do exercises with some challenges, ex. 50 jumping jacks in 1 minute. Students can rotate to different stations after a minute or two. Some ideas for stations are:
- Jumping jacks
- Pushups
- Situps
- Balancing on one foot
- Squats
- Hopping
- Skipping
- Jogging in place
- Yoga
Let your students come up with some other exercise stations too.
Chalk It Up To Sidewalk Chalk
Oh, how I love sidewalk chalk. There are so many things to do with chalk. You can play games like Pictionary, Hangman, or hopscotch that incorporates counting by multiples or adding, subtracting, and multiplying numbers. You can draw pictures, maps, and murals.
You can tie in with whatever you are learning. Tells students to draw a picture to demonstrate their understanding of the water cycle or draw a diagram of the crayfish or beetles you are studying. Decorate the blacktop or sidewalk with numbers, letters, and knowledge.
Get Creative
Have students design games keeping social distancing in mind, including the objective and rules for play, and pitch it to the class. Take a vote on which game to play each day.
Feeling even more creative? Bring back your field day activities and use the gym equipment for potato sack races, egg on spoon races, tug of war, and relay races. Use the playground equipment as an obstacle course, do timed activities, and maybe even add a little competition. You’ll get an engaged and active crowd every time.
WAIT THERE’S ONE MORE (LUCKY 7): SHADOW TAG! My son told me about playing shadow tag at recess. It’s just like regular tag but with no touching. You tag the person by tagging their shadow with your foot. This allows kids to stay three feet apart, run, and have fun outside.
Structured recess activities have many benefits and are safe and fun. Who knows, maybe your students won’t want to go back to a “free for all” recess ever again. 😉
Take-Home Points:
- Recess has many research-based benefits.
- Structured recess activities that follow social distancing guidelines are safe and fun.
- Let students create socially distancing friendly activities.
Give these outdoor activities a try and let me know of some other “social distancing friendly” games you try as well.
If you like this, you may like, How To Have a Morning Meeting With Social Distancing.
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Have a safe and wonderful start to the school year!
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Christine Weis is a passionate educator, classroom management coach, wife, and mom of two busy boys. She enjoys teaching, writing, and creating resources for teachers.
i like the shadow tag idea
Right?! Me too! I had to go back to this post and add it in!
Thanks for reading,
Christine at For The Love of Teachers
It’s a great and wonderful ideas I like the hop scotch and scavenger hunt.
I’m with the kick ball and I’ll try to convince our school admin to sanitize the ball and hands before and after. I hope it will work. Thank you so much
So…kickball.
Not really sure that’s the best game. Pitcher touches it to roll it toward home plate (1)…outfielder (2) catches it and throws to first base (3) but the ball is overthrown and another outfielder runs to get it (4). Are you worried about potentially 4 different students touching the ball in one play?
Good point! I think teachers will have to use their own discretion and judgment with this game. Some teachers require students to wash/sanitize their hands before playing and then again after playing. The kickballs are also sanitized daily after use too.
Thanks for reading!
Christine at For The Love of Teachers
You can kick it! Some people use it at recess while kicking it!
It is going to be an interesting new school year. My prayer is that they offer the choice of distance learning and make in class very small spaced out groups.
It really is! It’s going to be challenging in my ways. Choice is a good idea! I’m hoping for remote learning to start off with. Thanks for reading!
Christine at For The Love of Teachers
those are awesome ideas for recess. my youngest can’t wait to get back to school. she misses her friends at school.
Aww, I bet she does! I miss being at school too with teachers, staff, and students! Thanks for reading!
Christine at For The Love of Teachers
Scavenger hunt is my favorite. I also like the freeze dance super fun!
Me too! Thanks for reading!
Christine at For The Love of Teachers
Scavenger hunts are the best for kids of all ages. I love to dance so freeze dance is so much fun too! Thanks for reading!
Christine at For The Love of Teachers
Kickball and Freeze dance seems fun for kids! They will enjoy it for sure. It’s a creative way to have fun!
Kids love kickball and free dance. Thanks for reading!
Christine at For The Love of Teachers
I agree! At least kids will be having fun and healthy during recess! It’s better than being couped up sitting in rows in the classroom.
Thanks for reading!
Christine at For The Love of Teachers
Brilliant!! With all that is going on at the moment it is so important that children still make the effort to play and a scavenger hunt is a good one for sure x
Thank you! I definitely agree! Thanks for reading!
Christine at For The Love of Teachers
Thanks so much! I appreciate it! Thanks for reading!
Christine at For The Love of Teachers
With a “new normal” emerging, kids will definitely have to adapt, too! Learning new games to still have fun while social distancing is a great start.
Exactly! At least recess can be somewhat normal without so many restrictions in the classroom. Thanks for reading!
Christine at For The Love of Teachers
Yes! I agree! Thanks for reading!
Christine at For The Love of Teachers
Those are wonderful and creative ideas you got there. It’s great that you can both have fun and be safe at the same time.
Thank you! I agree! Thanks for reading!
Christine at For The Love of Teachers
Dancing always gets people moving! There is something about it that just can’t be explained. Little ones love it too much.
These are all really brilliant ideas. My daughter would love some of these games to play
these are really gerat examples , i used to enjoy playing kickball so much as a child
Those are so nice activities you suggested! I usually played the Chalk Up with my friends.
Those are all really fun ideas to promote social distancing during recess. I love the idea of promoting distanced exercises, a great way to keep kids healthy and happy while being 6 feet apart. And teaches them to enjoy exercise, which isn’t as much fun when you are older, lol.
I love these ideas, but I am especially a fan of scavenger hunts!
you are so clever. i am loving the ideas. my favorite idea is a scavenger hunt. even as an adult, i love scavenger hunts.
Some real cool aand fun activities I must say, we often “Chalk Up” and play with my kids for hours 😊
Thank you! We love sidewalk chalk for so many reasons. Thanks for reading!
Christine at For The Love of Teachers
I personally would like children to stay at home instead but since everything and everyone must continue these recess activies while taking social distancing into account are great ideas!
I know, I hear you! I am much more comfortable with remote learning as well. There are some schools going back face to face full time. I don’t know for how long but at least we have some recess ideas to keep us safe. Thanks for reading!
Christine at For The Love of Teachers