To: Peaceful Playgrounds
This is the first year that we have used the Peaceful Playground program at my school (Mountain View School, East Longmeadow, MA). It is going very well, however, as the snow finally starts to fly we find ourselves struggling to know how to keep the program running as the fields become off limits for children who are not dressed appropriately and the playground gets more crowded and covered in snow and ice.
Do you have suggestions of what to do to keep the program running during the winter months in places where it snows? What have other schools done?
Thanks,
Carrie Wallace
Principal
Carrie:
We will be putting out a newsletter with some ideas on rain/snow day activities. What timing.
Below you will find some Peaceful Playgrounds ideas to keep PP going in the winter. 1. Use tape and tape some of the games inside in a multi-purpose, hall way or gym.
2. Show the Instructional Games DVD's and teach children how to play the games. http://www.peacefulplaygrounds.com/dvd.htm
3. Or have students make up alternate games for some of the Peaceful Playgrounds court markings. Ie. The game long ball was invented by kids. It is a game of handball played without a wall. It is in the Upper grades game book. Have a contest and see who invents the best playground game.
These are a few ideas that come to mind. However, the newsletter tomorrow with have some additional ideas.
Although they are not ready yet, we have (in production) some of our games on rugs that are portable so that you could lay out the game rugs inside and they could be easily moved around. Coming soon.
Thanks for the inquiry,
Melinda Bossenmeyer, Ed.D.
PS Anyone with some additional suggestions please post them and we will share them with other readers.