Peaceful Playground and Pedallers

Written by Tim Craig, PE Teacher

Last year,  we were fortunate enough to receive a grant that allowed us to brighten up our playground with the Peaceful Playground system. Peaceful playground is a system that helps eliminate many problems that are caused on the blacktop. Many of you volunteered your time to come and help paint the new games/ letters and numbers which include Ball Hopscotch, Hopscotch, Four Square, a Number Line, the Alphabet, and Shapes around the basketball court.  

One of the games that I have been using to help resolve simple problems, such as who gets to go next when playing Four Square, is rock paper scissors and whoever wins gets to go next. This helps children learn how to wait for their turn patiently. With the different games and activities painted around the playground, hopefully we will not encounter the problem of long lines, but if they do, remind them to use rock paper scissors to solve who gets to go next.  (If you would like to show your students a video of how to play copies of the Peaceful Playground the DVD will be in the Library) 

The use of our new pedallers in classrooms are great to use a reward for students who do the right thing.  You can also use them for those children who just have difficulty sitting still in your classroom. Sometimes students just need to be moving all of the time, even in the classroom.  In the gym, I have found them very beneficial, especially when I have students who have injuries and are unable to participate in gym, they are able to sit out and pedal away for the duration of class.  This way they are still moving and raising their heart rate while in gym class.  Since the students love them so much, I also use them as rewards. Everyday I have students ask me if they can get on the pedaller. Keeping the students moving and active in classrooms is important and in some cases it even helps the students stay on task. If you would like to see the pedallers in action, peek in Ms. McCord’s room while she uses 6-8 in her room, or Ms. Andrews who utilizes the pedallers to help keep her students on task.