School ban on kiss chase and tag
Traditional playground games like kiss chase and tag have been banned at a primary school because staff said playtime was becoming too rough. 
Head teacher at St John's Primary, near Lincoln, Susan Tuck, said children had been copying the violent elements of computer games and television shows.
Now the school is using new games chosen by the pupils which the school says are safe and fun.
Opponents say running around and falling over is part of growing up.
The bad thing is it's pretty boring at playtime and you can't have as much fun as you used to be able to 
Ms Tuck said: "The children are watching television, they're watching films and they're playing computer games, very often it's the violent element of that they are seeing and hearing.
"That's what they're going to come on to our playground to play, we want to change that picture."
Critically, the ban does not include sports such as football or cricket.
Lincolnshire Education Authority said it was up to individual schools to decide on what they allowed at playtime.
But Joe Foote, play development officer at The Cheeky Monkey's after-school club in Bulwell, Nottinghamshire, said contact games should be encouraged.
"All children love to play games, lots of physical running around, having a laugh, falling over.
"Sometimes children do have accidents, that's part and parcel of growing up and achieving."
Reacting to the changes, one pupil at the school said: "The good thing is that lots of people can't get hurt but the bad thing is it's pretty boring at playtime and you can't have as much fun as you used to be able to."
Research suggests some traditional playground games can help reduce bullying.
Recent projects to re-introduce old-fashioned games such as skipping, spinning tops and hopscotch into primary school playgrounds have been organised in a handful of counties across England.
And in Wales a project to encourage youngsters to play safely but energetically was set up in 2005.
No comments:
Post a Comment