We get asked a lot of similar things when we visit schools, but one thing we get asked about all the time is wet playtime.
We know wet playtime can be an absolute nightmare for schools, with boredom leading to misbehaviour and chaos, BUT…finally we have the answer!
Unless it’s HAMMERING IT DOWN for the ONE HOUR you are outside, pupils should be encouraged to wear jackets and enjoy the wet weather!
In cases where you CANNOT have pupils outside (we’re talking thunder and hailstorms), then zones should be set up in classrooms, with one activity per room. Instead of putting children back in their learning groups, pupils can choose which activity zone they would like to join and remain there until the end of wet play.
If you’ve embedded the Better Lunchtimes Mark as we suggest, you should have clear and set times for lunch so there should NEVER be a time when the whole school are in the same place. With that in mind, half the school will always be inside while the other half are outside.
Here are some good ideas to keep kids entertained, and hopefully stop issues arising:
Class activity boxes filled with jigsaws, board games, books and magazines
Circle time activities – things like wink murder, giant’s keys, etc
Drawing, colouring and crafting
Play dough (you’d be surprised how many older kids love this too!)
Stick on a film or video they haven’t seen before
Cosmic kids yoga (find this online) - a great one to get them moving but in a calm and controlled way
Crosswords and wordsearches
Class quizzes, hangman, and other whiteboard games
But remember, just because it's hammering it down at 12.25, that doesn't mean it's wet playtime for the whole of lunch... the aim is to get pupils back out as soon as possible!