Rationale and Aims of PlayTimes:

The Problem:
A scene to touch all our hearts, teachers and parents alike, is that of children all on their own in the playground saying “I have no-one to play with”. I have found this to be an area of great concern to teachers and frequently a basis for staff-room discussion. Parents also have similar concerns. They consistently tell me that their primary concern is that their child is happy; that their child has “settled” in school.

Education is all about each child fulfilling his or her potential in a wide range of areas, and not only the academic subjects. We continue to learn about the influences of areas like children’s motivation and children’s self-esteem on Learning. Furthermore, new evidence is emerging about the import of Multiple Intelligences, and how traditional schooling has sometimes taken a narrow view of intelligence, equating it to academic performance.

One Solution:
In the same way that Programmes like Shared Reading and Peer-Supported Reading can contribute to a school’s Early Intervention Literacy Programme, “PlayTeachers” can contribute to the social and emotional well-being of pupils through it’s resources on teaching children how to play. It is based on the belief that properly organized playground games not only teach children the social, linguistic and procedural skills of game-play, but also encourage flexible social grouping and communication based on principles of Inclusiveness, Sharing, Fair-play and Fun.

How To Teach:
The following is one simple suggestion of how schools can successfully organise and teach these games. Teachers ingenuity will no doubt suggest alternative structures.

First, groups of two pupils from a more senior class work with groups of 6 or 8 younger pupils. Each group (consisting of two senior pupils and say, 6 junior class pupils) would go to the playground, say 10 minutes before the lunch break under the supervision of the junior class teacher. The seniors would then introduce, teach and supervise a new playground game. 

It sounds simple - but then all the best ideas are !! At lunch, the children would hopefully continue the game they had learned earlier.

The Playground Games:
This Web Site aims to be a resource for Teachers and Parents interested in the ideals outlined above. But it can only work if it’s visitors contribute to it’s effectiveness. Therefore, I would ask that visitors would share one game in return for using this resource. Your game may well be used by some teacher to help some child to make a social or emotional “connection” with others. So please, fill in the Game Submission form. Your contribution will be acknowledged and added to the Playground Games database.

Playground Games:

Name	Age	Players (Min.)	Country	Additional Information	Game Description	
Chicken’s got the measles:	4 to 10	4	Ireland		Children stand in a circle with their legs apart. Children sing the following rhyme: “Chicken’s got the measles, the measles, the measles. Chicken’s got the measles, inside out.” The children jump from legs crossed (right leg on front) to legs apart to legs crossed (left leg on front) along with the rhyme, and whoever has their legs uncrossed at the end of the rhyme has to leave the circle.	
Red Letter:	4 to 10	3	Ireland		The leader decides which letter of the alphabet is to be the “red letter”. If the “red letter” is “m”, then “m” can’t be used in the subsequent game. The children stand 10 metres back from the leader. The game proper starts when the leader calls a letter of the alphabet (for example “r”). If a child’s name has two “r”s, then that child can take 2 steps towards the leader. First one to get to the leader wins.	
Mother May I:	4 to 10	3	Ireland		The object of the game is for each of the children to try to touch the leader. The leader decides how each child progresses by saying, for example “Laura, do a tomato” and Laura has to “do” a tomato. The things to “do” are:  “a tomato” (step backwards) “a baby step” (small step) or  “a giant step” (big step)  “a umbrella” (turn around until leader says stop) “a train” (say choo choo and go forward until leader says stop) (children should also make up new moves for themselves). Before the child does anything, the child must say “Mother May I” and get a “yes you may” reply.	
Stick in the Mud:	7 to 10	6	Scotland		Children are divided into two teams. Give names to the teams to help group identity etc. One team is “on” (catching). When Mary is caught, Mary has to stand still with legs apart and can only be “freed” if a team-mate crawls through. Game finishes when all are caught - then reverse team roles.	
Red Light, Green Light, One, Two, Three:	4 to 10	6	Ireland		One person (the leader) stands facing a wall. Group of children stand 10 metres behind at “the start”. The leader calls out “Red Light, Green Light, One, Two, Three” and jumps around. During this time, the rest of the children try to run up and touch the leader. However, if the leader sees anyone move when s/he turns around, then that person has to return to “the start”. The child who touches the leader first becomes the leader for the next game.	
Rats and Rabbits:	4 to 7	5	Ireland		Children nominate each of two walls (or trees or rocks etc.) “Rats” and the other “Rabbits”. The group then stand at either “Rats” or “Rabbits” and touch that place. One person (the caller) stands back and shouts “Rats” or “Rabbits”. (The difficulty lies in that the children have to decide whether to run to the shouted place OR stay where they are if they are already in the nominated place). Children lose a life if: 1. They let go of the nominated place OR 2. If they are too slow to leave for the nominated place.	
Simon Says:	4 to 10	5	Ireland		One child  (the leader) has to tell the others what to do. For example “Simon says - touch your nose”. All the children then touch their noses. The trick arises when the leader says “scratch you knee” WITHOUT saying “Simon says”. Children can have 3 lives and last player left can be the leader.	
D.O.N.K.E.Y.:	7 to 10	4	Ireland		Children stand in a circle and throw a soft ball/beanbag/sock to another in the circle after calling his or her name. A child gets the letter “D” if s/he drops the ball OR has thrown it poorly. After getting “D”, s/he next gets “O”, then “N” until they are the “DONKEY”.	
Dog and Bone:	4 to 10	5	Ireland		One child takes the role of the dog and is blindfolded. The dog sits on a chair and a “bone” (pencil/ball) is placed under the chair. The rest of the children then stand in a circle around the dog. The game begins when a leader (adult or nominated child) who is outside the circle gestures to one child in the circle to get the bone. The child then tries to sneak up to the chair and take the bone. If the dog barks in the correct direction (i.e. towards the child creeping up), then the child must return to the circle.	
					If a child gets the bone, s/he returns to the circle and all the circle put their hands behind their backs. If the dog cannot guess who has taken his/her bone, then the game has a new dog.	
Unfreeze a Friend:	All	4	Australia		Each child walks around while balancing a beanbag on their head. If you lose you beanbag, you have to freeze and rely on a friend to pick it up and replace it for you (while still balancing their own). A leader can also change the speed of the game by calling slow, fast, run or hop.	
Nana, Nana, Who’s got the Banana:	4 to 10	5	Ireland		Children sit in a circle, knees crossed and bent upwards. They pass around a banana underneath their bent knees. One child stands in the centre and tries to spot who has the banana while the children sing “Nana Nana, Who’s got the Banana”. 	
Catch, Don’t Catch:	4 to 10	5	America		Children stand in a circle. One child is in the centre and has a bag or beanbag or sock. This child says “Catch” or else can say “Don’t catch” and then throw the ball to someone in the circle. The child to whom the ball is thrown must either catch or refuse to catch as  directed.	
Murderer:	7+	6	America		Children are divided into two groups. One group decided who among them will be the murderer, and he or she will wink at one of the opposition (the other group). The person winked at must wait 3 seconds and then fall down “dead”. One of the victim’s group can then guess who is the murderer. If correct, the groups change role from murderers to victims; if incorrect, wrongful accuser dies also.	
Cat and mouse:	4 to 10	6	England		Children sit in circle with two objects which can be called “cat and “mouse”. The mouse is passed around the circle and when halfway, the cat is sent around to catch the mouse. Cat can also change direction, in which case the mouse should try to stay opposite the cat in the circle.	
Leap-frog line:	7+	8	England		Leap-frog where the children are divided into 2 (or more) teams who bend over in a line. They have a race, but can only move as a team from the last leap-frogger to the front. 	
What Time is it Mr. Wolf:	4 to 10	6	Australia		Children stand 10 metres back from the “wolf” who has his or her back turned to them. Children shout “What time is it Mr. Wolf ?” and the Wolf says “ It’s 4 (or another number) O’ Clock”. The children then take 4 (or another number) steps towards the wolf. At some point, the Wolf will answer “Dinner-time” to the question, at which point the wolf turns and chases the children. if the wolf catches a child, that child becomes the wolf. Alternatively, if one of the children get close enough to touch the wolf (while taking the prescribed number of steps), then this child becomes the wolf.	

Submit Game:
Please submit your suggested game in the following way:
1. Send by e-mail with subject “Playground Games” to seaghan@eircom.net
2. Title of game.
3. Description of Game. (try to be clear and avoid ambiguity)
4. Sign your name (for acknowledgment purposes)

Games are assumed not to be copyrighted and in the Public Domain.
Thank you for contributing.