Sports/fun Days For Pre School

[Guest]

I am a a newly qualified nursery nurse and am half way thrugh an OU degree. I have just started a new job as a pre school coordinator. I was wondering if any one had any ideas to help me run a preschool sports/fun day age range 3 to 4.

[Steve]

Hi Mary -

Welcome to the forum and thanks for posting!

 

I can't really contribute to this question, as I've never been involved with a sports day for 3-4 year olds. I just have two questions: 1, how many children will be involved. And 2, will it be within the session times or an out of hours event?

 

All I can really add is my fullest admiration for your bravery!

 

Regards, Steve.

[Beau]

I am organising a small sports day for my playgroup. We are having nursery rhyme sports with events such as - Wee Willie Winkie running race, Humpty Dumpty egg and spoon race, Jack and Jill bucket relay race and the Jack Be Nimble high jump. A bit forced I know! I've asked the Mums if they can come up with some better ones - any suggestions? I am only planning on doing it for half an hour and there will be little sweeties for all the children after each event, plus ice pops at the end. Lots of helpers is the key!

 

Beau

[Steve]

Hi -

This post comes indirectly from Mary. Mary, you used the Report This Post button, which is usually for reporting something objectionable that has been posted, and which only comes to the moderators (me actually ). Actually a number of members are doing this, so it's obviously a bit confusing - I'm probably going to remove this option or replace it with another button that makes it clearer. Anyway (I'm sure you all really wanted to know all that didn't you?) - on with Mary's reply:

 

I have 32 children in the pre-school and the event will be during session time. I have been told by the headmistress of the school we are attached to that we have to do the event. So any ideas would help. obviously simple running races and picking up bean bags are ok but "egg and spoon" may be too difficult at this stage?

[Guest]

Have you seen the egg and spoon set from Early Learning? You get six really chunky spoons, six plastic eggs with six fabric fried eggs inside. So you can use the hard eggs for the older children and the fabric ones, which lie flat on the spoon, for the younger ones. They were not expensive either, I think about £5, so not exactly going to break the bank when you consider that they can be shared.

Linda

[Helen]

How about target throwing (with enormous targets so they can all be successful!)

I saw a lovely race on a TV programme, where the children took a small jug-full of water from one bucket, walked/ran to another bucket a few metres away, and poured it into that one! The team who empties the bucket/fills the other one first, wins.

Putting clothes on, picking up a hat, scarf, sunglasses, etc., one at a time, running inbetween the pick-up points to arrive at the finishing line fully kitted out.

[Guest]

How about target throwing (with enormous targets so they can all be successful!)

I saw a lovely race on a TV programme, where the children took a small jug-full of water from one bucket, walked/ran to another bucket a few metres away, and poured it into that one! The team who empties the bucket/fills the other one first, wins.

Putting clothes on, picking up a hat, scarf, sunglasses, etc., one at a time, running inbetween the pick-up points to arrive at the finishing line fully kitted out.

Sports day for the under5s ?Im not sure on this>What are others thoughs on this?The preschool where I am currently doing supply(age range 2-4+ are having a sports day.How can you make sure every child has some success,I would hate to see children upset if they have not won!

[Helen]

I think staff would need to keep in mind that it is the taking part/having fun that counts, and to present it to the children as such. Not emphasizing (or even mentioning!) who came first, but giving stickers to everyone who completes an activity/takes part in an activity. Having several activities on the go simultaneously also takes away the pressure of traditional sports day races.

[Beau]

Most children of this age aren't particularly competitive anyway. The emphasis needs to be on everyone having FUN. Making sure that all the children are capable of joining in the events and making sure they're not all sitting around for too long is important. Splitting them up into smaller groups sounds like a good idea if you have lots of children. Obviously it will mean you'll need more adult helpers though. Support from parents seems to vary so much.

 

Have you asked the children for their ideas?

 

Beau

[Steve]

Good point Beau -

The main way young children are competitive is with themselves. They're more concerned with trying to do better than the last time, which makes it easy to adjust the games to suit. Stuff like throwing bean bags into a bucket - best of three attempts for example.

 

How's things in Scotland Land by the way? Are you settling into your new playgroup?

[Beau]

Hi Steve,

 

I'm really into the swing of things now and loving every minute of it, thanks for asking! My main problem is a lack of time to do all the things I'd like to. I'm looking forward to a break over the summer and a chance to really get to grips with the planning. There were no plans whatsoever in place when I took over, so I've been running to catch up so to speak! I've had so much positive feedback from the parents which is really rewarding. What is even better is to see the children all busy and absorbed in the activities on offer rather than the 'free for all' there used to be. We have got a trip out to an aquarium tomorrow which has caused huge excitement this week and then our 'Sports day' next Wednesday. Here in Scotland we break up on 4th July so we're almost at the end of term. AND I'M EXHAUSTED!!!

[Guest]

Thanks for the ideas. Let me know how you get on Beau. I will keep you posted later on how i get on. I'm really glad i found this site, it's good to know that there are others out there doing the same as me. must get down to early learning! Thanks all. Mary

[Beau]

Had our sports day yesterday and the kids had a great time. It was actually hot in Scotland! They were so excited when they arrived in the morning and were showing me their trainers, shorts and 'running legs'. I just did 6 events and kept it really simple, so even the youngest ones could join in without any difficulty. The only hitch was in the final race, which was a dressing up race. One little boys line of clothes had a lilac t-shirt in it which he refused to wear and his Mum got really cross with him. Its such a shame for the children when the parents do that sort of thing.

 

Anyway, good luck with your day Mary!

 

Carol

[Steve]

Sounds like a brilliant day Carol -

Some parents are so competitive about their children aren't they? I've seen a man lose his voice shouting at a primary school sports day! <_>

 

Hope you didn't get sunburnt. In Scotland. (Whatever next...)

[Guest]

Sports day in our nursery is a big event. We have a whole programme of races - apart from all the usual races- flat race, egg and spoon... we also did the following

Waiter - carrying a tray with a glass of coloured water

Beanbag on your head

Pram push - pushing dolls buggy

Teddy bears picnic - the children had to pick up three pieces of plastic fruit and a teddy in their basket.

Teddy toss - where the children have to throw their teddy as far as they can.

Spider race - the children go down on all fours and have to stay up off their knees, but keeping their hands on the ground.

 

My favourite though has to be the flower race where we get the mums of each child in the race to stand at the end and the children have to run up the track collecting 4 plastic flowers and then present them to their mums and be given a big kiss and a cuddle in return!

 

It is all about having fun and EVERYONE is a winner for taking part and ALL the children are presented with a rosette at the end of the sports day.

[Alison]

Hi

my playgroup doesnt have sports day (yet!) though you have all given me some great ideas to consider for next year ( i will need that long to think about it!)

 

When I trained in childcare I was helping in a large nursery unit there where 45 children per session on the sports day they were split into 3 groups of 15 and the nursery was split into 3 areas, each area had an activity and the groups of children rotated from one area to the next

area 1 - was a parachute and the children played group games with an adult

area 2 - was obsticle race and there where several different races using the obsticles

area 3 - was ball activities and the children had a short time of free play with the parents kicking and throwing the balls around

 

I thought this idea of sports day was great and it seemed to show several of the important elements of sport such as team work with the parachute, competition with the races, co-ordination and excersise with the balls

 

it also helped to keep a balance between adult led activities and free play which can be one of the hardest things for a 2 and half year old to be expected to wait around to take turns the boredom can so easily turn to chaos.

 

not all nurseries have space to have 3 activities going at the same time but its worth considering - does sports day have to be just races?.