green hippo Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 Hi, A collegue of mine told me today that the Foundation Unit at the school where her little boy attends has a no running rule for the outdoor area. She said that she had heard the rumour before but actually saw the teacher this morning come out and tell the children to stop running around! She thought it was a little strange and so do I! Just wondering whether I've missed something? I thought the outdoor area was to be embraced as the place where child CAN do things bigger, louder and... faster (as long as they are being safe, of course!)? Hmmmmm? Green Hippo x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 blimey!!!!!!! if you cannot run outside where can you run!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Froglet Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 Might it depend on something specific? At this time of year (and really until spring) I restrict running a bit as the majority of the area is grass on a heavy clay-like soil and lots of it is slopey - it gets slippy very quickly and also I don't want to trash the grass before spring! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lashes2508 Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 Hi,A collegue of mine told me today that the Foundation Unit at the school where her little boy attends has a no running rule for the outdoor area. She said that she had heard the rumour before but actually saw the teacher this morning come out and tell the children to stop running around! She thought it was a little strange and so do I! Just wondering whether I've missed something? I thought the outdoor area was to be embraced as the place where child CAN do things bigger, louder and... faster (as long as they are being safe, of course!)? Hmmmmm? Green Hippo x Nowt queerer than folk - my old previous place of work did not allow running on the paved area but was ok on the grass yet allowed bigger risks with ropes and streams on forest days - we do wrap them up too much - how can children learn if they are not allowed to take risks although as a school gov i know schools worry more about accidents due to the suing society we live in - the only running i worry abpout is that of my mascara or tights !!! lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 hi i agree with helen sometimes we do restrict the children from running outside in certain weather conditions because we have had a serious accident in the past and are a bit cautious now. Also if the children are running in an area where children are sitting on the floor engrossed in small world activity etc and are getting disturbed we do direct the running children to a different area outside. But definately agree if the children cant run outside where can they run!!!!!! kate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liberty Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 (edited) My personal view is that it's a very sad world if a child cannot run around outside. Especially in the foundation stage, as green hippo was referring to. How do children develop spatial awareness if they cannot test out their skills. It's up to us as practitioners to develop areas where they can experience the joy of running, surely that's one of the basic ways that children play - and they have the right to play and experience challenge and risk (UNRC). Edited November 30, 2011 by liberty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Froglet Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 My personal view is that it's a very sad world if a child cannot run around outside. Especially in the foundation stage, as green hippo was referring to. How do children develop spatial awareness if they cannot test out their skills. It's up to us as practitioners to develop areas where they can experience the joy of running, surely that's one of the basic ways that children play - and they have the right to play and experience challenge and risk (UNRC). Just wanted to reassure everyone that we definitely do run! There are just odd occasions when it's no running at all (and it has to be pretty dire for that to happen) When I said 'restrict a bit' I meant it - they can run at the top of the 'hill' and round it just not cannoning straight down sometimes - they'd slide straight into a brick wall. There are plenty of other obstacles for them to avoid to develop spatial awareness! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
green hippo Posted November 30, 2011 Author Share Posted November 30, 2011 Apparently it's a permanent rule! I've recently been to look around this Foundation Stage Unit and it's almost all flat tarmac with a very small section of grass which is raised up. It wasn't icy or very wet! We also restrict running if it's icy and have a no-running zone where we have the small-world etc. This same unit also has an indoor mini-gym which although very cute, I'm not sure I like it?? Green Hippo x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Apparently it's a permanent rule! I've recently been to look around this Foundation Stage Unit and it's almost all flat tarmac with a very small section of grass which is raised up. It wasn't icy or very wet! We also restrict running if it's icy and have a no-running zone where we have the small-world etc. This same unit also has an indoor mini-gym which although very cute, I'm not sure I like it??Green Hippo x An indoor mini gym? Don't think I've ever seen this. What does it consist of? Climbing frames and the like? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 I am assuming it is some of this mini gym equipment , may be wrong though. Running outside and learning those skills of avoiding others and falling and getting up to go again, or learning own limits seems much more beneficial and fun to me. we did have a small bit of no running area, paved and slippery when wet, a few head bangs and we set up a home in that area! No more running there, we encouraged it in the rest of the garden though, with staff starting the games most of the time.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SueFinanceManager Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Well I am a bit gob smacked....as others have said if there is a danger then restrict things but flat tarmac????? Are they allowed to play ball games? That really does seen to take H&S to a whole new level? What do the parents say? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
green hippo Posted December 1, 2011 Author Share Posted December 1, 2011 Yes, it's a room with mini-gym equipment - mini exercise bike, running machine, step machine etc. As I say they are very cute but I think I'd rather have the children running around, using throwing and catching equipment, dancing ribbons etc than exercise equipment. Not sure that the parents are particularly impressed! I don't know what their justification is of it - if it's health and safety or they don't see it as proper 'play'. It's a real shock to me as in other respects they are very up-to-date with how they run the unit, child-centred etc and the rest of the school has an amazing outdoor area with different types of playgrounds - climbing area, balancing area, stage-play area. I wonder if they don't deem 'rushing around' as 'learning' but if I didn't allow running some of my boys wouldn't ever get involved in role-play type activities unless adult-led. Green Hippo x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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