Recess While Social Distancing

social distance

If you’re required to keep your students “socially distanced,” you know that recess presents particular challenges! Our usual team games are not options so I have been thinking of other fun things we can do to keep recess active and fun, but safe.

social distance
Here are six ideas:

1 – noodle tag – use a pool noodle as a tagging device for any kind of tag game!

2 – relay races of various types, as long as kids don’t tag each others’ hands and stay distanced while waiting their turn

3 – another fun relay race option is the egg and spoon relay

social distance
4 – cornhole is always fun!

5 – give everyone an inexpensive jump rope to keep at school and use at recess

6 – sidewalk chalk for drawing or for drawing a hopscotch board

Indoor recess will also be a challenge since our usual board games will not be an option.

Here are seven ideas:

1 – Go Noodle is always a great option!

2 – Simon Says (or change the name to something else)

social distance

Other games (which aren’t as physically active):

3 – I don’t know the name of this game (you could call it whatever you want), but it’s a fun one: the goal is to count to five. One student stands up and says “one,” then another student stands up and says “two,” and so on, up to “five.” BUT – if two students stand up at the same time and say a number, then both of them are out. Keep going until you have a winner (or two).

4 – guess the word – have one student stand up at the front of the room with their back to the board. Write a word on the board (it can be anything but you might want to use a content area word). Then students have to give clues so that the student guessing can figure out the word.

social distance

5 – play a version of “hangman” with a word or phrase, but please don’t call it “hangman.” That whole idea is often triggering or traumatic for students and adults. Instead, draw something like a snowman melting (erase part of the snowman for every wrong answer) or a disappearing shape (where you erase part of the shape for every wrong answer).

6 – play math games like “I Am the Greatest.” Have students draw three (or more) blank spaces on paper or a whiteboard. Use a deck of cards or a die to call out numbers. Students place the number in one of their blanks. Whoever builds the greatest number wins a point for that round. Play as many rounds as you want! This is great for reviewing place value.

7 – another fun math game is to draw four cards from a deck and call out the numbers. Students create two two-digit numbers and add them (or multiply them). Whoever has the highest number wins a point for the round. You could also switch it up to subtract the numbers and the winner gets a point for the smallest number.

Please share your ideas for socially distanced recess!

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