Recess Time

 No matter how much a student loves a particular subject, or how accomplished they are at it, they always love to take a break for recess! Since I've been subbing at the elementary schools again, I've had times when I was on watching recess duty. I've noticed that the kids play pretty much the same games that I played when I was in elementary school! Kickball, foursquare, tetherball, and soccer. I was great at tetherball when I was about ten years old. Except for the time I swung at the ball, missed, and got hit - smack on the side of my face by the ball! That one stung for sure!

But I can have a sort of "recess" in my tutoring sessions as well. I always have a learning game planned for the day, and I cycle through my list of games so the kids don't get bored with one in particular. They really like the "cup game", where I hide words or math equations inside red Solo cups and they have to get three cups right three times without getting "ZONK!" They also like a board game that I created called "Say and Spell." The three-year-old loves playing bean bag toss ABC's. 

I think it's important for kids to have fun while they're learning, so the subject doesn't seem boring, just work. So let the kids play during the day between lessons! They'll also learn how to get along better with their peers. Recess time!!






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