Over the years of working in schools as both a teacher and education consultant, I have heard a common
cry from both teachers and lunchtime supervisors “Help! What can we do about wet play?” It seems that every educator across the country dreads the sound of rain pouring down outside!
You see we know there isn’t enough space and that often there is little for children to do which in turn leads to bored and disruptive behaviour. Teachers also dread it because they know that when children have been cooped up indoors all day with little chance to burn off any energy, afternoon lessons often don’t go as well, due to wilder and less attentive children!
Playtime is the topic that most frequently raises it head when we get into discussions about managing behaviour and this time in the day can be made or broken according to the playtime programme in place.
In my book 101 Playtime Games I laid out the fundamental ideas for running successful playtimes and in my book 101 Wet Playtime Games and Activities I built on those ideas whilst specifically looking at wet playtimes and lunchtimes.
In this short article I include some simple steps that schools and organisations can take to create a happy, calm, fun, stimulating and socially enjoyable wet playtime; however there is so much I could share with you and not enough space, so please refer to my book for further, more in depth information.
Making Playtime a Whole School Issue
Firstly let’s remember that playtime is a whole school issue and one that everyone needs to be involved in, not just the lunchtime supervisors.
Initially when looking at your playtimes and wet play days consult with everyone in the school. Get everyone together – students, teachers, teaching assistants and principals and do a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis or PMI (positive, minus, interesting). The SWOT analysis is often used in business and leadership and is intended to improve strengths, remove weaknesses, grasp opportunities and reduce threats. The PMI strategy is a graphic organiser and frequently used in the thinking curriculum and inquiry learning.
So firstly list out all the strengths/ positives – everything that works well on wet play days. For example:
Strengths/Positives
- Video time
- Whole classroom activities, like a disco
- Wet Play Leaders
Celebrate these strengths they may also be indicators that help inform future wet play planning.
Then make a list of all the weaknesses / problems / minus’s that occur on wet play days this list is usually longer! For example:
Weaknesses/Minus’s
- Lack of space
- Noise
- Lack of equipment or activities for children to do
- Children not allowed to use classroom equipment
- Wet play boxes not up to date
- Children often floating around the school and not in their classroom
- Opportunities
- Money available from PTA for wet play resources
- A fete which includes raising funds for wet play boxes
- Threats
- Children loitering in the toilets or concealed areas
- Lack of staffing in some classrooms
Once you have composed these lists, think of solutions and remove or reduce the weaknesses/minus’ and threats. Some solutions will be easy to solve others may need time, funding, resources, etc. Capitalise and improve on your strengths and grasp any opportunities!
Consult your pupils
Start by talking with students about activities that they enjoy doing or would like to do at wet playtime. You may find that they have numerous suggestions. If you adopt the PMI strategy, they will also be able to tell you what currently works and what doesn’t. Alternatively some schools organise circle times and others do questionnaires using web survey’s to get their input.
Budget
Children need things to play with at wet playtime and it is important that adequate resources are provided, so make sure that a budget is set each year to provide for establishing and then updating wet play activities.
Wet Play Class Rules – Do’s and Don’ts
School staff can get upset when children get out all the precious toys and equipment during wet play. It is wise to have specific activities just for wet play and create a wet play box or cupboard.
I suggest teachers write up the things children can and can’t do at wet play and the equipment they can use – then everyone is happy! This can be laminated and stuck onto the wet play box or cupboard.
Wet Play Boxes or Cupboards
Your play boxes or cupboards should be filled with games, activities, word searches, dot to dots, colouring in, etc. 101 Wet Playtimes Games and Activities is packed with photocopiable resources in the book and on its CD Rom.
In addition to traditional games, I would suggest that you include a selection of age appropriate activities, which may include some of the following:
- 2-3 music and story CD’s
- A selection of DVD’s
- Jigsaws
- Knitting
- Mazes
- Plasticine or Play dough
- Construction kits, We-play Minis, Big Build Blocks
- Lego, etc
- Crayons, pencils, paper
- Dressing up clothes
- Imaginative play
- EBooks and Comics
- Boxes/recycled materials for creative activities/box modelling, etc
Remember that even though it is wet, this is children’s playtime and an important time in their day to let off steam, connect with their friends and have some fun. It is also the time in the day where social, emotional and behavioural skills are learnt.
