Palaestra Magazine
Cover Story - Spring 2002 - Part 2
A Perfect Playground -
Fun for Everyone!

Rock, Scissors, Paper

This technique is a quick hand game used to settle simple disputes, such as a question over whether or not the ball landed on a line. Both children make a fist and use a pounding motion on their available hand simultaneously. On the third pounding motion, each child selects either rock, scissors, or paper to designate. In the case of a tie, they repeat the procedure.

• A rock will break scissors, so rock wins over scissors.
• Paper will cover a rock, so paper wins over rock.
• Scissors will cut paper, so scissors win over paper.

The Rock, Paper, Scissors game usually solves most all playground conflicts. When the program is instituted, it is usual for school administrators to marvel at how simple this is and wonder why they did not think of it on their own.

Since most children do not want to leave the games, they soon learn to settle their own differences swiftly. They also learn that whining to playground supervisors is not a solution, because supervisors do not intervene on behalf of either child, but send them away from the game to discuss problems.

Teachers have found this conflict resolution model carries over into the classroom. Students work out their own differences without loss of relationships.

Participation Brings Smiles! Andrea, a fifth grade student, was born with arthrogryposis, a joint and muscle disorder limiting her foot and ankle movements. She enjoys educational games where tossing a beanbag allows her to participate. Although she can ambulate on crutches at home, she is a wheelchair user at school. Her upper body strength allows her to participate in jump rope, by turning the rope, play Frisbee golf, 2 square, and many other games. Morgan, 4th grader with cerebral palsy, finds many ways to interact on the playground with her friends. "She wants to be like all the other kids," says her teacher. Morgan's favorite trick is to spin her motorized wheel chair in circles, an act that gains admiration of her friends. However, when it comes to organized games, she is right there with them. Whether on the hard surface or grass, she participates in four corners, relay lines, races, and shape exchange. "Even when she isn't competitive, she can enjoy just moving around with her peers." Susan Lillie, adapted physical education teacher, says "It is gratifying to see my students integrated into the games on the playground. They never feel left out, and they also benefit from the social interaction." Many activities also contribute to the Individualized Education Program (IEP) related to locomotor development, hand-eye coordination, and body and space awareness. Gerri McGuire, instructional aide and playground supervisor, trains all staff in the rules of the games. "The games offer plenty of hand-eye and foot-eye coordination," said Ms. McGuire. "For a student with severe disabilities or who is a wheelchair user, I put the ball in her hands, and she propels it with her face and nose. Her favorite game is cross-country, and she is very successful. When she has to trade places with another player, she is quite intimidating, as she roars toward her playmates in her motorized wheel chair. They get out of her way in a hurry."

All School Personnel Buy-In to the Program and
Reinforce Rules Consistently

Teachers, as well as playground supervisors, are all trained in the rules of each game and need to fully support the program for it to be effective. Aides have aprons with award tickets, stickers, Post-Its, and materials used to reward students for good behavior.

Rules are strict, but when the whole school uses them over a period of years, they create a safe environment, and injuries become a rarity. None of the games allows for free-for alls, and most include some educational element.

Each year over 200,000 children are injured on school playgrounds across the nation (Tinsworth & McDonald, 2001). That is, over 200,000 of them sustain injuries serious enough to send them to the physician or hospital. The district nurse attests to the astounding decrease in playground injuries after the playground program was implemented. "The statistics tell the story" (Bossenmeyer & Owens, 1999).

Necessary Equipment must be Available

Just as books, paper, and pencils are necessary equipment for successful academic instruction in the classroom, the proper equipment is just as important on the playground. All the markings in the world will not help without ample equipment.

A central storage room, with students in charge of check-out and check-in of equipment, is the most desirable system. An assigned supervisor can monitor the check-out and retrieval, as well as inventory and maintain equipment. Distributing equipment from each classroom is not effective, resulting in too much loss.

An air pump should be in the equipment room so playground balls can be properly inflated and quickly put back into play. A general rule of thumb is there should be a minimum of one piece of equipment for every 10 students on the playground at any given time, or at least one for every game (Bossenmeyer, 1999). The life expectancy of a playground ball, if used correctly, is one year and, therefore, should be budgeted for and replaced accordingly (Bossenmeyer, 1989).

Concluding Comments

Playgrounds of this nature have spread across the nation. Family Circle Magazine mentioned the program in its Play Nice piece in the April 1, 1998 issue. School Safety Magazine published an article on merits of the program, and Dr. Rhonda Clements, author of Elementary School Recess included an entire chapter in her book. Full inclusion can be accomplished on the playground, as well as in the classroom... and, what better way than in organized games and activities?

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge Morgan Blake, student at E. Hale Curran Elementary School; David Koltovich, Principal of E. Hale Curran Elementary School; Susan Lillie, Adapted Physical Education Teacher for Murrieta Valley Unified School District; Gerri McGuire, Instructional Aide at E. Hale Curran School; and Andrea Rivera, past student at E. Hale Curran Elementary School for their assistance with this article.

Melinda Bossenmeyer is an author and international speaker. She is the creator and President of Peaceful Playgrounds, currently Director of Professional Development at California State University, San Marcos. Karen Robertson is an author, speaker, and Personal Success Coach.

Selected References
Bossenmeyer, M. (1999). Peaceful playgrounds: Activity guide K-3. Los Angeles, CA: Bossenmeyer.
Bossenmeyer, M. (1989). Peaceful playgrounds: An elementary teacher's guide to recess games and markings. Los Angeles, CA: Bossenmeyer.
Bossenmeyer, M., & Owens, C. (1999). Safe & peaceful playgrounds program. Unpublished. Long Beach, CA: Bossenmeyer.
National School Safety Center. (October, 1998). Peaceful Playgrounds: Minimizes in juries, confrontations. Malibu, CA: Pepperdine University: Malibu, CA.
U.S. Department of Justice. (1990). Americans with Disabilities Act. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
Tinsworth, D., & McDonald, J. (2001). Injuries and deaths associated with children's playground equipment. Washington, DC: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

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