Peaceful Playgrounds Right to Recess Campaign

Recess60 Alternatives to Withholding Recess

Given the value of recess in a student's physical and social development, and the need for periodic breaks from classroom instruction, using recess as punishment is inappropriate.

Listed below are some alternatives to withholding recess.

Zero Cost Alternatives

  1. Sit by friends
  2. Watch a video
  3. Read outdoors
  4. Teach the class
  5. Have extra art time
  6. Extra music and reading time
  7. Homework coupon
  8. Coupon for prizes and privileges
  9. Enjoy class outdoors
  10. Play a computer game
  11. Read to a younger class
  12. Get a no homework pass
  13. Make deliveries to the office
  14. Listen to music while working
  15. Play a favorite game or puzzle
  16. Earn play money for privileges
  17. Walk with a teacher during lunch
  18. Be a helper in another classroom
  19. Eat lunch with a teacher or principal
  20. Dance to favorite music in the classroom
  21. Get “free choice” time at the end of the day
  22. Listen with a headset to a book on audiotape
  23. Have a teacher perform special skills (i.e. sing)
  24. Have a teacher read a special book to the class
  25. Recognition with morning announcements
  26. Chat break at the end of class
  27. Taking care of the class pet
  28. Extra recess
  29. Small playground equipment to check out
  30. Leading the class to lunch, recess, library or other adventure
  31. Music concert at school
  32. Walk break from class
  33. Have lunch or breakfast in the classroom
  34. Private lunch in classroom with a friend
  35. Show-and-tell
  36.  Play favorite game
  37. Teacher performs special skill: cartwheel, guitar playing
  38. First to line up.
  39. Teacher’s helper.
Low Cost Alternatives
  1. Select a paperback book
  2. Enter a drawing for donated prizes
  3. Take a trip to the treasure box
  4. Get stickers, pencils, and other school supplies
  5. Receive a video store or movie theatre coupon
  6. Get a set of flash cards printed from a computer
  7. Receive a “mystery pack” (notepad, folder, sports cards, etc.)
  8. Certificate/trophy/ribbon/plaque
  9. Gift certificate to local food merchants
  10. Free pass to sporting event or play
  11. Pencil toppers
  12. Stickers
  13. Pencils
  14. Stars or smiley faces
  15. GAME DAY: Students earn letters to spell game day...after the letters have been earned, we play reading or phonics-type board games. Kids love Game Day!”
  16. FRIDAY FREE TIME: Students have thirty minutes at the beginning of the week and they can earn or lose free time according to their behavior. Use a timer and turn it on (they can hear it) if they are too loud working, lining up, etc. Add time when their behavior is good. Adding time is the most effective. You will save time by not waiting for them to settle down so their free time is really reclaiming time that would have been lost.
Discipline Alternatives
  1. Write a letter of apology to the person who has been wronged and Discuss with teaching the importance of apologies
  2. Write a letter to parents/guardians explaining why behavior is inappropriate or disruptive and stating what student will try to do to change behavior
  3. Take away privilege of choice for class or individual activity when choice is built into activity
  4. Do make up work during free choice time
  5. Have students sit away from the group to do class work and have them “earn” their way back into the group activities
  6. Have student work with teacher to develop a plan for behavior change tied to incremental privileges
  7. Create a behavior charts with students that identifies a target behavior and agreed upon reinforcements and rewards for chronic behavior issue

Continue to Part 2 >>

Peaceful Playgrounds Right to Recess Campaign
60 Alternatives to Withholding Recess
Download a list of some alternatives to withholding recess. - 20kb - 2 Pages		 60 Alternatives to Withholding Recess

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Right to Recess CampaignRight to Recess Campaign

Despite mounting evidence that kids need an outlet to blow off steam, learn to interact with others and get the exercise they need, nearly 40 percent of American elementary schools have either eliminated or are considering eliminating recess.