A Social Distancing Recess

    Yesterday I had a meeting with our school principal about our plans for re-opening. I knew that school would look different next year, but hearing that recess had to include social distancing sent me into a small panic. How do I keep this sacred time for students fun, while also keeping them all at least 6 feet away from each other? 

    I immediately set to work and compiled all of my favorite childhood games that work for social distancing. Here are a few of my favorites. 

Hopscotch

Grab a bucket of chalk and create your own hopscotch paths! I've seen so many fun ideas that include more than just your basic box. You can get creative and add in dance moves, walking paths, and exercise moves. If you're really feeling ambitious, you can also make it educational. I like to put math facts, sight words, spelling words, and even vocabulary words in the boxes. 

Exercise Dice

Do your students desperately need to get their wiggles out? These exercise dice are fantastic. Just simply roll and complete the movement on the dice. I love giving students a blank copy of the paper dice to create their own movements or ideas. 

Act it Out (Charades)

This game is always a favorite among my students. Divide your class into a few (socially distanced) teams, cut up some word cards, and let them compete! This game is also a super easy way to practice vocabulary words in a pinch. Again, I love to give students a blank sheet to create their own Act it Out words. 

Want More Ideas?

I've created a resource to make your recess time easy and fun during social distancing. It includes 18 different activities in an easy to use resource. Click on the pictures below or click here to take a peek and get yours!