4.18 — Playground and Recess Rules

4.18 — Playground and Recess Rules: School Policies and Services

Equipment

• Equipment must be used in the manner for which it is intended.
• Tag, pushing, shoving, chasing, wrestling, or other horseplay is not allowed on or near any playground equipment.
• Hanging on, swinging from, or climbing on the tetherball pole, soccer goals, or legs of other playground equipment is not allowed.
• Jumping from bar to bar is prohibited.
• Pulling or pushing other students off of the bars is not allowed.

Swings

• Students should be sitting down and swinging in a back-and-forth motion.· Side-to-side swinging, twisting, standing on swings, jumping from swings, double swinging, or tummy swinging is not allowed.
• Students who are not swinging should not be in the swing area.
• Crawling under, running between, or chasing around swings is not allowed.
• Saving swings is not allowed. Swings are available on a first come, first served basis.
• No jumping off of swings.      

Slides

• Students must slide down feet-first on their bottoms.
• One person on a slide at a time.
• Standing on slides, running up, or climbing up slides is not allowed.
• Jumping from the top in order to slide down is not allowed.
• Jumping off of the slide is not allowed.
• Going down the slide backward or headfirst is not allowed.
• No rocks are to be thrown or rolled down the slides.

Crossbars

• Students must use two hands on the bars.
• Hanging by the legs or sitting on crossbars is not allowed.
• Jumping from bar to bar is not allowed.
• Pulling or pushing other students off of the bars is not allowed.

Bleachers

• Students are permitted to sit on the bottom row of the bleachers.
• Hanging from, jumping on/off, or playing on or under the bleachers is not allowed.

Sports

• Observe a “Hands-Off” policy.  Grabbing, holding, tackling, tagging, hitting, or wrestling is not allowed.
• Students may retrieve balls that have gone over the fence only when they have asked a playground monitor for permission.

Toys

• Only small toys are allowed unless they cause a distraction or disturbance.

Behavioral Expectations

• During the morning recesses, food may be eaten in the shaded gravel area of the playground.
• Students must pick up all trash and food and dispose of it properly.
• After lunch, no food is to be eaten outside.
• Throwing or kicking of rocks, gravel, sand, dirt, snow, or inappropriate objects is not allowed.
• Rude or profane language is not allowed.
• Disrespect is not allowed.
• Making giant snowballs is not allowed.
• Hiding, stealing, or playing Keep-Away with another student’s clothing or other belongings is not allowed; bullying, intimidating, chasing, or pulling on another student’s clothing is not allowed.
• Tumbling, summersaults, or acrobatic moves are not allowed.
• Please respect physical-education equipment and do not play with it, unless given permission.
• Tell an adult immediately if you or another student is injured.
• Students should only leave the playground area with the permission of a staff member.

Track Rules

• The entire shed area is off limits.
• Sand pits are off limits during recess.
• Road-access gates are off limits to students.  If a ball goes beyond the gate, notify an adult.
• Hanging on soccer goals is prohibited.