Outdoor/PE Time in Elementary School

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am planning to enroll my son at a DCPS WOTP elementary school next year, when he will be in 3rd grade. At the open house the principal told me that kids of that age only have a 45 minute recess per day, at lunch time, plus PE during the week.

That seems on the low side for a young child, especially for boys who need some physical exertion here and there. Isn’t there a little break at snack time mid morning? How often is PE and for how long? Does this vary from school to school?

Thanks!

I’m not sure if this is a troll post? 3rd graders don’t have a mid morning snack. 3rd grade is upper elementary. If your child needs mid-morning snack time, he might be better off in a private school or home school.

OP here and not a troll. Why are you so condescending? Jeez I also get a mid morning snack! And as as I mentioned above, we adults can take breaks while working, why not the kids? They are not cattle. Let’s treat them with dignity and respect.

They get breaks, OP, I haven’t found that they are treated like cattle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am planning to enroll my son at a DCPS WOTP elementary school next year, when he will be in 3rd grade. At the open house the principal told me that kids of that age only have a 45 minute recess per day, at lunch time, plus PE during the week.

That seems on the low side for a young child, especially for boys who need some physical exertion here and there. Isn’t there a little break at snack time mid morning? How often is PE and for how long? Does this vary from school to school?

Thanks!

I’m not sure if this is a troll post? 3rd graders don’t have a mid morning snack. 3rd grade is upper elementary. If your child needs mid-morning snack time, he might be better off in a private school or home school.

OP here and not a troll. Why are you so condescending? Jeez I also get a mid morning snack! And as as I mentioned above, we adults can take breaks while working, why not the kids? They are not cattle. Let’s treat them with dignity and respect.

My dd is in third grade now at a DCPS school. She gets free play before school, at recess, and after school most days. She does PE 2x a week. She does get a snack during the day (although I don’t know what time). Aside from that, they are not chained to their tables. She describes lots of activities around the classroom as they move through their day and during other specials.

Some days at pickup, it’s clear that she has tons of energy. But most days shes neutral - neither high nor low energy. Regardless, after 30-40 minutes of play after school, she’s ready to settled down to homework, instrument practice, and/or reading in the evenings.

I would love more play, but this seems age appropriate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It varies from school to school. My children get a lot of running around at school between PE (1x week for younger, 2x week for older), recess and aftercare. They spend a lot of time running around outside in structured or unstructured play. On days I WFH (3x week) we walk or bike to school each way which also helps.

I think it’s weird in 2022 that you think ESPECIALLY boys need physical exertion. All children do.

OP here. Thank you for your perspective. My kids get at least 1.5 hours at a local playground after school everyday, so I am not concerned about them not getting enough movement and outdoor time overall. However, I am concerned that keeping the kids focused on academics, without breaks, for too long may backfire and affect their focus, behavior and/or learning.

Even though it’s 2022 gender differences still exist, and I believe boys may have a harder time self-regulating when under stress, at least at a young age. Of course girls need outdoor time and breaks too! But I think they may be able to cope better even with less than ideal.

Does anybody know if kids may get some break in between classes? I cannot believe they have to go for 3/4 hours of classes without interruption. I am not at all familiar with how school works nowadays. Even we adults get breaks while working isn’t? Why shouldn’t we expect a more humane treatment of our children?

Where are your kids now that you don't have a comparison or a sense of how school works? I think in both second and third grade kids get way too little time outside. My kids school has one recess and the rest of outdoor time is only aftercare or a kind teacher making an effort. And, it's a good whole child focused school. Just not a priority in this day and age.

My dream is a dual language waldorf based charter school!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am planning to enroll my son at a DCPS WOTP elementary school next year, when he will be in 3rd grade. At the open house the principal told me that kids of that age only have a 45 minute recess per day, at lunch time, plus PE during the week.

That seems on the low side for a young child, especially for boys who need some physical exertion here and there. Isn’t there a little break at snack time mid morning? How often is PE and for how long? Does this vary from school to school?

Thanks!

I didn’t read the thread so someone may have already noted this, but that is likely 45 minutes for lunch and recess. Together.

[Anonymous]

There are a few DCPS that seem to prioritize outdoor time. Most are charters and Montessori or Reggio or whatever. But I agree if your kid is in aftercare, that’s their main source of outdoor play. I would personally love a longer school day with more breaks, but most people (teachers, some parents, etc) aren’t into that. 9-5, with 2 one hour long play breaks and outdoor learning incorporated that doesn’t take away from indoor learning time.

[Anonymous]

OP, I'm 100% with you, it's really inappropriate to have young kids sitting and indoors for so long each say. Like a PP, we let our kid play on the playground after school for 30 minutes and he also had sports 4 days a week (swimming and soccer). We try to get out for a hike each weekend and/or a bike ride during the week. It's still not enough for him.

[Anonymous]

OP again. My child is currently in private school. They have recess three times a day, since somebody asked. One is at snack time, at 9.30, then there is the lunch one and I am not sure about the other. My son said on Fridays they have 4 and they spend a total of 2 hours outside.

I haven’t worried much about breaks etc before because I figured the school was already giving enough downtime. That is part of the reason I went with private when my son was younger. He is an active boy, although compliant and well behaved, based on the teacher’s feedback. Now I do have a concern about this aspect of public school. I think he will get adjusted, like many other kids, but I hope he will be happy.

[Anonymous]

I think you'd be better off asking this question specifically of the school where your kid would be enrolled. Since it seems like a done deal, I assume you're in boundary for the school he will be attending. Rather than people speaking about their experiences across DCPS and other schools, I think you'd be better off asking on any neighborhood listservs or FB pages, etc.

And, try to enter this with a positive attitude! As others noted, even if students don't have as much outside time as you might be used to, that doesn't mean they are stuck in seats all day long. It will be different, but it's a new experience you are opting into. Public school is decidedly different (even WOTP I imagine) than play-based or exploration based private school. I just wouldn't want your kid to pick up on your pessimism or skepticism before they have a chance to experience the new environment for themselves.