When my girls were in K they had "free choice". This was never on any schedule that was sent home, but it happened daily, usually at the end of the day. They could choose which center they went to - housekeeping, computers, blocks, art, etc.

Recess and free play as part of the school day, and not just before and after school, makes your kid learn better. They aren't mini adults. Their brains are still developing, and they need breaks between hard intellectual work. If they get that down time, they can pay attention longer and learn more.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our local school principal told us there was no recess or outdoor time in the K.

And he was shocked when we opted out to go private.

So you chose to go to a private school just because your kid could have recess? That is pretty dumb. He/she has all day to have recess when he gets home.

I agree with this. What's the tuition at your awesome private school?

Are you paying $15K a year so that your kid can play outside for an extra 20 minutes a day? Seems a bit silly.

We are at a MoCo public school with one recess a day. My very active boy still seems to get plenty of time to run around. He runs around all morning before school. Runs around at the bus stop, runs around at the playground after school. Some days gets to ride his bike after school.

Hey, whatever works for your family, but it seems pretty silly to go private for some extra outdoor time. lol

My child goes to a title 1 elementary school Kindergarten in MC, and their schedule looks like this:

9:00-9:15 Breakfast (all students are given free breakfast, no matter the income- I feed my child before home, but they snack a bit on the school breakfast when its appealing. They don't have to eat it.)
9:15-11:10 Shared Reading/Guided Reading/Centers (This is what I consider some of the 'free' time- they are in different groups, and although they are given an assignment such as sorting buttons or something, they have a bit of lee-way. We get freehanded pictures drawn during that time, so much of that time is left up to the imagination)
11:10-11:45 Writing/Handwriting
11:45-12:10 Science/Social Studies
12:10-1:10 RECESS OUTSIDE with 2nd graders , then lunch from 12:40-1:10
1:15-1:55 Specials (PE, Music, Computer lab, Library, Art) (although this isn't necessarily free time, its imaginative and has moments where kids can do their own thing within guided direction)
2:00-3:15 Math
3:20-3:25- Pickup/Dismissal

My girl is also in K at a Title 1 school in MoCo. She goes outside to play twice a day--recess, and later in the afternoon. So glad for it, too!

"I don't think that was a dumb choice at all. As many PPs have explained, playtime in school is much different than playtime at home. There is a huge opportunity for learning (how to organize, negotiate, etc in a large group) that is being lost. Plus many children will perform better on academic tasks given the chance for physical activity/play. Especially boys. I feel so sorry for kids these days. So no, her choice was not "pretty dumb" at all. "

+1

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our local school principal told us there was no recess or outdoor time in the K.

And he was shocked when we opted out to go private.

So you chose to go to a private school just because your kid could have recess? That is pretty dumb. He/she has all day to have recess when he gets home.

I don't think that was a dumb choice at all. As many PPs have explained, playtime in school is much different than playtime at home. There is a huge opportunity for learning (how to organize, negotiate, etc in a large group) that is being lost. Plus many children will perform better on academic tasks given the chance for physical activity/play. Especially boys. I feel so sorry for kids these days. So no, her choice was not "pretty dumb" at all.

OP, DD was in K last year. They had center time and the "free play" time was recess (which was after lunch). I wish recess was before lunch (I know there are some schools in moco that do this). DD was in aftercare last year and she got to do more indoor free play (they had a variety of toys for the kids to use).

OP

"Our Title One school doesn't have free play in K but they do have center time. The teacher works with a small group and the rest of the kids work at centers. There is usually one or two "play" centers. Sometimes it is blocks or Lego type building things and other times it is craft materials, etc."

"play centers" would be fine. No need for all kids to play at once. Simply that play happens more than once a week and it's real play with toys, not "sort these blocks in the way I tell you" type play.

Our Title One school doesn't have free play in K but they do have center time. The teacher works with a small group and the rest of the kids work at centers. There is usually one or two "play" centers. Sometimes it is blocks or Lego type building things and other times it is craft materials, etc. But there is no time when the entire class has play time. That happens in pre-k in the morning when the students first arrive. Kindergarten is almost exactly like first grade used to be. And first grade is second grade and so on.

Anonymous wrote:Our local school principal told us there was no recess or outdoor time in the K.

And he was shocked when we opted out to go private.

So you chose to go to a private school just because your kid could have recess? That is pretty dumb. He/she has all day to have recess when he gets home.

Anonymous wrote:
My son just started K at a well regarded private school in the area and they do spend some portion of each day (usually in the beginning of the day as a transition from home) playing with toys. This is very much like what he did in a separate preschool and I, personally, am delighted. My son absolutely needs this free play time and would not do well sitting at a desk or having instructional time all day, from 8 to 3. His preschool friends who went public, however, have commented "where are the toys?" (at Westbrook and Rosemary Hills) so I suppose there are K classes that do not offer this.

I think it's unlikely that the kindergarteners at Westbrook and Rosemary Hills sit at their desks all day.