Nintendo Ds During Indoor Recess

In door recess used to be filled with activities like:

Board Games
Word Searches
Hide n Seek in the dim
Mini School Dance in the cafeteria
Free Study
Many other fun activities.

No I dont think you are being unreasonable. They are breaking their own "rules". There are plenty of constructive things the kids can be doing instead of playing video games at school. There is a time and a place and most kids get enough of that at home.

In indoor recess they have the gym they play in, and can do active things as they do when it's outdoor recess.

If they are looking for things to keep kids entertained, then they should set up tables in the gym with different activities at them. A color table, a painting one, clay table, active play, reading tables with lots of books etc.

There are plenty for the kids to do that are "school related" than to just let them play video games. Makes the school look incredibly lazy if you ask me.

our old school used to say no eletronics because it interfered with watching the tv.
tv at school
tv for recess, rewards, during individual tests, because it is Friday, because it is a holiday, etc...
The school is wrong to allow this.

Typically there are no physical activities during indoor recess. Kids work on projects, homework, use a computer or play games. We cannot utilize the gym because other classes are in there. At most, how long is recess? 15-20 minutes? I really don't see the harm in it - especially if it keeps typically rowdy kids quiet for that time.

What ever happened to playing in the gym when the weather is bad. This was the solultion when i was in school. We were always taken to the gym to play basketball, dodgeball, soccer, etc.. in the gym when the weather was to bad to go outside.

I'm with you.

I remember when we had indoor recess we played games in the classroom as a class. Someone mentioned "heads up 7 up" and I do remember playing that (don't ask me how to play, though...), one of my teachers used a koosh ball as a sort of trivia/tag game, etc.

There are a TON of options for indoor recess other than electronics. We send our kids to school to grow their knowledge and critical thinking skills - not their abilities to navigate a shooting game.

It sounds like the teachers are taking the lazy way out so they can text or grade or do something other than work with the kids. Yeah, teachers need breaks, too, but if it's too cold for the kids to play outside, then they'll have to find their breaks at other times (and my mother was a teacher for 37 years, and my best friend is a teacher, too).

I hadn't thought about it, but what another poster said rang true - what about the kids who don't have them - for whatever reason (money, parents choice, etc.)? It's not really fair to them to be singled out as the "have nots" and then, on TOP of it, not have anything else to do because all their friends are playing on theirs.

Definitely time to say something to the teacher and probably the principal - especially seeing that it's against district policy.

My kids either go to the gym or have something in their classrooms. I remember in elementary school playing Heads Up 7 Up and Eraser Tag. We loved those games when we couldn't go outside. I think you are doing the right thing in not allowing the DS to go to school. My son asks so he can have it on the bus but I won't let his electronics go. Too much can happen to it.

Sorry - but hand held devices are electronics. They kids should be running in the gym instead of sitting on their behinds playing DS or iPad.

No. You are not being too strict.
I would confront the school and the school board as well.
If the school ratted you out - or said that Johnny's mom complained - oh girl - I think I would go ballistic and call them out for breaking the rules the board/district put in place.

ETA: Indoor recess at our school? Dodge ball (I know not politically correct!!), basketball games and tag. The kids are ACTIVE not stagnant.

I agree with you. I wouldn't allow my kid to bring his DS either. They can read, build with blocks, play board games, etc. I used to sell Discovery Toys and every year as a teacher gift I would donate games or puzzles to the classroom. One year I donated a tub of Legos.

I am the only one who doesn't ______ is the oldest ploy in the book. I am pretty sure my great great great great great great (you get the point) grandparents pulled it on their parents.

Your choice to not let him bring it to school, I am sure other parents don't allow it either. Do not confront the school just because you chose no. Just explain to your child deal with my choice.

I agree that the kids should not be playing electronic games in school during recess and my first point would be that they have a policy against that and I would use all the points that you have already stated. If you think they will still continue to do it maybe bring it up to 1st your son's teacher, then PTA, then principal, then school board until you get this resolved.

Part of the problem is that the kids probably have no where to play physical games inside...usually the kids are going out to recess in stages and the gym is being used each period so the problem for teachers is what to do with the kids. Perhaps kids could play heads/7up and games like that.

The kids should be outside unless it's raining/sleeting etc. even if it's a little cold. Kids play outside in the snow so there's no difference if it's 30 degrees but with no snow. The 20 minutes outside is not that long and I've found it's mostly the adults who mind the cold.

I agree with you, but I'm not sure there is anything you can do about it. I have a 2nd grader and an 8th grader, and I wouldn't want them taking them to school either. We limit electronics in our home, and I certainly don't want them playing them at school.

We'll have to deal with that next year with our oldest son. They are changing the policy for high school students, and will allow cell phones, laptops, all electronics in classrooms, and all over campus. Students will be allowed to have them out during class so that teachers can use them for instruction and students can use them for assignments. I am a high school English teacher, and while I can see using laptops for certain assignments, monitoring cell phone use and electronics in general sounds like a nighmare.

Good luck.

ETA: I just re-read your post. They have a "No Electronics" policy?? That makes this whole thing just insane! Definitely go to the principal. I hate it when schools break their own rules. What does that teach students? Ugh . . .

I completely understand your concerns, but consider the position the school is in during indoor recess. When I was in grade school, indoor recess meant all the students were in their classrooms, there were 8 classrooms on our floor and maybe 2 or 3 adults walking up and down the hall trying to make sure no one caused any major damage. In that situation, handheld devices would be a godsend! Indoor recess can be a nightmare for schools.

I would agree with you. Maybe start with emailing the school principal for some clarification on the policy?

I would imagine that if they need to have the discussion with the teachers and enforce the "no electronics" policy that it could be handled in a manner that wouldn't draw the teachers' or kids' attention to you and your son. But to be safe, I would share that concern with the principal up-front so that he or she knows to proceed with some discretion.

Winter recess they basically sit around the class room any way. When I was a kid (way back machine) we played records (I kid you not) and the girls used to dance to "Sugar sugar" or "buttercup" - and discuss whether we'd ever be allowed to wear pants to school. (Really - we had to wear dresses even in the winter.)
When my kids were in grade school handheld electronics were only allowed on long bus drives for field trips. But we live in a very digital world. Around here lots of 4th and 5th graders have the ipod touch - which allows internet access, has many game applications and of course music. If a 10 year old is copying his older sibling's music playlist it can be quite an eye-opener.
All that to say, while I'm as dismayed as you about all of this, and I think the kids would be far better off playing legos or board games, I'm afraid they are going the way of the dinosaur. If you're involved in the PTA maybe you want to push to have electronic devices barred from in-school activities. But realize that kids will have cell phones and I have to assume some will have the iphone - which also has all these applications and games - so I'm not sure you can truly avoid it...
BUT - once warmer weather arrives I hope the schools are really strict about making the kids run around outside.

I agree with you. And what about the kids that don't have DS', I'm sure there actually are some. We have this problem when it gets too HOT here, they keep the kids in for lunch and recess. But they always have activitites for them to do. I would not want my kids taking their DSs to school because then there is a chance for it to get lost or stolen and I would be PISSED! Not to mention that the kids want to trade games, etc and like you said, who knows what kind of games they are bringing in. I would speak to the principal and ask them about this. See if they will consider other options. Good luck!!!

I agree with you. No way. They should be interacting with other people. They should be in the gym running around like normal kids.

Another point for your list is not every kid can afford those things, leading to envious, pissed off kids and the increased risk of theft of expensive devices

I would say pick your battles with the school. If he is the only one and being singled out then yes I would allow him to take it. Recess can't be longer than 15-20 min any how. My biggest fear would be games/device being stolen while at school.

I have no issue with the kids playing on devices. I do not limit them one way or the other. They want to play for an hour each evening, every day, I don't care. There are way worse things they can be doing with their time. I would worry it would get broken or stolen so that would be the reason I might say no.

I would definitely allow our child(ren) to take their electronics to school if they were encouraging the kids to do this for a period of the day. It doesn't even have to be an expensive type of unit, you can get small handheld (connect four, for example) for under $10 and there are other fun games you could buy in this category. When our kids have been allowed to do this, I just reminded them that if it got broke or stolen, they would have to save money to buy the replacement one. Label it with child's name on any unit and cover if it's taken. We never had a problem and I don't want our child to be excluded from an activity and this make them feel left out or embarrassed.