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Playground Rules

Rules For Playground Equipment

**Tag is NOT to be played on any of the playground equipment. *

Monkey Bars

  1. Students take turns swinging in one direction. Students may not go on top of the bars.
  2. If there is more than one child crossing on the bars, a line must be formed.
  3. No pulling or pushing on the legs, arms or body of any child on the bars.

Chin Up Bars

  1. Both hands must stay on the bars at all times.
  2. No shaking the poles.
  3. No pulling or pushing on the legs, arms or body of any child on the bars.
  4. No sitting or crawling on top of the bars.
  5. No swinging from side to side or bumping into others on the bars.

Slide

  1. One person can go down the slide at a time.
  2. Slide down on bottom with feet in front of you.
  3. Climbing up the slide is not allowed.
  4. Do not block or prevent others from sliding down the slide.

Swings

  1. No jumping out of the swing.
  2. One person on a swing at a time.
  3. No going from side to side or twisting in a swing.
  4. No pushing someone in the swing.
  5. No holding hands while swinging.
  6. Grabbing feet, etc is forbidden.
  7. No climbing on poles of swings or standing between swingers.
  8. No running in front of or behind swingers.

Basketball

  1. Basketball can be either a full court or half-court game.
  2. No pushing, intentional bumping or rough play is permitted.
  3. Any fouls or disputed play should be resolved by a jump ball or vote of players.
  4. Only a basketball will be used for the game of basketball.

Jump Rope

  1. Long jump ropes are to be used with groups of 3 or more.
  2. Short jump ropes are for individual use.
  3. Jump ropes should never be tied to twisted around any part of the student’s body or any piece of playground equipment.
  4. No “Hot Peppers” unless the jumper requests it.

Tetherball

  1. No swinging, sitting, riding or hanging on rope or ball.
  2. No throwing rope; you must hit the ball.
  3. No kicking ball with foot.
  4. No wrapping rope at the top of the pole so it can’t be hit.
  5. No closed games.
  6. All students standing in line to play must stay out of the playing circle.
  7. Play by the rules.

Football

  1. Must be played on the field.
  2. No closed games.
  3. Only a nerf football can be used.
  4. No tackling, tripping, dog piling or other unsafe contact will be permitted.
  5. Two hand touch only.

Soccer

  1. Must be played on the field.
  2. No closed games.
  3. No tackling or slide tackling is allowed.
  4. No body slams or pushing is allowed.
  5. Touching the ball with the hands or forearms (except by the goalie) result in the other team taking the ball out to the sideline.

Four Square

  1. This game must be played with a playground ball.
  2. Disputed plays are to be voted on by all players in the court and in the line.
  3. Play by the rules.

Game Rules

Four Square - Basic Game

Assign a square to each of the 4 players. The player in the #1 square is the server and always starts the game by saying, “Ready?” – to which the other players respond, “Serve!” He/She drops the ball into his/her own square and after the first bounce, taps (strikes) it into one of the other three squares. The skill in the game is to tap the ball every time it bounces into your square and cause it to fall into another player’s square. Play continues until someone misses. A miss is when a player taps the ball before it bounces or fails to tap it into another square. When a player misses, he/she goes to the end of the waiting line. Other players rotate one position towards square #1 (depending on which player misses), and the first waiting player enters the game at square #4. The object of the game is to become the server and to hold that position as long as possible.

NOTE: Balls that bounce on the outside lines are good; balls that bounce on the inside lines are not good.

Tetherball

Tetherball is a game in which two opponents attempt to wind a tethered ball completely around a pole in opposite directions. The ball is struck with the hand while the cord is at full extension away from the pole. One player (server) winds the ball clockwise, and the other (receiver) winds it counterclockwise.

The area around the pole is divided into halves by a line. Each player stands or moves within his/her own half; he/she does not step on or across the dividing line.

The server holding the ball so that the court is fully extended and parallel to the ground, calls, “Ready?" and the receiver responds “Serve!" The server swings or pushes the ball to his/her left, keeping the cord at full extension as he/she does so. The ball travels around the pole in a clockwise direction towards the receiver in such a manner that he/she can play it (not about his/her head). If the served ball travels above the receiver's reach, or if it travels up and down, rather than around, it is served again. The receiver has the advantage of getting the first hit. Thereafter, each player continues batting the ball in an attempt to bring it around the poll by hitting it above his/her opponent's reach and/or by hitting it each time he/she has the opportunity.

If, during play, the ball settles at full extension against the pole, it should not be picked up( this is a miss). The player on whose side the ball rests gives it a series of taps to set it away from the pole and in position for a successful, winding hit.

The game goes to the opponent if;

  • A player steps on or over the line.
  • A player touches the pole.
  • A player stops, catches or picks up the ball.
  • A player hits the cord with his/her hands.
  • The cord wraps around a player’s arm.