Archives for June 2021

Playground games are great for burning off energy and getting some fresh air so we’re dedicated to making sure you get the most out of your playground markings. We have already explored how to play Hopscotch, King Square and Duck, Duck, Goose so now we’re looking at how to play more classic playground games including What’s the Time Mr. Wolf, Piggy in the Middle and Snakes & Ladders.

How to play What’s the Time, Mr. Wolf

What’s the Time, Mr. Wolf is a classic game but one that sometimes causes disputes due to the sizes of steps that some children take (imagine normal steps versus strides). Thankfully, our Mr Wolf playground marking takes care of that, with the steps marked on the ground so no one can cheat.

When playing the game, one child will go to the wolf end of the game and face away from the other children. The children at the other end will then ask “What’s the Time, Mr. Wolf?” The wolf will reply with a number in the form of time (e.g. 3 o’clock) which will correspond with the number of steps that the children are to take towards the wolf. The children move that number of steps and count them out loud. They will then ask again.

 

As the children progress, they will be getting closer and closer to the wolf, who will be calculating the total steps taken. When the wolf thinks they are close enough, they will respond to the next question with “dinnertime!” and chase the other children back to the beginning. The child caught – if any – will be the new wolf. If no one is caught, the wolf stays for another turn.

If, however, the wolf hasn’t realised how close the children have gotten, one of them may be able to tap the wolf and become the new wolf.

How to play Piggy in the Middle

Piggy in the Middle is a brilliant game to improve throwing and catching skills, as well as agility. To play, you will need at least three players. One child stands in the middle of the circle and the others stand around the outside of the circle. Those outside will then throw a ball to someone else who is roughly opposite them (essentially just not someone right next to them as it will not cross the circle properly).

The child in the middle has to intercept the throw, catching it themselves and may need to employ some smooth running and jumping skills to do this. Once they have caught the ball, the child who threw it will then swap places with the child in the middle, until they manage to catch the ball.

If the child is in the middle for a long time, it may be a good idea to swap them out with someone else. To make the game harder for those around the outside, you could enact a rule of using bounce passes.

How to play Snakes & Ladders

This classic board game isn’t just for the table! Children use themselves as their pieces and will run up the ladders and down the snakes on the playground marking.

You will need a large dice to play this game and you can speed the game up if you don’t have much time by using two. Each player will roll the dice on their turn and move along the numbered game board according to whatever number they rolled. If they encounter the bottom of a ladder, they will ascend to whatever higher number that ladder leads to and if they land on the top of a snake’s head, they will travel down the snake’s body to whatever square houses the tip of the tail.

If a player lands on a square in the middle of a ladder or a snake, they will not take any action, as you must be on the bottom of the ladder or head of the snake to move on them. The winner is the first player to reach the final square on the game board.

This game is great for improving simple addition and is good fun. We have smaller number ranges of Snakes and Ladders for younger children and a 1-100 Snakes and Ladders playground marking for older children.

If you’re looking for more games to play in the playground, check out our other playground markings for fun games or get in touch with our friendly team on 0800 061 4243.

 

Read more of our blogs:

Netball Court Markings and their many benefits

How playgrounds can help children learn about nature

How to design a playground

Netball is a firm favourite for court sports at Primary and Secondary schools. Our non-toxic and environmentally friendly markings are not only durable and anti-slip, but they also provide long-lasting, aesthetic colours – and of course lots of fun and laughter to children and their teachers.

Our netball court markings provide excellent value for money and are always installed with a first-class service. We strive to make the whole process a stress-free and enjoyable one for both your staff and pupils. Our playground experts discuss every detail beforehand and are always here to answer any questions you may have. Plus, the court size can be customised to fit the available space.

What are the benefits of Netball Court Markings?

Netball is a sport that requires a lot of physical activity as players have to run around the pitch, change directions, sprinting and jumping. It quickly helps children to build up stamina and develop their muscles, improving overall body strength.

It also enhances concentration and coordination which are very important skills for all aspects of life. Playing this sport also helps to relieve stress and improve the mood of children after a long day of lessons and responsibilities.

Netball is especially good for weight loss and burning fat and can be considered as a great cardio workout. Great when it comes to core strength! What’s more, the vibrant colours of our markings will encourage kids to take part in the game, even if P.E. and sport is not their favourite subject.

Netball is also a great group game that encourages children to create new friendships and strengthen their current ones. Children who are perhaps more introverted will feel supported and more likely to communicate with their peers whilst playing the game, boosting their communication skills for life outside the lesson. Children will be more motivated to share their opinions and develop better leadership skills. Being able to work well with others is an essential skill for people of all ages and encouraging this from an early age promises a significant benefit for any individual.

Our Netball Court markings not only enhance children’s physical abilities but they also help when it comes to improving mental performance. After playing a game of netball, or even just practicing their shooting skills, they’ll feel refreshed ready to return to the classroom.

Why choose us?

We always make sure to use the best material available. As we mentioned earlier, our thermoplastic material is completely safe for the environment and for the children too! The markings have an anti-slip enhancement so children can jump and run around freely without the fear that they may slip and fall. They are also quick to dry meaning the markings are able to be used after just 20 minutes. The colours won’t fade as thermoplastic has a high UV resistance so they’ll remain bright and appealing for years to come – up to ten years longer than paint!

We are always here to answer any questions you may have so do not hesitate to contact us now and get your very own vibrant netball court marking.

 

Read more of our blogs:

How playgrounds can help children learn about nature

How to design a playground

How to play classic playground games

Getting outside for a change of pace in lessons can be a great way to help children learn and it’s the perfect place to learn more about nature and the environment. There’s lots for children to learn and these lessons can be made easier with specially-designed areas and features in the playground.

Learn to care for plants

Plants are vital to our survival, from the oxygen they produce to the food that we and many animals eat. Teaching children how to look after plants can create different hobbies, as well as an understanding of how plants work. Growing fruit and vegetables in planters in your playground can be a fantastic way to do this, as the children can then eat them and have tangible proof of their success. Popular options would be sweetcorn or tomatoes, as these plants can grow quite large and will be interesting to watch as they develop.

Observe insects in their natural habitats

Setting up a wildflower garden to attract bees and other insects can be a wonderful idea. The flowers will add a splash of colour to your playground and you can teach children how the flowers reproduce and why bees are so important for the survival of some of our favourite products. There will be many more tiny creatures who will be living there and they can all be studied by the children, who will learn to appreciate them more.

Learn about other countries

There are lots of differences between countries and their environments – some have deserts, some have rainforests and some feature landscapes of ice and snow. Learning about these other countries and how their occupants survive and thrive in these surroundings is important for children. Don’t forget about the variety of weather that each area has, including monsoons, hurricanes, snow storms and dust storms. How much detail you give out will depend on the age of the children but you can teach the basics of the water cycle and some information about the different types of weather. If you include a world map in your playground, you can help to show how these environments are created through their positions on the globe and proximity to other elements.

Discover proper waste disposal

If your playground allows children to eat outside, then you’ll need to include some bins for the litter. This will allow you to introduce recycling for different materials and food waste which will help children to learn about the environmental impact of some of the foods they consume. Don’t forget that all those apple cores and banana skins in the food waste bin can become the compost for your plants, which will really help with some of the other lessons!

Incorporate nature in your activities

You can include elements of nature in your other activities, like P.E. and sport. By using our Nature Trail playground marking, you’ll have the children interacting with various elements of nature, such as butterflies, branches and flowers – keeping it in mind for their actions outside of the activity. This will improve their empathy with the environment and encourage better choices. You could also use our Phonics Flower Bed or Flower Hopscotch.

For more information on how our playground markings can help children learn about nature, get in touch with our team today!

 

Read more of our blogs:

How to design a playground

How to play classic playground games

How playground markings can help achieve an outstanding Ofsted rating

Follow our tips below for how to design a playground either for communities or for schools and nurseries.

Key points to consider in playground design

First, you will need to make sure that:

• You’ve defined who it’s for
• It is in a good location
• You’ve got the right materials
• You’ve got interesting and appropriate activities
• You’ve created budgets

Who is it for?

Children

If you’re creating a new school playground or play park, you’ll be able to tailor the activities and equipment to the needs, age and interests of the children.

Adults

Even if the playground is for children, there will be adults there watching over them and they will need somewhere to go too. Some picnic benches to the side or a sheltered area will go down very well at a park. In a school, the teachers will need to be able to move about and sports matches may be attended by parents so it is good to keep that in mind when planning.

Everyone

A community playground will attract adults too, most likely playing court sports or taking a walk so you’ll need to include something for them too. You may find it better to have separate areas for children and adults so that it will be easier for them to enjoy their respective activities.

Location

You may not have much choice when it comes to the location, as you may be replacing an existing playground. If you do have a choice, you should consider the transport links so people can get there easily. It is also worth considering who lives in the area, as if there are very few children, you may not get much traffic to the playground. Your location will also dictate the amount of space you have, so you might need to implement some space-saving measures.

What materials will you use?

Wood

Play sets and climbing frames often use wood, as it provides some heat protection. You could also use wood in raised beds for plants, or wooden seating – great for those taking a break. Don’t forget to think about fencing for the playground, if you need to separate areas or provide a safe, enclosed space.

Metal

Though metal can get hot in the sun, it’s also enduring and can help to create a strong structure that will last a long time. Metal also works well for railings around the outside of the playground.

Plastic

Plastic equipment for playgrounds often has a lower cost and it is not as susceptible to the weather as metal and wood. Consider including long-lasting thermoplastic playground markings that come in lots of colours and designs. The material is non-toxic, sustainable and environmentally friendly!

Include nature

As mentioned before, consider installing some raised beds around the edges of the playground. Schools could benefit from using these to plant vegetables as part of their lessons. Trees will provide shade on hot summer days so if you have room for them, they’re worth considering. Take a look at our tree planting initiative and apply for free trees.

Games and learning

Teach children life skills

Use a roadway to reinforce the lessons about ‘Stop, Look and Listen’ or give the children a map of the world and a compass so that they can plan an adventure and discover new interests. The possibilities are endless.

Games

Make your playground fun with games like What’s the Time, Mr. Wolf?, Chess and Snakes and Ladders. The bright colours used for these games will attract attention and will be engaging for children.

Court sports

Playing court sports like tennis, football and basketball is a fantastic way to keep active so try to include these in your playground. You can even combine several courts into one if you are short on space.

Safety

Safety is vital in a playground so make sure that the ground is appropriate for the activities and that you have included routes for people to travel safely from one end to the other without walking through a game, as well as to and from the exits.

Budget

You’ll need to monitor the budget throughout the project or you could risk losing out on some of your desired elements. Shop around where you can to make sure that you’re getting the best price, ask for recommendations from local schools or parks and get your quotes in writing.

It’s also worth keeping a contingency budget, just in case you discover problems down the line and that way you won’t be thrown so far off course.

If you’re planning to build or revamp a playground, talk to us about how we can help you create an area that is engaging and appropriate for the users. We offer a price match guarantee plus no hidden charges!

 

Read more of our blogs:

How to play classic playground games

How playground markings can help achieve an outstanding Ofsted rating

Basketball court markings for a fun playground

The playground is a fantastic place to play, whether it’s at break time or during P.E. lessons so we’ve compiled some instructions for popular playground games.

How to play Hopscotch

Hopscotch is a classic game that has been a staple of playgrounds for many years. In fact, Roman soldiers used to play a version of this game as part of their training!

To play this game, you will alternately hop and jump, depending if there is a solo number (hop) or a double number (jump with one foot landing in each space) until you get to the end and work your way back. Single numbers will be one, four, seven and ten, and doubles will be two and three, five and six, and eight and nine.

 

For a more advanced version, throw a bean bag onto the game area and whichever number it lands on cannot be used. If you step on the ones with bean bags you may lose a turn, but younger children can always be given a second chance (or two).

Variations include time limits (to be adjusted for different age groups or abilities) and answering questions when jumping over the beanbag number. We even have a times table hopscotch!

How to play King Square

King Square is great for improving coordination and agility. To play, you will need a ball that will bounce, a large square divided into four and at least four players. The spaces are named king, one, two and three, though other versions use king, queen, jack and ace.

The aim of the game is to make it to the king position and stay there. One player stands in each space, with the remaining players standing in a queue watching. The first four positions are decided randomly and whoever is in box three will start with the ball and bounce it in their square before hitting it with their hand to another player’s square, where it must bounce. That player then hits it to another play and so on.

Much like tennis, a person may not hit the ball outside the square. If this happens, that person goes to the back of the queue and the person at the front of the line will join the game. If the king is out, number one moves to that space and everyone else moves up. If number one is out, number two moves up and so on.

The new player always starts in square three with the ball. Game length is up to you and if the four players in the square are in for a very long time, you may wish to replace them all at the same time so that others can have a go.

How to play Duck Duck Goose

In the classic game Duck Duck Goose, all bar one of the children sit in a circle on the ground. The remaining player walks around the outside of the circle, waiting for an opportunity to sit down.

The standing child taps each child on the head – gently – and says ‘duck’, until they get to whoever they want to pick and taps them on the head lightly, saying ‘goose’. The goose then chases the tapper once around the circle until either the tapper reaches the empty space and sits down or the goose catches the tapper and the tapper goes for another round.

It’s a good idea to remind players to be gentle with people’s heads and to pick their geese randomly so everyone gets a go. Watch the video below to see a group of 6 children having fun playing the game!

Every playground has their own rules so don’t be afraid to experiment and make the game your own. There will be many ways you can use these games so let those imaginations run wild! We have lots of other playground markings for fun games so make sure you check those out too.

 

Read more of our blogs:

How playground markings can help achieve an outstanding Ofsted rating

Basketball court markings for a fun playground

Maths is all fun and games