Five Components of a Peaceful Playground

1. Game Markings - Well-marked game lines and boundaries are a must. They serve as a motivating reminder to the students that those marks represent a fun activity.

2. Consistent Set of Rules - Children should be taught the rules at the beginning of the school year and be expected to follow them throughout the year.

3. Solutions to Conflicts - When they are taught conflict resolution skills, children can resolve most confrontations without adult intervention. The Peaceful Playgrounds program teaches children to walk, talk, or scissors-paper-rock—walk away from a problem, talk it out until they reach an agreement, or settle it by using“paper, scissors, rock.”

4. Equipment Available - Appropriate equipment will be provided for successful game participation. Playground equipment is as important to recess as pencils and paper are to the classroom.

5. Consistent Expectations - Students are responsible for playing by a consistent set of rules and are also responsible for handling their own playground problems by choosing from one of the three options listed in Solutions to Conflicts.