Skip to content

Students need a pace to play

What do 90 per cent of kids say is the best part of their day? As much as parents wish it was math or social studies, it’s usually recess. Playtime is one of the most important parts of the day.

What do 90 per cent of kids say is the best part of their day? As much as parents wish it was math or social studies, it’s usually recess.

Playtime is one of the most important parts of the day. Educators will tell you there are plenty of lessons to be learned on the playground. How to share, how to make friends, how to help others and teamwork are just some of the lifelong skills made on the monkey bars or during a game of grounders. No need to mention the need for kids to expend energy, strengthen their bodies and learn regular physical fitness is important.

The $250,000 announced for 54 schools across Alberta, including one in Okotoks, is a good first step in recognizing that playgrounds are integral to a school.

The Province has funded playgrounds at elementary schools announced between 2014 and 2018. This funding needs to continue and playgrounds should be a mandatory line item in any new elementary school budget going forward.

Where this announcement falls short is that schools that don’t yet have students running through the halls will get fund, while there are schools teeming with kids that have none.

In last week’s announcement the money is not there for schools announced prior to 2014. That means schools like St. Francis of Assisi Academy in the MD of Foothills went without a playground this year and may go without one again next year.

Students should not go for one, two and sometimes even three years without a playground, while parents, school and school division staff are tasked with fundraising hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The Province needs to look at what schools announced prior to 2014 still have no playground equipment and set up funding for them. It’s a priority – ask any kid after school.




Comments

push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks