ABSTRACT
Think back to your days at school and the time spent in the playground at breaktime and at lunchtime. What do you remember as the good and notso-good times?
For most people, this question is likely to evoke strong recollections of playground time which have a distinct balance of positive and negative points. Children spend one-quarter of their school day in the playground, and it therefore represents a considerable proportion of the total time spent in school. However, it is only in recent years that educationists have given much serious consideration to this particular issue. Among the reasons for the growing interest has been the increased clarity over the responsibility for lunchtime supervision, a growing body of research into the psychological impact of children's playground experiences, and the increasing recognition by teachers that playground difficulties can continue into the classroom.
