Last year, our district invited Dr. Megan Zeni to work with us on improving our outdoor learning and risky play practices. This wasn’t new learning for me or my kindergarten colleagues as we have been doing it for years and loving it. However, we did get some new ideas, and rock throwing was one of them.
Right away, I knew that this was something that we had to try. In September, we had the children bring in rocks. We requested smooth rocks about the size of a child’s hand. Since we live by a river many families collected rocks there. Once we had gathered enough, we spent an afternoon painting them with acrylic paint.
We decided on the procedures that the children must follow to ensure everyones safety.
- We have a dedicated rock throwing zone away from the playground with clear boundaries.
- We have two lines scored into the dirt; the waiting line and the throwing line. There is enough space between the lines for a step back and a full arm swing for the thrower.
- We have one teacher in charge of just rock throwing while the other supervises the nearby playground.
The children were excited to get started right away. The first several days we had each child take a turn and then it became a choice activity.
Each thrower gets to throw three rocks before getting back into line for another turn. When the rocks have all been thrown, we close, collect all the rocks and then start throwing again.
Rock throwing has become one of my favourite outdoor activities. It’s good for self-regulation and gross motor skills. Watching children focus, wait for their turn, and celebrate their throws has reinforced for me the value of providing meaningful risky play experiences in a safe and well-supervised environment.
You can check our Dr. Megan Zeni’s website here. https://meganzeni.com/
Take care, Tracey
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