Yard Time
All of our children receive two active breaks per day. Our small break is from 10:40-11:00 and our lunchtime break is from 12:40-1:00.
During yard time, the children will have access to playground equipment such as skipping ropes, elastics, foam balls, frisbees and bean bags etc.
During yard time, the children will have access to playground equipment such as skipping ropes, elastics, foam balls, frisbees and bean bags etc.
Friday is a really fun day in yard because we have Funky Friday! The Active Committee are responsible for setting up the music system and playing some great music out into the yard.
Active Events
At Halloween, we held a Skeleton Scurry for all the classes. Every class had to run one or two laps around the yard, pausing at each of the stations to complete their spooky exercises!
Reducing Sedentary Time
As part of our renewal criteria, each class must commit to reducing their sedentary (sitting down) time during the day. One way 6th class have been doing this is by using their chairs as desks while doing their spellings each day. While some groups are doing their dictation, other groups are doing some exercises at their places! We have also started using standing desks.
Every year, our Parent's Association hold a Santa Walk before Christmas whereby children and their families walk through Deuce Wood and are rewarded with a visit to Santa at the end. It's a great family day out.
For Seachtain na Gaeilge each year, we hold our Paráid Ghlas. The children dress up in green and parade around the yard for their parents to see them.
Busy Breaks
Since we were first awarded our active flag in 2016, we have used busy breaks a lot in school. Many classes complete the Daily Mile as their busy break. Others use GoNoodle and iMoves to do dance, fitness exercises and yoga. For the month of November, our classes have been taking part in ' the 'Active Break a Day' Challenge and really enjoying it!
Some of our classes are also registered for the Fit4Schools programme, which aims to encourage children to participate in athletics activities and provides a 10-week programme of lessons to help with this.
There are some other ideas floating around the school e.g. using playing cards for busy breaks or lollipop sticks with different exercises written on them.
We also make sure that if the children do not get out for break when it is raining, that they are given time to complete some sort of activity in the classroom instead.
Some of our classes are also registered for the Fit4Schools programme, which aims to encourage children to participate in athletics activities and provides a 10-week programme of lessons to help with this.
There are some other ideas floating around the school e.g. using playing cards for busy breaks or lollipop sticks with different exercises written on them.
We also make sure that if the children do not get out for break when it is raining, that they are given time to complete some sort of activity in the classroom instead.
Active Walkway
Active Homework
Classes are encouraged to complete active homework twice a week for 15 minutes. This could take the form of a family walk, cycle, time on the trampoline or various other activities.
The link here brings you to a variety of different active homework options that can be used for different class levels and depending on what strand the class are working on at the time. Our focus as a school this year is on the strand Outdoor and Adventure.
The link here brings you to a variety of different active homework options that can be used for different class levels and depending on what strand the class are working on at the time. Our focus as a school this year is on the strand Outdoor and Adventure.
https://www.pdst.ie/sites/default/files/PE%20Homework%20-%20Active%20Every%20Day%20A5%20Booklet.pdf
Run Around Ireland Challenge
For four weeks during April and May, all our classes took part in the Run Around Ireland Challenge. Our goal was to reach some famous landmarks around Ireland.
Each day we went out to the yard and ran laps. We added our total laps covered each day (e.g. 1 lap = 1km). The class with the most kilometres covered by the end of the week received 15 minutes extra yard time on the Friday!
Each day we went out to the yard and ran laps. We added our total laps covered each day (e.g. 1 lap = 1km). The class with the most kilometres covered by the end of the week received 15 minutes extra yard time on the Friday!
Extra-Curricular Physical Activity
We are very lucky in Our Lady of the Wayside to have many different sports available to children to try out and many different teams for them to be a part of.
Thankfully, this year we have been able to return to some of our favourite after-school sports activities. Our boys and girls from 4th and 5th class have been doing hockey training on Wednesdays since October! Our boys' and girls' Gaelic football teams were also able to compete in their Cumann na mBunscol leagues.
It's now the time for our camogie and hurling teams as well as our 6th class going to Santry. For this year, Santry Athletics are prioritising 6th class who will be taking part in sprint, relay, long jump, high jump, shot putt and 600m on Monday, 30th May.
Thankfully, this year we have been able to return to some of our favourite after-school sports activities. Our boys and girls from 4th and 5th class have been doing hockey training on Wednesdays since October! Our boys' and girls' Gaelic football teams were also able to compete in their Cumann na mBunscol leagues.
It's now the time for our camogie and hurling teams as well as our 6th class going to Santry. For this year, Santry Athletics are prioritising 6th class who will be taking part in sprint, relay, long jump, high jump, shot putt and 600m on Monday, 30th May.