What do Teachers DO when they go on Break?

Play, of course!  (We can't let the kids have ALL the fun!)

24 April 2011

A few years back during summer break in North Carolina, I joined a couple of friends for a day at Chuckee Cheese’s.  My kids were always completely shocked, flabbergasted, and falling on the floor with amazement when I told them I’d never been to this delightful place of fun, food, and friend’s birthday parties.  I thought I should at least check it out. 

Luckily, it didn’t take too much convincing to get some teacher-friends to join me!

This year, though, we did things a little differently.  Our school just got a brand new playground, which all the kids are THRILLED about.  We dedicated this the last day of school before break, and of course the teachers had to take some time to “show” the kids how to use all the different pieces. :) (Some of these kids have never seen a merry-go-round or swings before.  Not that it’s necessarily bad – they have more local, fun creative things to play on instead!)

The whole primary school on the playground... or what you can see of it... and us!

Also, after school on this day, the weather decided to POUR!  Not just a bit, but a downpour.  At the time, a teacher-friend of mine and I were outside walking, and despite our infinite sweetness (as my kids tell me EVERY day when I have ants crawling on me from my desk), we decided we weren’t going to melt.  We kept walking, then played a bit with kids who were enjoying the cool weather as well.  As a co-worker walked past, she commented in disgust, “I can’t believe these kids that are out playing in the rain…” then she looked at our wet clothes in complete shock.  “Not YOU, too!”  Ha!  I figure, what better way to enjoy the last day of term?

Over break, my friend Marie and I headed West to Dodoma to visit a wonderful family there.  We got to take the kids to the MAF playground, and of course we couldn’t let the kids have ALL the fun!  So we joined in. 

I love this playground – SO much more creative than anything we could bring from the States, and all locally made!  I'm hoping someday I can get some amazing, super-handy guys to build something like this for a school that needs it...

My favorite part is the zipline, bottom left corner.  There are two half-tires at the end of the wire, creating just enough distance to keep kids from swinging into the pole.  Ingenious!