Perhaps talk to the school and ask for this to be discussed at the next P&T Meeting or make sure you get along to the meeting yourself.

I would mention this to the school. They really should be providing a stimulating environment with developmentally appropriate choices. These don’t have to be expensive – cardboard boxes and some dress up clothes for example. Children should also have plenty of opportunities for running and climbing to foster development of gross motor skills.

My sons school had a junior playgroup and a senior playground – all open but just different sized equipment. Sandpits, a cubby and slide/climbing frame thing was all part of the junior playground and best of all they got to interact with the grade 1 and 2s

Our kids have the run of the school grounds except for the largest oval.

Maybe ask the school what else can be made available. They might have boxes of play equipment and toys that they could bring out. Let them know that it is contributing to his refusal too.

All of the prep rooms I’ve seen have an outdoor area with quite a variety of activities for the students. I would definitely bring this up with the school to find out if there’s a way to obtain more equipment for them.

I am surprised they’ve got so few resources. At our kindy there was a climbing frame, lots of things like tricycles, a cubby house, and they had access to things like chalk and dress ups at recess. Lots of variety.

All the prep rooms I’ve seen have their own small playground with various activities/equipment so they’re not lost around the bigger school.

My daughter goes to a private Catholic school as well and her play ground is a very small one too . She is in grade 2 now and it hasn’t changed since she started school there in prep l don’t know what it is with Catholic schools they all seem to have pretty small school yards for the kids to play in . l feel for your son

Our school has lots of yard play activities such as pretend camping, dress ups and lego. They also do lunchtime discos once a week.

My kids’ school has a proper playground in each area- prep have swings, a jungle gym with monkey bars, sand underneath and a slide. This is at a public school. I would be complaining- you pay a premium to have your child there they need to have better facilities. If they don’t rectify then I’d seriously consider a different school- what else might they be cheaping out on?

Send your child with their own ball, rope or activity clearly labelled. Our public school has started having small supported social groups at recess for those who need it and planned activities at lunch for anyone to join in mostly older primary kids. They are focusing a lot on social skills and welbeing. Maybe you could discuss having things like friendship stop, clubs or small social groups for the younger kids with the school.

teach your child to find ways to amuse themselves. homework could be done during break time, he could sit and read a book, he could talk to his peers. kids dont need to be entertained 24/7, teach him to make his own fun

Personally I think your child (and you) are lucky that there is separate and designated play areas! My kids (3 of them) go to a private school – where I also work – and we have one play area (two of you count the oval which is shared with the the high school students) for the entire primary school (100 kids in primary) and to be perfectly honest the high school students also constantly walk across that play area on their way to their classrooms.
Also we’re about to totally lose the actual play equipment, because the school is about to commence construction in that spot of a new classroom block to try and accommodate the growing numbers of students. And no the equipment isn’t being moved or replaced, it’s simply going to be gone.

If you’re that concerned then go and talk to the school staff about it! Maybe you could even join the school P&C committee and help fundraiser for more equipment if it’s such a big deal. Being there are separate play areas for the school I imagine he won’t be stuck in the one play area for too many years anyway.

Take him out and send him to another school did you see it before he started ?
Also you could always get on the land c and raise funds to change it

Not sure what to expect as my kids are not in school yet but I saw that public school next to us has big playground and trampoline ect.

My son starts prep next year and I didn’t even think to ask his potential schools about this. I’ll definitely be asking them now.

I sent my kids in with their own skipping rope and card games. (Snap and doubles were fun) You could join P&C and see if the school want balls and skipping ropes donated so the kids can burn off energy in the pay ground. Hoop throwing if there is a hoop. Hand-ball was a great entertainment for all. Our school had Hop-Scotch painted onto the concrete as well as many other shapes so the kids could play sharks and Islands. Teach your child Duck, Duck, Goose where one kid walks around and taps a child and they have to run around the sitting group and sit back down. Kids love this game.

When I was in primary school we didn’t even have that! All we had was a bare ground and I went to a catholic school.
Kids just used to run around and play games such as tips, eggs bacon chips or cheese or bring things like a skipping rope, jacks or cards.