Physical Activity
           'Be Wise, Exercise' Active School Slogan

Active Lines.

When the bell rings at the end of break and lunch-times our students participate in Active Lines. This takes place on a daily basis. Active Lines are led by our Active School Committee who blow the whistle to start and finish each exercise. Our Active School Committee are on a rota to blow the whistle. Example of exercises include, burpees, squats, line cross, high heels and punch bag, star jumps... to name but a few! The exercises are displayed on the window nearest the yard and are changed weekly. There are arrows to indicate break or lunch-time exercises. We move these arrows every Monday. 

Playground Leaders

Since October, students from 3rd to 6th classes have been volunteering as playground leaders. They teach Junior and Senior Infants games and skills on a weekly basis. The leaders teach the games at lunch-times on Mondays and Tuesdays. Here are some examples of games that have been taught:
Treasure Chest. Halloween Relay. Pumpkin Toss. I Sent a letter to my friend.... 

Bike Week 2022. 
16th - 20th May. 

Treasure Hunt Trail. 

All students, as part of their school teams participated in a Treasure Hunt Trail. This involved 24 exercise points at a variety of locations around the school grounds. Each team started at a different marker. At each marker they completed an exercise and then moved to the next station, following the trail cards.  Each team was given a rope to hold on to when going from place to place.

10@10

Our 10@10 takes place on the second Wednesday of every month at 10 o'clock, it includes 10 stations and 10 school teams. 10@10 begins with each student lining up in their school team followed a warm-up in the school yard led by our ASC. We then participate in exercise stations. We move in a circle around the school building. If the ground is dry, we move it up the field. We have music pumping to help us move faster!! Example of exercises include, skipping, mountain climbers, step-ups, invisible chair, pop squats, hill runs, sprints, basketball shots and hurdles. 

Christmas 10 @ 10 2022. 

On sunny days 10 @ 10 moves up the field!

Running Initiative. 

We have created an Active Walkway around the school and school field. Students are encouraged to use this route at lunch and break-times. We use this route for whole school running. 

The Daily Mile

First and second class started the daily mile after the October mid-term break. They run everyday at 1:40 p.m. It mainly takes place around our Active walkway but if it is wet it takes place in the hall. 

Active Archie

Archie is a very active teddy bear. Archie has travelled around Ballyadams parish visiting the homes of the children in Junior and Senior Infants and First and Second class. He has been on woodland walks, bounced his heart out on trampolines, played soccer, cycled, you name it he has done it! The children record Archie’s adventures in his diary and each child tells the class all about his adventures the next day.

Basketball Leagues.

During February, March and April we have run basketball leagues in the school hall at lunch-time and break-time thanks to the addition of our new hoops and basketballs. The students took on the roles of referee, score-keeper and time-keeper. The league for 5th and 6th class boys ran during March and April. The basketball league for 3rd and 4th class is running at present. It takes place at break-times in the school hall.

Hallowe'en Walk

In October 28th we had our annual Hallowe'en walk. The students put a huge effort into making some really creative, home-made costumes. Lots of parents joined us on our walk down the road from the school to the crossroads and back to the school.

Halloween Games. 

Junior and Senior Infants played Skeleton Replay and Pumpkin Toss. 

Santa Dash 2022

Our Santa Dash was held on Thursday December 15th 2022. We intended doing our usual run on the roads but the weather all week from the 12th - 16th December was extremely frosty so it was just too dangerous. Thankfully on Thursday 16th it thawed out enough for us to use our school field. We played lots of Christmas tunes and ran our hearts out. We ran for 20 minutes as a whole school and marked out the route with boundary poles. 

 Santa Dash 2021

Our Santa Dash took place on December 17th 2021. All students who participated ran/walked 3.3kms The route was on roads around our school. Members of the community and parents/guardians helped steward the route. Teachers ran and helped with providing refreshments of water and oranges when the children finished the run.

Seachtain na Gaeilge

In the weeks leading up to Saint Patrick’s Day the children from Junior and Senior Infants and First and Second classes enjoyed some Irish dancing lessons. Students from the older classes helped to teach the steps of the one, two, three. We created our own version of 'An Damhsa Mór' thanks to the help of our senior classes. The children enjoyed a Ceilí.

Easter Exercise Trail

On April 8th 2022 all students, as part of our school teams participated in an Easter Exercise Trail. We made 24 points around the school yard and field. Each team followed the directions to go from place to place completing a variety of exercises along the way.

Easter Egg Hunt

On April 8th 2022 the children from Junior and Senior Infants, 1st and 2nd classes enjoyed searching for plastic eggs around the school grounds and field. The Active Committee hid all the eggs and kept track of how many eggs we had left to find. We searched for over 120 eggs. 

 

Brain Breaks and Rainy Day Activities

Brain breaks are becoming part of our daily routine in Ballyadams NS. On rainy days teachers choose from a bank of activities they have to ensure students get their exercise, despite the weather. These activities range from doing a dance using go noodle, to squats, mountain climbers, lunges, pop squats to name but a few. All teachers have been given posters for their classroom with ideas for brain breaks and activities for rainy days.  All classrooms have been given dice faces for movement breaks. Roll the interactive dice to see what exercise we should be doing.