School starts again in September and kids have to stay cooped up indoors for long hours after the freedom of the summer holiday. They long for fresh air and everyone is eager to go out to the schoolyard in the breaks or at playtime. Well-equipped schoolyards usually have a play area or a proper playground where the kids can run around and play. When the school bell signals the end of the lesson the kids stream out of their classrooms to let off some stream before the next lesson starts. They are usually full of energy and play boisterously. Modern playground equipment can provide a lot of fun for them. They can clamber on the climbing frame/jungle gym or the monkey bars, can slide down the slide, swing in the swings or play pretend games in the playhouse. Or they can join in ball games or chasing games like tag. Boys most typically play football but if there is a backboard kids can shoot a basket. Hide and seek is a popular game with lots of possible hiding places in a schoolyard. Lower primary kids often play skipping or clapping games while reciting skipping or clapping rhymes or play throwing and catching. Skipping ropes, hula hoops, scooters and stilts are also popular as well as hopscotch. Upper primary kids no longer play, they usually just hang out chatting in the breaks or play on their phones. Playtime allows children to socialize and interact with their peers in a relaxed setting. They can form friendships, share stories, and engage in conversations.
Playtime is usually supervised by teachers or other school staff members to ensure the safety and well-being of the students. They may also facilitate games or activities to encourage positive interactions. The teachers on playground duty make sure that everything is in order and that no rough play is going on. They encourage the children to play nicely together and take turns with the play equipment. They pay attention so that nobody is bullied or excluded. More and more schools nowadays have a so-called buddy bench where a child can sit when he or she feels lonely and would like to find a buddy to play with. At playtime, kids learn to share, take turns, resolve disputes, and communicate effectively with their peers.
For schoolkids it’s good to play outdoors in all weathers, however, in heavy rain they have to stay indoors and try to pass playtime in the classrooms or on the school corridors in a sensible way.
PLAYTIME IN SCHOOL – LET’S PLAY TAG!
JÁTÉK AZ ÓRÁK KÖZTI SZÜNETBEN – FOGÓCSKÁZZUNK!
Girl: |
Hey, wanna play tag? I’ll be the tagger first! |
Boy: |
Sure, sounds fun! You’re it! |
Girl: |
Gotcha! (chases the boy around the playground) |
Boy: |
Whoa, you’re fast! (tries to dodge and weave) |
Girl: |
I almost got you! Come here! |
Boy: |
Ha-ha, not so easy! (runs toward the jungle gym) |
Girl: |
(laughs) I’m gonna catch you! |
Boy: |
(giggles) Not if I can help it! (quickly climbs up the jungle gym) Let’s see if you catch me now! |
Girl: |
Aw, you’re up there. But you can’t stay there forever! |
Boy: |
(sticks out tongue playfully) Watch me! I’m the jungle gym king now! |
Girl: |
Okay, fine. I’ll find someone else to tag then! |
Boy: |
(climbs down) Wait, I wanna play again! Tag, you’re it! |
Girl: |
Ha-ha, alright! You’re in for it now! (starts chasing the boy) |
Boy: |
(runs toward the swings) Can’t catch me! |
Girl: |
(chasing closely) Oh yes, I can! (pretends to lunge but the boy expertly dodges) |
Boy: |
Ha-ha, you missed me by a mile! |
Girl: |
(grinning) I’m just getting started! |
Boy: |
(hops onto a swing) Ha! Can’t tag me when I’m swinging! |
Girl: |
Hmm, we’ll see about that! (waits for the boy to swing back) |
Boy: |
Whee! This is so much fun! |
Girl: |
(grinning) Here I come! (waits for the right moment and tags the boy as the swing comes back) |
Boy: |
Hey, it’s not fair! I was swinging! |
Girl: |
Rules are rules! You’re it now! |
Boy: |
Fine, but I’m the fastest tagger ever! |
Girl: |
We’ll see about that! (takes off running) |
IMPORTANT PHRASES
Wanna play tag? – Akarsz fogócskázni?
You’re it! – Te vagy a fogó!
Gotcha! – Elkaplak! Megvagy!
I almost got you! – Majdnem elkaptalak!
Not if I can help it! – Nem, ha rajtam múlik!
You can’t stay there forever! – Nem maradhatsz ott örökre!
I’m the jungle gym king. – Én vagyok a mászóka királya!
You’re in for it now! – Szóval játszol megint!
Can’t catch me! – Nem tudsz elkapni!
You missed me by a mile! – Mérföldekre voltál tőlem! Közelembe sem értél!
I’m just getting started! – Még csak most jön a java!
We’ll see about that! – Majd meglátjuk!
Here I come! – Jövök!
Rules are rules! – A szabály az szabály!
takes off running – eliramodik
IMPORTANT WORDS
tagger – fogó
to chase – üldözni, kergetni
to dodge – cselezni, kitérni
to weave – kanyarodni, kígyózni
jungle gym – mászóka
to giggle – kuncogni
to stick out sb’s tongue – kinyújtani a nyelvét
swing – hinta
to pretend – úgy tenni, mintha
to lunge – előrelendülni
expertly – mesterien
to grin – vigyorogni
to hop – ugrani
to tag – megfogni
to swing – hintázni
Vocabulary
cooped up | bezárva |
to long for | vágyakozni |
to be eager to | alig várja, hogy |
schoolyard | iskolaudvar |
break | szünet |
to run around | futkározni |
school bell | iskolai csengő |
to signal | jelezni |
to let off some steam | kiereszteni a gőzt |
boisterously | élénken, energikusan, vadul |
to clamber | mászni |
climbing frame/jungle gym | mászóka |
monkey bars | mászóka |
to slide down | lecsúszni |
slide | csúszda |
to swing | hintázni |
swing | hinta |
pretend game | szerepjáték |
chasing game | fogócskázós játék |
tag | fogócska |
backboard | kosárlabda palánk |
to shoot a basket | kosárra dobálni |
hide and seek | bújócska |
hiding place | búvóhely |
lower primary kids | alsósok |
skipping game | ugrálós játék |
clapping game | tapsolós játék |
to recite | mondani, szavalni |
skipping/clapping rhyme | mondóka |
throwing and catching | labdázás |
skipping rope | ugrálókötél |
hula hoop | hullahopp karika |
scooter | roller |
stilts | gólyaláb |
hopscotch | ugróiskola |
upper primary kids | felsősök |
to hang out | lógni |
peer | kortárs |
to engage in conversations | beszélgetésbe bonyolódni |
to supervise | felügyelni |
to ensure | biztosítani |
to facilitate | elősegíteni |
rough play | durvulás, vadulás |
to take turns | felváltva csinálni valamit |
to be bullied | terrorizálják, bántják |
to be excluded | kiközösítik |
buddy bench | barát/játszótárs kereső pad |
buddy | barát, társ |
to resolve | megoldani |
dispute | vita |
in all weathers | mindenféle időjárási körülmények közepette |
corridor | folyosó |