At the Spencer House we recognize that children's active outdoor time is shrinking at home and in the public schools even as we as a nation bemoan childhood obesity. Our response is to ensure that the children get plenty of playground time each day and a regular schedule of physical education each week.

The Preprimary two and three year olds attend P.E. once a week on the large playground. Age appropriate activities such as relay races, parachute games, hula hoops, and jump ropes are used each week. In addition, the children run an "obstacle course" of ladders, slides, and balance beams so that we may monitor their gross motor development. More complex games such as baseball using a big foam die for the ball with "homerun, second base, triple...etc" on the sides introduce the three year olds to some of the concepts of the older children's games.

The VPK and K-2 children attend P.E. twice a week in the field next to the school. Games played include soccer, baseball (no tees...our kids learn to swing and hit), frisbee games, and relay races among others. The K-2 children are divided into permanent teams to better learn teamwork as the year progresses.

We disagree with the new and spreading philosophy of insulating children from competition and not recognizing achievement. We believe that teamwork and competition are good for children and that losing a game is an excellent life lesson for the real world, and an excellent teaching opportunity to introduce and reinforce good sportsmanship. We do not allow taunting or boasting and seek to teach the importance of being a good winner as well as a good loser.