http://www.dailymail.co....-children-fall-over.html

When I was seven I tripped in the primary school playground while playing ball tick, I fell against the stone step of the toilet block and that was really painful. That was lunchtime and I was sent home during the afternoon, a walk of about 1 mile escorted by two older boys. I started vomiting and my mum called out the GP who ordered me in to Alder Hey Hospital, I was taken there by a hospital car, sitting in the back seat, I should have been lying down? I was eventually x-rayed which revealed a large black area inside my upper body and they took a guess that it could be my spleen damaged, thankfully it was a good guess and my ruptured spleen was removed after midnight. I made a good recovery and that was 56 years or so ago, still alive but not kicking as well as I used to. I suppose I was lucky. The school never stopped anyone else from running in the playground and as soon as I could I was running everywhere again. I was the best cross country runner in my high school, played football for the fire brigade at high standard and played volleyball as well, my last game was when 50 years old and my team won a national competition that day. I suppose you could say that if there never was running in the playground I would still have my spleen, unless I had the same accident somewhere else? I friend of mine fell from a tree when he was 10, fractured scull/concussion, broken ribs, fractured leg etc. I ran to his house to tell his Mum. had to climb over a 6 foot high fence to do that. We still climbed trees for a long time after that. Yes Daily Mail has a story to tell but that's because there is a story. In my opinion we need to let kids be kids and learn about life from an early age, and if that means falling over in the playground then let them get on with it. My daughter was born with a physical disability and will never get the chance to run around, so let those that can, do.

The news paper report ( some distance below the headline) states there are a number of places at the school where the children can run and let off steam. The pic showing the cones show there is a hop scotch grid on the ground, so I guess this area is reserved for calmer games. If this is the case then I don't see anything wrong with having designated areas. When I was at school a long time ago I recall they were not happy with football in the yard, only the field. Though I suspect it had more to do with windows than our safety

It's tig.

It's tag!

It was defo TICK (in Liverpool it was anyway), but at that moment it became TRIP :-(

and so it should be. Like telling the truth at an IOSG forum.

If running had been banned at our school, the Nurse would have been redundant and Elastoplast would have been bankrupt. Long time ago and happier time and a much tougher generation. I don't think we had a elf n safety person.

It would possibly be a valid concern if they are running on the staircases, and/.or straight out the school get and across a road.