Curriculum Corner: 'The Value of Group Games'
When you drive past our campus and hear the sounds of laughter echoing from the recess field or catch glimpses of students racing through the woods, know that what you're witnessing is a carefully designed curriculum in action.
By Jenni Heartway, Blue Mountain School Assistant Director and Forest Programming Director, and David Choquette, Copper Lead Teacher
At Blue Mountain School, one of the core routines we emphasize on a weekly basis is Group Games. Our students (age five to 13) come together to engage in exciting games either on the recess field or in the woods around our campus. The games can range from fast paced, competitive games to creative, cooperative games that envelope the students in challenges that require problem solving, physical skills, empathy, and leadership.
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Group Games provide an opportunity to connect with schoolmates outside of their class and also allow students to develop important executive functioning skills, social skills, and brain-based learning, one of the core tenants of Blue Mountain School’s Contemplative Progressive philosophy.
Copper teacher David Coquette said, “What do we learn from games? I frequently ask the students the same question, and these are the answers I get: 'Games teach us to try new things. Games are good exercise. Games teach us to be humble when we win and gracious when we lose. Games teach us how to cooperate. Games give us the opportunity to set aside our drive to win and help someone who falls down or gets confused or discouraged'.
"It sounds an awful lot like courage, gratitude, forgiveness, and compassion in action," Choquette said. "Group Game time is secretly a wild, rowdy Choose Love (Blue Mountain School’s Social Emotional Curriculum) lesson. I encourage families to make more time for games at home, physical games, mental games, social games, anything you enjoy. Talk about them, work together, and see how they help us become better people as well as better players.”
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When you drive past our campus and hear the sounds of laughter echoing from the recess field or catch glimpses of students racing through the woods, know that what you're witnessing is a carefully designed curriculum in action.
Group Games at Blue Mountain School isn't simply recess — it's an intentional, structured time where students build essential life skills through purposeful play. Every game is selected with specific developmental goals in mind, whether that's practicing conflict resolution, building physical coordination, or learning to lead and follow.
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This is what progressive education looks like: recognizing that children learn through experience, movement, and relationship, and designing every part of the school day — even the parts that look like pure fun — to support their growth as capable, compassionate, and connected individuals.
Blue Mountain School is a progressive, contemplative school in Floyd, where intentional curriculum planning is part of the everyday. “Curriculum Corner” is a bi-weekly column written by Blue Mountain School teachers to share insight and school happenings.