The Yard Program
The Physical Education Program strives to promote children’s physical development, fitness, and game strategy and rule knowledge, as well as provide children with fundamental skills necessary for life-long physical activity. Twice each week, a Physical Education period is used to help children develop and/or practice skills related to specific sports (for example, serving in volleyball or passing to a moving target in soccer).
The 7s are introduced to PE and go to the gym twice a week for 30 minutes to familiarize themselves with gym routines and expectations. 7s play a variety of games to learn fundamental skills such as throwing and catching, volleying, and hand and foot dribbling, as well as tag games to increase cardiovascular endurance. The main goal of the Lower School Physical Education Program is to build confidence and cooperation within the group and individual student, so children participate in modified versions of traditional games in both small and big group settings. The Physical Education Program continues in the Middle and Upper Schools, with students participating for 45 minutes, twice a week. PE provides an opportunity for students to practice gross motor skills and learn sports in a more teacher-directed environment. The PE Teacher introduces a variety of classic sports, such as volleyball, basketball, and soccer, and non-traditional sports, such as pickleball, badminton, and Tchoukball. The PE Teacher organizes drills and skill-based activities that help children develop the skills needed to play games independently. Many of the activities introduced in PE can be adapted in the Ball Yard once the children have learned the rules of the game and feel confident enough in their skills to play the game independently.
Outside of the regular school day, Afterschool PE is available for 8s–13s one day a week during the fall and spring.
The Program also builds social skills for the students, by providing another avenue for the children to develop confidence, problem-solving, and effective communication skills, as well as promoting cooperation, team building, sportspersonship, and leadership skills in an alternative environment.
Outside of the regular school day, Afterschool PE is available for 8s–13s one day a week during the fall and spring.
Skills Yard and Gym
C&C utilizes a newly renovated gym space for daily Skills Yard classes and team sports. More about sports can be found here. Twice each week, a Skills Yard period is used to help children develop and/or practice skills related to specific sports (for example, passing in basketball). Skills Yard covers a number of different activities:
Lower School Students...
- Learn the fundamental skills, such as throwing and catching, volleying, and hand and foot dribbling, necessary to participate in many games.
- Play a variety of tag games to increase cardiovascular endurance.
- Participate in modified versions of traditional games in small and big group settings.
- Focus on cooperation and building confidence
Middle & Upper School Skills Yard...
- Builds on fundamental skills that help students participate in sports and physical activities.
- Provides modified and small-sided games to learn rules, skills, and strategies.
- Emphasizes cooperation, communication, and sportspersonship.
- Exposes children to a variety of sports such as pickleball, badminton, and Tchoukball, in addition to traditional sports.
- Teaches fitness and sport-specific exercises.
Beginning in the 8s, children may take an optional Early-Morning Yard period that allows for additional skill acquisition, and just plain fun, from 8 to 8:30 AM each day. In Afterschool, Middle and Upper School children have the opportunity to play in Yard with their own and other Groups.
City and Country School
146 W 13th Street New York, NY 10011
Phone: 212.242.7802
Phone: 212.242.7802