As children are heading back to school, it’s easy to assume their school days will look like ours once did – recess time spent outside playing with our friends, socializing, exploring, moving and having fun.
Unfortunately, that is no longer true for all children. According to US News and World Report, “Starting in the early 2000s, many schools cut back or even eliminated recess in favor of more instructional time.” This is against the recommendations of almost all health, wellness and child specialists.
According to the National Association of State Boards of Education’s State Policy Database, only nine states currently require daily recess. Yet the Centers for Disease Control and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) both recommend that all children have access to unstructured downtime during the school day.
Recess is not just a privilege or an optional break, according to AAP. Rather, it is “a crucial and necessary component of a child’s development.”
East Carolina University agrees, reporting, “The elimination of recess and PE (physical education) in public schools is occurring all around the nation and is causing greater pressure on an increase in childhood obesity, poor academics, and stress levels among students.”
So, in two words: Recess matters. Why? Because unstructured play throughout the day develops children in so many ways, helps them focus, builds empathy and fosters socialization and creativity. Let’s dig deeper into the benefits of recess.
1. Physical Benefits: Active play during recess improves children’s cardiovascular health and physical strength while helping to combat childhood obesity. The CDC says the percentage of children and adolescents affected by obesity has more than tripled since the 1970s, to 1 in 5 children in 2017-18. They recommend children engage in 60 minutes of physical activity daily – and recess can be a valuable time to get some of that! Obstacle courses like ELEVATE® Fitness Course provide ways for children to move during recess and get the most out of the time they have. Including these types of events in the recess repertoire helps kids get the 60 minutes of movement they need daily.
2. Cognitive/Academic Benefits: Recess supports children’s cognitive development and academic performance. Not only are children moving, socializing, problem-solving and engaging in teamwork on the playground, they are “more attentive and more productive in the classroom,” according to the AAP journal Pediatrics, which also noted that the cognitive benefits applied equally to adolescents and younger children. Movement outdoors, natural light and a chance to let loose all help children focus better. Play events like MOVMNT® Electronic Play encourages everyone five years and older to move, play and compete in a fun, game-like setting AND teaches concepts like cause and effect. Not all learning has to be done inside after all!
3. Social/Emotional Benefits: Recess gives children opportunities to build their social skills as they learn how to negotiate, cooperate, share, resolve conflicts and make decisions. Along the way, they also are developing strengthening their perseverance and ability to regulate their emotions. AAP notes, “Recess offers a child a necessary, socially structured means for managing stress.” Role playing and imaginative play help children process emotions, develop leadership skills and become creative problem solvers. The Burke Express, Discovery Stations™ and PlayHouse are all great ways to foster the social and emotional benefits children develop through play.
When school districts or individual schools reduce or eliminate recess, or don’t provide properly designed spaces for children to play, the outcomes aren’t what we seek and include:
• Increase in sedentary behavior, with associated health issues.
• Lack of focus and challenging behavior in the classroom.
• Declining academic performance.
• Increase in feelings of anxiety, stress and social isolation.
“Safe and healthy recess promotes a Culture of Health by giving students time to develop socially, emotionally, physically and academically,” says the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming health. “School leaders should recognize the important role of recess in building a positive school climate.” This isn’t the goal of any school or academic environment and the fix isn’t complex.
If we want our children to thrive both in and out of the classroom, recess is a necessary piece of the puzzle. Parents, educators and community members must advocate for daily recess — not as a break from school, but as an essential part of the school curriculum.
Contact your local Burke Representative to learn more about how you can create an environment that helps kids get the most out of their play!