22 The Importance of Recess
READ FIRST- The article below provides data about the importance of recess for children.
- The Crucial Role of Recess in School by The American Academy of Pediatrics (~21 minute read)
CHOOSE TWO- Select at least two of the articles below to learn about the status of recess in the United States.
- Why Some Schools are Sending Kids Out for Recess Four Times a Day by Valerie Strauss (~8 minute read)
In this Washington Post article, Strauss highlights schools trying out different approaches to infuse more recess time into the day for elementary school children.
- Is Recess Important for Kids or a Waste of Time? by Katie Reilly (~8 minute read)
In this piece from Time magazine, Reilly shares how changes to state law influence the amount of recess time in schools as well as some of the benefits of recess to young children’s learning and development.
- Not all Fun and Games: New Guidelines Urge Schools to Rethink Recess by Sophia Alvarez Boyd (~5 minute read)
In this segment from National Public Radio, Boyd describes recommendations from the Society of Health and Physical Educators America and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that highlight key elements of high quality recess opportunities for children.
- Time to Play: More State Laws Require Recess by Brittany Shammas (~7 minute read)
In this Edutopia article, Shammas provides information about how different states approach recess time in elementary schools.
- Longer Recess, Stronger Child Development by Angela Hanscom (~5 minute read)
In this Edutopia article, Hanscom addresses why children need more time for recess and the potential benefits of having an hour of recess a day.
- The Benefits of Recess by Edutopia (~ 1 minute)
In this video, learn more about the benefits to recess for children’s learning and development.
Additional Resource
