While several studies have examined how recess plays a vital role in a developing child's day, there has been a long history of debate over this matter. In fact, going back as far as 1884, philosopher W.T. Harris addressed the question of whether it was appropriate to abolish recess and stated that the "chief use of the recess is its complete suspension of the tension of the willpower and the surrender to caprice for a brief interval."
Today, many argue that the importance of recess has increased drastically in our technology-driven world, where smartphones and tablets sometimes act as a child's primary source of play and imagination. However, to allow more time to be allocated to academics, elementary schools across the country have minimized students' recess time or eliminated it entirely. In fact, in a 2012 survey of over 15,000 children, the Department of Education found that on average, three in ten children either had no recess or were limited to a break of less than 15 minutes. When looking at the average number of minutes students spend in recess each day (26.9) compared to the recommended time by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics (60), the numbers are astounding.
While academics are certainly important, getting rid of recess disregards the extensive list of benefits that unregulated free time provides for young, developing children in and out of the classroom.
In a study done through Georgia State University, Dr. Olga Jarrett and her team analyzed the behavior of students at an urban school with a no-recess policy. Under surveillance, two classes of fourth-grade students were given recess on one day a week so that the team could compare the children's behavior on days when they had recess and days when they didn't. Once the observation period was complete, Jarrett concluded that 60 percent of the class worked more and fidgeted less on days when the children were given time for recess. Several similar studies have supported Jarrett's findings, demonstrating that children are more engaged, productive, and focused with the inclusion of recess, regardless of whether it took place outdoors or indoors. Recess also acts as an opportunity to expend energy in a healthy way for hyperactive students.
Unstructured recess has the unique ability to positively impact stress management and learned social behavior for young students. According to the National Association for the Education of Young Children, unregulated physical activity provides a developmentally suitable way for children to reduce stress. Research has also proven that physical activity and adequate time away from mandatory learning periods provide healthy ways for children to release pent-up emotions after a traumatic situation.
Today's children sometimes can have difficulty demonstrating empathy, understanding social cues, and socializing with their peers. Because children develop social skills through real-life scenarios and opportunities to interact and play, providing time for children to openly engage with other children is also imperative to their social and behavioral development. On the playground, children are able to apply leadership, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills.
The most obvious beneficial impact recess has on children involves their physical health, but there are benefits beyond the obesity-fighting exercise they get on the playground. Schools that schedule recess prior to lunch have also reported that the students eat healthier, including more fruits and vegetables in their lunches and wasting less food. Children who are physically active during the day also tend to be more active after school and on weekends compared to those who remain sedentary during the day.
Find more about the author: Kristen Breedlove
