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And if your children’s schools haven’t cut recess altogether, then it’s likely the number of times they have recess or the duration of that unstructured playtime has been reduced.
In 2008, The Elementary School Journal reported that up to 25 percent of the nation’s elementary schools don’t have regularly scheduled recess for all grade levels. The figure has grown considerably while more schools try to cram academics into their schedule in response to the No Child Left Behind act, which emphasizes test scores.
You don’t have to be a doctor or a child psychologist to know what happens to kids when they don’t have enough get your ya-ya’s out time. Just imagine the last snow day you had with your kids, when it was too wicked cold to even go outdoors.
These days, it seems kids go right from a very regimented school day, to a very regimented soccer practice, to a very regimented piano lesson. And then home to their very regimented homework routine. It’s no wonder so many kids don’t know how to play.
The thought of my kids starting elementary school, where they have to sit through eight or more hours of academics, with no recess, is really troubling.
In 2002, a study of 11,000 third-graders showed that children’s behavior was scored better by their teachers when they received as little as 15 minutes of recess compared to those who did not receive recess at all.
Doctors also say our adult brains can pay attention and actually concentrate for approximately 45-60 minutes. But it’s even less in children.
It seems recess is actually essential to improving their learning ability. And it sharpens their socialization skills. Taking turns, using their imagination and getting exercise are just a precious few of the benefits to having an unstructured recess.
I hope more parents speak out and demand that schools continue to integrate free playtime into their schedules.
And if it’s that good for the kids, imagine the impact it has on their teachers!
Amy Grace is married with two sons. She is a stay-at-home mom who works part-time. Read her Fridays on momaha.com.
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Posted by: Lisa Andrews on 10/21/2011 @ 6:48 am:
For children, play is work in the sense that they do learn from playing….things that can only be taught by experience and experimentation. The school day should always incorporate play time or breaks. When my children were in grade school the teachers would punish the class and individual children for bad behavior by cancelling recess…it was a punishment to them, but I suspect it punished her more!Not the most rational of punishments in my opinion.
Posted by: Craignsara on 10/21/2011 @ 7:01 am:
I couldn’t agree more. My children are too young for school (until next year!) and I honestly didn’t even know that recesses were being eliminated. That’s ridiculous. Kids need to play. It recharges their batteries. I couldn’t sit in the same desk for 8 hours with no breaks. (Except a too-short lunch break).
Posted by: Anonymous on 10/21/2011 @ 12:28 pm:
Wow. I had no idea! Bennington kindergarteners have 2 recess periods!
Posted by: AlWatts on 10/21/2011 @ 2:56 pm:
I have always thought it is ridiculous to expect 5-8 year olds to sit and pay attention in class for 7 hours a day. Kids need to move, socialize and just be kids. Recess is 20 minutes a day at our school on a playground that is getting too small for the number of kids on it. I wish they had more time and space, especially at the younger ages.
To make up for it, we don’t do any after school activities. Most days when the kids get home from school they do their homework and get to play, often outside.
We have a whole lifetime to spend in cramped cubicles… while kids are kids, we should let them have some freedom to explore their world on their terms.
Great blog Amy!
Posted by: Amy G on 10/22/2011 @ 2:16 am:
Al, that is exactly the sentiment Jack’s preschool teacher had, when referring to all day kindergarten. Kids have the rest of their lives to go to school and work. Some still need afternoon naps. And now have limited recess? Sounds like we’re setting them up to fail!
Thanks everyone for weighing in. Also FYI, There are parent action groups around the country trying to be proactive about getting more or keeping recess time. I hope educators and policy makers get the memo amour the importance of unstructured play.
Posted by: Amy G on 10/22/2011 @ 2:18 am:
**memo about… Stupid autocorrect!
Posted by: Sara N on 10/21/2011 @ 3:24 pm:
Here is Virginia Beach, my kiddos have the last 10 minutes of PT as their recess. They do have PE everyday unlike we did. I wonder though, we only had PR 2-3 times a week and had very few overweight/obese classmates, while my kids have PE every day, run 1 mile once a week, and the number of overweight and obese children is MUCH higher.
The number of children on medication for ADHD/ADD is higher as well. I am not against medication for ADHD or ADD, my daughter currently takes medication, but I wonder how many of these children would be more capable of concentrating, settling down, or focus better had they had the chance to have some unstructured time?
I would rather my kids be at school for 7 1/2 hrs vice the 6 1/2 hours if that meant they would get more unstructured time. My kids are lucky and have sports and neighborhood friends, but many children do not, and only see the inside of their house outside of school.
Posted by: Ber on 10/23/2011 @ 2:31 am:
I was shocked to learn that my 1st grade son gets a very short recess, if one at all! I found out by going to eat lunch with my son and I arrived a little early (when the one and only 20 minute recess should have been) and I didn’t see his class outside, so I went inside and waited by the lunch room and seen the kids come down the stairs to go outside, so I went with them, and the moment we made it down to the play area, they blew the whistle to come back in! The kids had less that one minute. I asked the kids if it was normally like this and they all said yes, everyday! I was so sad to find this out. (I have been back twice and had the same experience) Recess is the only part of the day where the kids can run, play together, be loud and get out their built up energy (he does have PE twice a week though). I would prefer them to extend the school day so they can allow for a good solid 20-30 minute recess.
Posted by: 1stGradeTeacher on 10/24/2011 @ 10:45 am:
I hope everyone who reads this post contacts their child’s administrators and pushes for more recess time. As a teacher of students who receive one 15 minute recess per day I can tell you the impact that it has made. Our school also had to make the change between having two recesses to just one due to No Child Left Behind. We as teachers have shown research and data that backs up having recess, but when your test scores are posted online and on the front page of the World Herald, it’s hard to compete against that type of PR. I do try to incorporate movement in the classroom throughout the day through songs, dance, and movement/exercise, but it doesn’t replace unstructured play time!!
As for extending the day — my students tend to be “done” by 1:30 or so. Luckily our specials and then science/social studies are at the end of the day. It’s a hard line to figure out to even out the expectations set out by the government (and then we are “graded” upon) and what the students need.
Posted by: Amy G on 10/24/2011 @ 1:29 pm:
Thanks again everyone for weighing in. Here is the website of a group, who can provide information and maybe some action steps to move in that direction. I haven’t had time to read through it, but if you feel it’s important and want to affect change, check it out: http://www.peacefulplaygrounds.com/right-to-recess.htm
Also, thanks to 1stGradeTeacher for sharing your personal experience/professional view. It’s great to know that teachers and parents agree on what’s best for the kids these days!
Posted by: 1st grade momma on 10/24/2011 @ 8:15 pm:
my daughter recently told me she gets one recess a day and sometimes not even that… at her old school/district she got 3! 3 a day in kindergarten. which i thought was fabulous because kids cant sit still and to be able to go out for even just 10 mins to get there willys out is great. im alittle sad that she only got one year of decent “play” time… im also sad it sounds recess is going away… i do know that last year and beginning of the year there was always a end of the day recess.. and she hasnt had that in about a month now… interesting….
Posted by: Amy G on 10/25/2011 @ 1:51 pm:
1stgrademomma, have you noticed any changes in her behavior? More ants in her pants by day’s end?!
Posted by: Lyzbeth on 01/28/2012 @ 12:54 pm:
A little rationality lifts the quality of the debate here. Thanks for cntoribuintg!
Posted by: Kathy on 11/05/2011 @ 2:55 pm:
As a teacher I could not agree more. However, it is out of our hands. You must speak to administration and if necessary continue to take your complaints to higher levels. As the curriculum and testing becomes more and more intense, recess becomes less important to the powers that be.