essay about recess time

Is Recess Important for Kids or a Waste of Time? Here’s What the Research Says

E lementary school students in Florida are now guaranteed 20 minutes of recess each day — something many kids lacked before a new state law took effect during the summer.

Florida’s law and similar recent proposals in several other states are the latest examples of the running debate over the value of recess for young children. In recent years, more parents have begun fighting a trend of reduced recess time and are calling on schools to give children a chance to play .

Last year, Rhode Island enacted a similar law requiring 20 minutes of consecutive recess for elementary-school kids. The Board of Education in Atlanta, where recess was once eliminated , is now considering a rule that would prohibit teachers from withholding recess from students for disciplinary purposes, months after state lawmakers failed to pass a bill that would have mandated 30 minutes of daily recess in schools across the state, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported. And in Arizona, a bill that aimed to expand recess time to 50 minutes passed in the House but met opposition in the Senate this year.

Florida’s law was the culmination of a long campaign by parents in the state. One of those parents, Angela Browning, founder of Recess for All Florida Students, said her kids started coming home from school in tears a few years ago, complaining that the day had been too long and that they’d had no time to play with friends. At the time, they were getting 10 minutes of recess twice a week, she said. This year, with 20 minutes of recess each day, their response has been different.

“I cannot even begin to explain to you how much adding recess back into their day— how much of an effect that had on my kids,” she said. “When we have these young children and we can’t find time to give them a 20-minute break a day, we’ve lost our way.”

Not everyone agrees. Last year, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie vetoed a similar bill that would have required 20 minutes of daily recess for students across the state. “That was a stupid bill and I vetoed it,” he said at the time.

Here’s what you need to know:

The debate over recess

In the past 20 years, an increased emphasis on standardized testing as a metric for student achievement has led leaders in some states and school districts to cut into recess in favor of more in-class instruction. In 2007, the Center on Education Policy at George Washington University found that 62% of school districts had increased the amount of time spent on English language arts or math in elementary schools since 2001, while 44% of school districts had cut down on time spent on other subjects. The survey showed that 20% of school districts had reduced recess time. According to the 2016 Shape of the Nation report , just 16% of states require elementary schools to provide daily recess.

The debate over standardized testing grew with the enactment of No Child Left Behind in 2002 and, more recently, with the adoption of Common Core State Standards. Students today take an average of 112 mandated standardized tests between pre-kindergarten and 12th grade, according to an analysis by the Council of the Great City Schools in 2015.

Many health and education experts argue that recess is a necessary activity for child development, and parents have begun to advocate for more recess time.

“Some devalue recess because they assume it to be — as they assume play in young children to be — a waste of time, time that could be otherwise more efficiently spent,” Anthony Pellegrini, former professor of educational psychology at the University of Minnesota, wrote in a 2008 paper . “There is no theory or empirical evidence to support this point of view. The counter-argument, that recess is good, is backed by a large body of theory and empirical research.”

What the research says

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that children participate in 60 minutes of “moderate to vigorous activity per day,” and suggested that recess be part of that. “Recess is a necessary break in the day for optimizing a child’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development,” the AAP wrote in a 2013 policy statement . “In essence, recess should be considered a child’s personal time, and it should not be withheld for academic or punitive reasons.”

Experts argue that physical education and recess should both be part of a child’s schedule. In 2001, the Council on Physical Education for Children and the National Association for Sport and Physical Education recommended that physical education classes not become a replacement for the unstructured playtime of recess.

“Quality physical education along with daily recess are necessary components of the school curriculum that enable students to develop physical competence, health-related fitness, self responsibility, and enjoyment of physical activity so that they can be physically active for a lifetime,” the groups wrote in a position paper about elementary school recess in 2001.

A 2009 study found that 8- and 9-year-old children who had at least one daily recess period of more than 15 minutes had better classroom behavior. The study also found that black students and students from low-income families were more likely to be given no recess or minimal recess. That report reinforced the results of a 1998 study , which found that when 43 fourth-grade students were given recess, they worked more or fidgeted less than when they were not given recess.

When recess is eliminated or reduced, it is often because a school is allocating more time to subjects covered on standardized tests, aiming to improve student achievement. But a 2010 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found positive associations between recess and academic performance. “There is substantial evidence that physical activity can help improve academic achievement, including grades and standardized test scores,” the report said.

Another study , from 2016, found that young boys who spent more time sitting and less time playing didn’t progress as quickly in reading and math.

Studies also show that recess can improve student nutrition when held before lunchtime. A 2014 study published in Preventive Medicine found that holding recess before lunch increased students’ fruit and vegetable consumption by 54%.

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Why We Need to Rethink Recess

• Posted October 17, 2019
• By Jill Anderson

Sociologist Rebecca London knows that recess is an afterthought at many schools. Too often, it's just "a blank space in the middle of the day," she says, or a way to get some physical exercise for kids. She thinks it's time that educators rethink how to use that time to better support young students. In this episode of the Harvard EdCast, London shares ideas from her new book, Rethinking Recess , how to create a more inclusive recess, and why taking away recess — especially as punishment — is a bad idea for kids.

Jill Anderson: I am Jill Anderson. This is the Harvard EdCast. Rebecca London is a sociologist who studies recess. She knows recess is an afterthought in many schools day. Too often, it's just seen as a break or a way to get some physical exercise for kids. She wants to see us rethink how to use that time to better support young students. In recent years, there's been news about states mandating recess. So I asked her what the current state of recess is across the country.

Rebecca London: Well, recess is a really interesting space in the school day because it's a time when there could be a lot of academic and social and emotional physical growth happening, but there isn't necessarily all that happening. It's often a blank space in the middle of the day. It's a break. And so people think, "Well, I don't have to pay attention to it." But really, what we know is you do have to pay attention to it because it's a time when children can experience a lot of growth. It's also a time when they can experience boredom or bullying. It can result in disciplinary incidents that go to the principal's office. So generally, I'm interested in those kinds of spaces in children's lives, where it's this confluence of developmental opportunities with some attention to them can be a really amazing time to build all kinds of developmental skills.

Jill Anderson: We've been hearing a lot about recess around the country and in different ways. And can you provide like a snapshot of what elementary school recess looks like across America today?

Rebecca London: So elementary school recess is actually not available everywhere across the US today. We know that in urban schools and schools serving low-income populations and schools serving predominantly children of color, there isn't always recess. Sometimes the children don't get any time to run outside in the unstructured opportunity for play after their lunch or before their lunch. And even when they do, it's often less time than their peers in other schools get. In some schools, they've really paid attention to what happens during that time. And there's activities, there's equipment, there are caring adults who are helping the children or connecting with them. And in other schools, there hasn't been that attention to recess.

And so sometimes there's a little bit of equipment, sometimes not, and then sometimes there's opportunities for activities and games, sometimes not. Children are often left up to their own devices to figure out what to do with that time. Sometimes the adults are really caring and providing support and maybe turning a jump rope or refereeing a soccer game or a basketball game and sometimes not. Sometimes they're looking at their phones or connecting with their friends and not engaging with children. So right now, I would say we're in a place where we're paying a lot of attention to recess. There's actually a fair amount of state legislation happening. The CDC has guidelines out on what a healthy recess should look like. The American Academy of Pediatrics has guidelines out on what a healthy recess should look like. This is our moment to capitalize on all of that and just scheduling the minutes in the day isn't enough to ensure that children are experiencing a safe and healthy and inclusive recess.

Jill Anderson: We know play is good for kids, and that has been proven time and time again. But at the same time, it's interesting how we focus so much on improving all these aspects of education, but it seems like we've ignored recess a little bit.

Rebecca London: Well, and while we haven't ignored recess, we're focusing on it as an opportunity for physical activity. That's how states are framing it in their legislation. It's an opportunity to get those 60 crucial minutes per day of physical activity that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends. But what's really interesting is play is the way that children learn. We know that from very young age on play is how they learn. So right now, for instance, a lot of schools are using curriculum on social and emotional learning, SEL, that's very big right now. And this curriculum is offered in classrooms with classroom teachers.

But the chance for children to practice those skills, to think about self-regulation, what am I going to do if I lose this game? To think about collaboration and sharing, to think about conflict resolution, how am I going to resolve a conflict? The ball is in, the ball is out. Their chance to practice these skills, the only unstructured time during the school day is recess. And so if we're not offering them an opportunity with meaningful engagement in play amd in an inclusive safe environment to practice these skills, these curricula aren't going to have the opportunity to take hold in the same way.

Jill Anderson: So in your research, you talk about organized recess and high-quality recess. So what is high-quality, organized recess look like?

Rebecca London: So there's this debate in the literature about structured versus unstructured play. So structured play is more like a physical education class. There's an adult who's leading a class, all the kids are participating in the same activity. They don't really have any choice. Unstructured play is we're putting you out there on the play yard. Maybe there's equipment, maybe there's not. And kids have free reign to design whatever games and activities they want to play. And some schools I think that works well. And the schools that I've been to, low-income urban schools around the country, there needs to be something of a hybrid. So organized recess is an opportunity for there to be a lot of free choice, different kinds of games available, but organized in a way so that everybody has a chance to play, everybody can be included, and everyone has a chance to have fun.

So the ways that schools can do that are first of all to identify the games that kids like to play, they want to be playing, and find a place on their play yard outside or inside if it's going to be an indoor recess where those games can happen in separate spaces so that there's not jump rope running through the basketball game, there's not soccer tag games running through the soccer game. So every game has its own space. And then the second step is to identify a set of common rules to the games so that children they know how to play, they understand when they're out or when they're in. We don't have to spend a lot of time arguing about whether that rule is part of the game or not part of the game. We all are operating under the same set of rules.

One of the schools that I visited was trying to do this, establishing a common set of rules with the game four square. I don't know if you're familiar with four square. There is markings for four different squares on the ground and then kids play with the ball and they bounce the ball from square to square. There's four people standing in the square. And there's a million different ways to play this game. There's different rules. They can double bounce, they can single bounce. Sometimes at this particular school, the person who was in the King spot or the Queen spot, the number one spot got to make the rules for the rest of the game. So the rule changed every single time a kid rotated into that spot. And the child in charge always made the rules to their best advantage. And so if you weren't a kid who could play by those rules, you never got a chance to play.

And so the school decided, you know what? We're not going to have that anymore. We're going to allow anybody to play. We're going to establish a common set of rules and that's how it's going to go. And there was a rebellion at the school. Those kids, the parents especially, you're ruining recess for my kids. And so the school decided to try a hybrid and they said, "Okay, we'll keep one four square court with the old school rules, and we'll have another four square court with the new school rules, and we'll see which one the students like better." Well, by the end of the school year, everybody liked the new court rules, the new school rules better because they were fair, everybody had a chance to play and the old school rules kind of dwindled. So it took a little while to get used to having this common set of rules for the game. But after a little while, the kids got to see how beneficial that was for them and then they had more of an opportunity to play.

Okay, so the organized recess is about finding spots for the games and coming up with a common set of rules for the games. And then the next piece is about what the adults are doing. And it's about adults supporting children's play at recess. So know not all adults who are out there monitoring recess want to throw on their tennis shoes and run around and play basketball with kids and that's fine. But they could help kids to resolve conflicts when they arise as they do when children play. There's always going to be a conflict, is the ball in, is the ball out? Help them to resolve those conflicts. They can be a positive supporter of play. They can cheer for kids, they can remind them to play fair, they can remind them to pass the ball, they can do inactive ways of supporting play, like turning a jump rope. I've seen a lot of adults standing on play yards, turning jump ropes and getting to know the kids that way.

So it's about positive engagement, pro-social engagement with the children, not just being there to make sure that they're safe and yelling at them if they're running on the blacktop as they're not supposed to do in most schools, but to really be a positive supportive of play. Get to know the kids that way. Those are the three key ways to organize recess. In the book, I talk about a lot of different steps, other ways that you can centralize the equipment disbursement, and that's a role that kids can actually play at their own recess so that teachers aren't responsible for monitoring equipment, equipment doesn't get lost as much. If there's a centralized checkout available, then students have an opportunity for leadership if they're the ones who are running that checkout. So there's a lot of other things that go into it as well.

Jill Anderson: Right, do you see organized recess affecting school climate at other times of the day like when the kids are not in recess?

Rebecca London: Well, that's what we hear and there was a randomized controlled trial done on this. By organizing recess, what we find is that children are more engaged. And when they're more engaged in play, there's less opportunity for all of the negative things that can come out of recess. So one of the things that we hear from teachers is that after recess, that time when they go to pick their students up after they've had recess is their most stressful time of day because they know that their students are going to come back into the classroom feeling unsatisfied and potentially upset about what happened during their recess time if they felt excluded or they had an argument with someone or their game didn't go the way they wanted it to or it never really even got started.

And so by having an increased level of engagement in play at recess, teachers tell us students are coming back feeling much more satisfied, much more ready to learn. They can settle their classes in a much shorter period of time, whereas it might have taken them 8 or 9 minutes, 10 minutes to settle their classes down after recess. Before organized recess came in, after, it might take them just a minute or two to get their kids... get them a drink of water and get them settled and ready to learn. So they're actually gaining time in their classroom learning by having an organized recess. And that affects their stress levels. So we know school climate is not just about children, but it's about how adults are feeling in their school. And if everyone's feeling a little bit less stressed, there's not a line out the principal's door for disciplinary incidents that refer from recess. Teachers aren't spending as much time resolving conflicts from their students outside of recess. That does build school climate definitely.

Jill Anderson: I thought it was so interesting some of the information about discipline and particularly how often teachers will withhold recess as an activity. Can you talk a little bit more about why that isn't a good idea?

Rebecca London: Withholding recess either because students haven't behaved appropriately or because they're missing schoolwork is a very common practice in elementary schools. And when I talked to teachers about it, they tell me that it's really the thing that kids care about the most. And so they use it as a way of getting kids to behave and finish up their work. The problem is that by withholding recess, not only are you withholding a break, and we know that breaks are important, even adults take breaks. Everybody takes breaks. You need a moment to reset and recharge, and that's an important part of the school day. But beyond that, it's often the same children who have recess withheld over and over again.

What we hear is that it's not just a random kid every day, but it's often the same children who have behavioral problems day after day and have recess withheld. And what we know about that is that when we're removing children from an important developmental setting as recess is, because it helps them to build those social and emotional skills, those skills that they need for self regulation and conflict resolution and cooperation and sharing, by withholding that opportunity to practice those skills, we're actually holding children back. And especially for withholding that opportunity day after day after day, what we're teaching children is that they don't belong. They don't belong at recess, they don't belong with their peers. In the book, I talk about this as a step ladder into the school to prison pipeline. When you tell children from a very early age that they don't belong, they begin to believe that about themselves, and then they begin to act as if they don't belong.

Jill Anderson: What would be a better way to handle a situation like that? I mean, for teachers, they're looking forward to that break themselves to send kids to recess.

Rebecca London: Yeah, it's often when they take their lunch. So they have to have that break. There's a lot of different ways to incentivize children to behave and do their work. One is to incentivize with recess. So instead of saying, "I'm going to withhold this recess that you already have scheduled," say, "If you all get your work done and you're all behaving well, you can have an additional recess. I'll take you out for 10 more minutes."

Jill Anderson: Oh, yeah.

Rebecca London: So to use recess, but as an incentive as opposed to as a punishment, there's all kinds of ideas about how to get students to behave in class and how to make reparations for the misbehaviors so they can write a letter, an apology letter, instead of having the recess withheld. They can be incentivized by getting to choose the book that we read that day, or there's a lot of different ways that you can turn behavior around positively. And you know what's interesting is that states are beginning to legislate this. By my count, there are at least nine states right now that do not allow recess to be withheld...

Jill Anderson: Interesting.

Rebecca London:  ... as a punishment or for missed schoolwork.

Jill Anderson: Do they mandate that recess has to happen because I was looking into this, there's quite a few states that do have that mandate in place, but they don't mandate necessarily a certain amount of time? Am I understanding that right?

Rebecca London: Yeah, that's right. The data that I relied on is from a survey that was conducted by the CDC with SHAPE America. SHAPE America's the physical education professional association. And they found that there were nine states that said that recess is on the books and their state regs that recess cannot be withheld for punishment or from missed schoolwork. Not all of those states mandate recess.

Rebecca London: There are currently about 12 or 13 states that require recess for... usually, it's a minimum of 20 minutes per day. And for me, I feel like 20 minutes is the absolute minimum. More would be better probably. And like in Finland, the students get 15 minutes of recess for every hour of instruction. I think we're a little bit far away from that here in the US. But if there could be two recesses in the day, maybe one in the morning and one at lunch, or one at lunch and one in the afternoon depending on the bell schedule to allow students just to have that time to take a break and reset, what we know from the research is that this does not detract from student learning.

Jill Anderson: To change to an organized recess, is that an easy thing to do or is it hard to do? Does it require a lot of training and things to make that happen or even hiring additional people?

Rebecca London: It requires a commitment. It may not take a lot of money, but it requires a commitment on the part of somebody who has some decision-making authority. I was at one school in an East Coast urban center and it was actually the school nurse who took on recess at that school. So that person decided we really need to do something better than what we've got going on. That person wrote some grants connected with the leadership at the school and really was able to make a change in how recess went. So it doesn't have to be the principal. I've been to a lot of schools where it's the counselor, or a behavioral specialist, or even the PE teacher, or even a really committed recess monitor. Somebody who's already at recess who says, "We could be doing this better." And there are all kinds of training opportunities that are available to work with adults who are out at recess. It's not a huge change that needs to happen, but there's a lot of commitment because there's a lot of legwork that has to happen. But once it's in place, it pretty much runs itself.

Jill Anderson: For so many of us we’re familiar with old school recess, where it was just you kind of ran around and did whatever, it was very free, and I wonder if you get a lot of pushback or people just don't understand. They feel like this is imposing more restrictions on kids.

Rebecca London: And you know what I would say to that, if your school has a recess that is totally unregulated and it's going well, then great, stick with it. If that's what your students like and they can organize themselves and come up with games to play without beating each other up and without people feeling excluded and feeling bad during recess, then that's a recess that's working. But there's a lot of recesses that aren't like that, and they need some help figuring out how to make things better. I've been to school where children are engaged in physical fights on the ground where adults don't know how to encourage play, where kids are standing in line for the entire 15 minutes that they're outside waiting to go back into their class because they don't feel safe. I've been to places where it's just not working and they're looking to make a change, and this is a change that we know works.

Jill Anderson: Rebecca London is an assistant professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She is the author of the book, Rethinking Recess: Creating Safe and Inclusive Playtime for All Children in School. I'm Jill Anderson. This is the Harvard EdCast produced by the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Thanks for listening.

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Home — Essay Samples — Education — School Curriculums — The Importance of Recess Time: A Persuasive Analysis

The Importance of Recess Time: a Persuasive Analysis

• Categories: School Curriculums

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Words: 550 |

Published: Sep 5, 2023

Words: 550 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Table of contents

Physical health and well-being, cognitive development and creativity, social skills and emotional growth, enhanced academic performance.

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Student calls for longer recess: “We act now or never!”

• May 13, 2012
• From the Playground
• Guest Blogger

Young advocate in the making gives three great reasons to lengthen school recess in persuasive essay.

We all support daily recess, but it takes changemakers to bring a long, healthy recess to all schools. San Francisco fourth grader DJ Chinn may just be one of those changemakers. A youth leader already, he wrote his persuasive essay assignment on extending recess minutes. Please read and follow his lead!

Recess   It is essential that recess is longer. If not, students won’t be able to focus in class, get enough exercise to be healthy, or interact with other kids and make friends. Therefore, recess must be longer.   If students have longer recess they will burn off energy and can focus more in class. Also, students need time to clear their minds and absorb what they learned. Recess gives students something to look forward to so they will work harder in class.   As you probably already know, recess is a chance to get exercise and receive Vitamin D from the sun. If students don’t get exercise they won’t be healthy.   Students need to be healthy to do well in school. Students need recess to interact with each other and make friends. If they have even longer recess they will make even more friends. If students have friends in school and in class they won’t get bored in school.   These reasons Focus, Exercise, and Student Interaction demonstrate why recess absolutely has to be longer. The time to act is now, because if we don’t act now, when? When will we make longer recess so children will be happier and healthier? Obviously, we act now or never!

We’re giving his persuasive essay an A!

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School recess offers benefits to student well-being, Stanford educator reports

A Stanford study shows that recess is a profoundly important part of the school day. Well-organized recess programs engage students in meaningful play and prepare them to learn once back in the classroom.

Stanford research published in the “Journal of School Health” shows the benefits to children and the school climate when well-organized recess is part of the school day.

A high-quality recess program can help students feel more engaged, safer and positive about the school day, according to Stanford research.

In fact, recess can yield numerous benefits to an elementary school’s overall climate, said Milbrey McLaughlin , the David Jacks Professor of Education and Public Policy, Emerita, founding director of Stanford’s John W. Gardner Center, and a co-author of the journal article .

“Positive school climate has been linked to a host of favorable student outcomes, from attendance to achievement,” the study noted.

In an interview, McLaughlin said, “Recess isn’t normally considered part of school climate, and often is shortchanged in tight fiscal times, but our research shows that can be a critical contributor to positive school climate in low-income elementary schools.”

McLaughlin’s co-authors are Rebecca London (lead author), formerly of Stanford and now a researcher at UC Santa Cruz; Lisa Westrich, a former Stanford research and policy analyst; and Katie Stokes-Guinan, a former Stanford graduate student researcher.

Benefits of recess

A positive school climate has been linked to a host of favorable student outcomes, from attendance to achievement, according to the study. It includes four key elements for students – physical and emotional safety at school; positive relationships with peers and adults; support for learning; and an institutional environment that fosters school connectedness and engagement.

Prior research attests to the importance of play or recess time for children, McLaughlin and her colleagues wrote.

For example, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights recognizes the right of all children to play, regarding it as an essential part of their well-being, especially for the economically disadvantaged. And the state of California now includes school climate as one of eight priority areas for local education agencies.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has outlined a set of guidelines intended to help schools develop positive recess programs – guidelines necessary because recess today does not always meet these standards, according to McLaughlin and her co-authors. Many schools had cut back recess programs watering down their effectiveness, or eliminated them altogether.

“The quality of recess is in question,” they wrote.

Because recess offers opportunities for both positive play and experience in learning how to resolve conflicts, it can have powerful implications for a child’s education, McLaughlin said.

Improved attitudes

The researchers examined six low-income elementary schools during the 2009-10 school year that had implemented a non-profit organization’s recess-based program aimed at encouraging a safe, healthy and inclusive environment.

Trained, full-time “coaches” were sent into low-income elementary schools with the goal of improving recess. They worked with students to establish recess games with a common set of rules, introduced conflict-resolution tools, and encouraged positive language and inclusive behavior. Each school had two recess periods during the day.

The findings were based on teacher, principal and recess coach interviews; student focus groups; recess observations; and a teacher survey. Schools on the opposite ends of the recess spectrum – good and poor – were compared as well.

Adults are integral to a well-rounded recess experience, McLaughlin said.

“Recess seems like a time for kids to get some exercise or just have fun, but unless there are adults actively paying attention to and supporting a high-quality recess, it can be a time when kids feel unsafe, physically and emotionally,” she said.

Teachers and principals said that previously when students did not know or could not agree on game rules, conflicts arose. Overall, 89 percent of teachers surveyed agreed that there was improvement in recess organization.

A teacher from one school said, “It’s more of a structured, fun environment. You can see that they’re playing soccer, whereas, before, you weren’t sure what they were playing.”

The students felt safer. Fostering positive language, although challenging, was seen as key. About half of teachers (49 percent) reported that students frequently encouraged each other with positive language. One teacher said, “There’s a lot more collegiality between the kids. They’re using, ‘Hey, good job, nice try,’ instead of ‘Ha ha, you’re out.’ “

Less bullying among students was found for schools with high-quality recess programs as compared to those with low-quality recess. And student-to-student conflict was lessened.

Students more often initiated games in the pro-recess environments (83 percent of the students initiating games, compared to 33 percent in the lesser environment), and female students felt more engaged overall (85 percent to 55 percent). Finally, an overall improvement in how students felt was recorded (91 percent to 59 percent).

The study concluded that schools with well-run and well-organized recesses feel better, safer and more engaged, which in turn was associated with improvements in overall school climate. Teachers began to more highly appreciate the importance of recess time.

“This analysis points to a new framing for how a high-quality recess can positively contribute to a school’s climate,” the authors wrote.

Change to better recess routines isn’t always easy, McLaughlin said. School cultures are frequently resistant to change; sometimes student attitudes and behaviors are at odds with well-established norms of behavior on the playground.

“We saw how a positive recess experience can benefit classroom climate in low-income elementary schools through students’ improved conflict-resolution skills and sense of teamwork,” she added.

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Longer Recess, Stronger Child Development

With an hour-long recess, elementary schools can help children develop through increased creative play, authentic SEL, and adequate physical regulation.

"Here they come," the teacher tells me with a weary smile. The children are on their way back from recess. Excited voices echo from down the hallway. I've decided to volunteer at my daughter's elementary school for the afternoon. Eager to see her smiling face, I intently watch the door as the children enter. Their energy as they trickle into the classroom is almost palpable. Even though the children are told to quickly take a seat, it takes a solid ten minutes for them to settle in. There are reminders to put away jackets, trips to the bathroom, pencils being sharpened, children talking to other children, brief episodes of giggling, and a few rowdy demonstrations of affection between some boys.

Later, the teacher confides in me, "I don't understand it. I think the children have more energy after they've had recess! Sometimes I wonder if recess is even worth it."

Shortfalls of a Short Recess

Many teachers report that the period after recess is the absolute hardest transition time of the day. The children are often so wound up that it's hard bring their focus back to their lessons. Some teachers confess to using special techniques to calm and re-focus the children, such as dimming the lights or playing soothing music as they reenter the classroom. While these are great coping strategies to help manage the chaos, preventing episodes of amplified activity from occurring in the first place may prove to be the most beneficial. To do that, we need to allow for a longer recess session. May I boldly suggest at least an hour?

An adequate amount of recess time (or lack thereof) can directly affect children's ability to pay attention, self-regulate, socialize intelligently, and master complex learning skills. We can try to squeeze in short movement breaks here and there, but it won't have the same effects -- or, for that matter, even the same potential. Small movement breaks will always fall short of a good old-fashioned lengthy recess time. Here are three reasons why:

1. Creative Play:  Recess sessions that last at least an hour have the potential to foster creative play. Many early childhood centers stress the importance of " large blocks of time (45-60 minutes) " for play throughout the day to help children develop "problem-solving skills that require persistence and engagement."  Observations through our summer camp program consistently demonstrate that it takes an average of 45 minutes of free play before children dive deep into more complex and evolved play schemes. It takes time for children to figure out who they're going to play with, what they're going to play, what everyone's role will be, and finally to execute their plan. If recess lasts only 15-20 minutes, the children are just figuring out who they'll play with and what they'll do before the bell rings and recess is over. Many times, this allows for few (if any) imaginative play opportunities.

2. Social-Emotional Development: In recent years, children have exhibited more trouble reading social cues, demonstrating empathy, and effectively socializing with their peers. Schools have created special "social skills groups" to help combat this problem. However, these adult-directed gatherings that emphasize role-playing are limited in their applicability. Children learn social skills best through real-life scenarios and play opportunities with their peers. They quickly learn that whining doesn't work with friends and that they don't always get what they want. To learn effective social skills , children need plenty of opportunities to freely engage with other children. Recess, if long enough, offers an ideal environment to practice these skills.

3. Physical Regulation: Children require longer than 20 minutes of active free play in order to regulate their bodies and prepare for learning (PDF). In fact, when you first let children outdoors, their initial movement experiences will actually increase their activity levels. According to Eric Jensen's book Teaching With the Brain in Mind , "A short recess arouses students and may leave them 'hyper' and less able to concentrate." Children benefit from an extended recess session (approximately an hour in length), because it gives their bodies time to regulate the movement and bring their activity level back down again.

A Call to Active Play

Let's face it: the current 20-minute recess sessions are not long enough. A mere 20 minutes won't allow children to dive deep into their imaginary worlds or create elaborate play schemes. This is not enough time for children to practice effective social skills -- something that's lacking in this age of technology. And a short recess won't let children regulate their bodies to prepare them for higher-level learning experiences.

If we just made our recess sessions a little longer, we would likely see significant changes in child behavior, attention, and even creativity. The Swanson Primary School in Auckland, New Zealand is a perfect example of giving children more time and freedom at recess, and of the many benefits they saw as a result. We can do the same. All we need to do is make recess a priority once again.

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The Benefits of Recess for the Whole Child

Cognitive/academic benefits, social and emotional benefits, physical benefits, safety and supervision, the emerging issue of structured recess, duration and timing of recess, conclusions, recommendations, lead authors, council on school health executive committee, 2011–2012, former executive committee member, former liaison, the crucial role of recess in school.

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COUNCIL ON SCHOOL HEALTH , Robert Murray , Catherine Ramstetter , Cynthia Devore , Mandy Allison , Richard Ancona , Stephen Barnett , Robert Gunther , Breena Welch Holmes , Jeffrey Lamont , Mark Minier , Jeffery Okamoto , Lani Wheeler , Thomas Young; The Crucial Role of Recess in School. Pediatrics January 2013; 131 (1): 183–188. 10.1542/peds.2012-2993

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Recess is at the heart of a vigorous debate over the role of schools in promoting the optimal development of the whole child. A growing trend toward reallocating time in school to accentuate the more academic subjects has put this important facet of a child’s school day at risk. Recess serves as a necessary break from the rigors of concentrated, academic challenges in the classroom. But equally important is the fact that safe and well-supervised recess offers cognitive, social, emotional, and physical benefits that may not be fully appreciated when a decision is made to diminish it. Recess is unique from, and a complement to, physical education—not a substitute for it. The American Academy of Pediatrics believes that recess is a crucial and necessary component of a child’s development and, as such, it should not be withheld for punitive or academic reasons.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines recess as “regularly scheduled periods within the elementary school day for unstructured physical activity and play.” 1 The literature examining the global benefits of recess for a child’s cognitive, emotional, physical, and social well-being has recently been reviewed. 2 Yet, recent surveys and studies have indicated a trend toward reducing recess to accommodate additional time for academic subjects in addition to its withdrawal for punitive or behavioral reasons. 3 , – 6 Furthermore, the period allotted to recess decreases as the child ages and is less abundant among children of lower socioeconomic status and in the urban setting. 4 , 7  

Just as physical education and physical fitness have well-recognized benefits for personal and academic performance, recess offers its own, unique benefits. Recess represents an essential, planned respite from rigorous cognitive tasks. It affords a time to rest, play, imagine, think, move, and socialize. 8 , – 11 After recess, for children or after a corresponding break time for adolescents, students are more attentive and better able to perform cognitively. 12 , – 16 In addition, recess helps young children to develop social skills that are otherwise not acquired in the more structured classroom environment. 8 , 11 , 17  

Children develop intellectual constructs and cognitive understanding through interactive, manipulative experiences. This type of exploratory experience is a feature of play in an unstructured social environment. 8 , 18 Optimal cognitive processing in a child necessitates a period of interruption after a period of concentrated instruction. 19 , 20 The benefits of these interruptions are best served by unstructured breaks rather than by merely shifting from 1 cognitive task to another to diminish stresses and distractions that interfere with cognitive processing. 9 , 11 , 15 , 20 Several studies demonstrated that recess, whether performed indoors or outdoors, made children more attentive and more productive in the classroom. 11 , – 13 , 16 , 19 , 21 This finding was true even though, in many cases, the students spent much of their recess time socializing. In fact, a student’s ability to refocus cognitively was shown to be stimulated more by the break from the classroom than by the mode of activity that occurred during that break; any type of activity at recess benefited cognitive performance afterward. 14 Although specified time afforded for recess diminishes with age, the benefits of periodic breaks in the academic day to optimize cognitive processing applies equally to adolescents and to younger children.

Recess promotes social and emotional learning and development for children by offering them a time to engage in peer interactions in which they practice and role play essential social skills. 8 , 17 , 18 , 22 , 23 This type of activity, under adult supervision, extends teaching in the classroom to augment the school’s social climate. Through play at recess, children learn valuable communication skills, including negotiation, cooperation, sharing, and problem solving as well as coping skills, such as perseverance and self-control. 8 , – 11 , 15 , 17 , 22 These skills become fundamental, lifelong personal tools. Recess offers a child a necessary, socially structured means for managing stress. By adapting and adjusting to the complex school environment, children augment and extend their cognitive development in the classroom. 15 , 17  

There is a wealth of literature published on the need for and benefit of physical activity and fitness, not only for a child’s physical well-being but also for academic and social maturation. 5 , 12 , 22 , – 33 Although not all children play vigorously at recess, it does provide the opportunity for children to be active in the mode of their choosing and to practice movement and motor skills. Importantly, recess affords young children free activity for the sheer joy of it. 34 Even minor movement during recess counterbalances sedentary time at school and at home and helps the child achieve the recommended 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per day, a standard strongly supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) policy, which can help lower risk of obesity. 5 , 12 , 30 , – 35  

A child’s safety during recess is a concern for many parents, teachers, and administrators. Some schools even have chosen to ban games or activities deemed unsafe and, in some cases, to discontinue recess altogether in light of the many issues connected with child safety. 10 , 36 Although schools should ban games and activities that are unsafe, they should not discontinue recess altogether just because of concerns connected with child safety. There are measures schools can take to address these concerns and protect children while still preserving play during recess. 5 , 11 , 24 , 28 , 34 , 37 , 38 Compliance with the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Playground Safety Handbook ( http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/325.pdf ) will help to ensure proper maintenance of playground equipment that meets all of the following applicable federal guidelines:

Provision of adequate safe spaces and facilities.

Maintenance of developmentally appropriate equipment with regular inspections.

Establishment and enforcement of safety rules.

Implementation of recess curriculum in physical education classes to teach games, rules, and conflict resolution.

Establishment of a school-wide, clear policy to prevent bullying or aggressive behavior.

Provision of adequate supervision by qualified adults who can intervene in the event a child’s physical or emotional safety is in jeopardy.

Some playgrounds in areas with a high risk of violence may require additional protective measures to ensure the safety of children.

Structured recess is a recess based on structured play, during which games and physical activities are taught and led by a trained adult (teachers, school staff, or volunteers). Proponents for structured recess note that children often need help in developing games and require suggestions and encouragement to participate in physical activities. Recently, policy makers and funding organizations have called for more opportunities for daily activity as a means to address childhood obesity. These statements have strengthened the argument to maintain or reinstate recess as an integral component of the school day. 12 , 25 , 30 , 34 Although this new dimension to the recess debate has increased attention on its role, it also has created tension. Some have promoted recess time as a solution for increasing children’s physical activity and combating obesity. If recess assumes such a role, then, like physical education, it will need to be planned and directed to ensure that all children are participating in moderately vigorous physical activity. 4 , 7 , 12 , 31 , 33 , 38 Pediatric health care providers, parents, and school officials should be cognizant, however, that in designing a structured recess, they will sacrifice the notion of recess as an unstructured but supervised break that belongs to the child; that is, a time for the child to make a personal choice between sedentary, physical, creative, or social options. 2 , 8 , – 10 , 18 , 22 , – 24 , 30 , 34 , 37 , 39 However, there are many cited benefits of structured recess to consider, including 12 :

Older elementary children may benefit from game instruction and encouragement for total class inclusion.

Children can be coached to develop interpersonal skills for appropriate conflict resolution.

More children can actively participate in regular activity, irrespective of skill level.

Anecdotally, teachers have reported improved behavior and attention in the classroom after vigorous structured recess.

To be effective, structured recess requires that school personnel (or volunteers) receive adequate training so that they are able to address and encourage the diverse needs of all students. 12 , 38 One aspect of supervision should be to facilitate social relationships among children by encouraging inclusiveness in games. A problem arises when the structured activities of recess are promoted as a replacement for the child’s physical education requirement. The replacement of physical education by recess threatens students’ instruction in and acquisition of new motor skills, exploration of sports and rules, and a concept of lifelong physical fitness. 24 , 30 , 34  

There are ways to encourage a physically active recess without necessarily adding structured, planned, adult-led games, such as offering attractive, safe playground equipment to stimulate free play; establishing games/boundaries painted on the playground; or instructing children in games, such as four square or hopscotch. 37 , 38 , 40 These types of activities can range from fully structured (with the adult directing and requiring participation) to partly unstructured (with adults providing supervision and initial instruction) to fully unstructured (supervision and social guidance). In structured, partly structured, or unstructured environments, activity levels vary widely on the basis of school policy, equipment provided, encouragement, age group, gender, and race. 4 , 7 , 30 , 38 , 40 Consequently, the potential benefits of mandatory participation of all children in a purely structured recess must be weighed against the potential social and emotional trade-off of limiting acquisition of important developmental skills. Whichever style is chosen, recess should be viewed as a supplement to motor skill acquisition in physical education class. 5 , 23 , 24 , 33 , 34  

In the United States, the duration and timing of recess periods vary by age, grade, school district, and sometimes by building. 4 , 7 The majority of elementary schools that offer lunch-time recess do so after the students eat lunch. 4 , 37 , 41 , – 44 Many school wellness councils have adopted the “Recess Before Lunch” concept which stems from studies that examined food waste by students in relation to the timing of their recess. 42 , – 44 When students have recess before lunch, more time is taken for lunch and less food is wasted. In addition, teachers and researchers noted an improvement in the student behavior at meal time, which carried into the classroom in the afternoon. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the US Department of Agriculture support the concept of scheduling recess before lunch as part of a school’s wellness policy. 2 , 45  

Peer-reviewed research has examined the timing and type of activity during recess and chronicled the many benefits of recess for children, without establishing an optimal required duration. 2 , 8 , 12 , 13 , 18 , 19 , 21 There is consensus about the need for regularly scheduled recess based on national guidelines, even though the length of the recess period has not been firmly established. In schools, the length specified for recess ranges widely, from 20 to 60 minutes per day. 24 , 30 In other countries, such as Japan, primary school-aged children have a 10- to 15-minute break every hour, and this is thought to reflect the fact that attention spans begin to wane after 40 to 50 minutes of intense instruction. 46 On the basis of this premise, to maximize cognitive benefits, recess should be scheduled at regular intervals, providing children sufficient time to regain their focus before instruction continues.

School attendance represents a unique opportunity to address nutrition and physical fitness. Each day, 55 million US students attend school, which constitutes nearly one-half of their wakeful hours. 47 In light of rising rates of overweight and obesity, schools have come under increased scrutiny. Within the school environment, there are competing calls for stricter standards and greater academic achievement as well as calls for schools to provide greater opportunities for nonsedentary daily activity. Even with ample evidence of a whole-child benefit from recess, significant external pressures, such as standardized cognitive testing mandated by educational reforms, have led some to view recess as time that would be better spent on academics. 4 Time previously dedicated to daily activity in school, such as physical education and recess, is being reallocated to make way for additional academic instruction.

Ironically, minimizing or eliminating recess may be counterproductive to academic achievement, as a growing body of evidence suggests that recess promotes not only physical health and social development but also cognitive performance. 10 , 37 Although recess and physical education both promote activity and a healthy lifestyle, it is only supervised but unstructured recess that offers children the opportunity to actually play creatively. In this sense, then, pediatricians’ support of recess is an extension of the AAP’s policy statement supporting free play as a fundamental component of a child’s normal growth and development. 16 On the basis of an abundance of scientific studies, withholding recess for punitive or academic reasons would seem to be counterproductive to the intended outcomes and may have unintended consequences in relation to a child’s acquisition of important life skills.

In their role as child health experts, the pediatricians of the AAP stress the following perspective to parents, teachers, school administrators, and policy makers:

Recess is a necessary break in the day for optimizing a child’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development. In essence, recess should be considered a child’s personal time, and it should not be withheld for academic or punitive reasons.

Cognitive processing and academic performance depend on regular breaks from concentrated classroom work. This applies equally to adolescents and to younger children. To be effective, the frequency and duration of breaks should be sufficient to allow the student to mentally decompress.

Recess is a complement to, but not a replacement for, physical education. Physical education is an academic discipline. Whereas both have the potential to promote activity and a healthy lifestyle, only recess (particularly unstructured recess) provides the creative, social, and emotional benefits of play.

Recess can serve as a counterbalance to sedentary time and contribute to the recommended 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per day, a standard strongly supported by AAP policy as a means to lessen risk of overweight.

Whether structured or unstructured, recess should be safe and well supervised. Although schools should ban games and activities that are unsafe, they should not discontinue recess altogether just because of concerns connected with child safety. Environmental conditions, well-maintained playground equipment, and well-trained supervisors are the critical components of safe recess.

Peer interactions during recess are a unique complement to the classroom. The lifelong skills acquired for communication, negotiation, cooperation, sharing, problem solving, and coping are not only foundations for healthy development but also fundamental measures of the school experience.

Robert Murray, MD

Catherine Ramstetter, PhD

Cynthia Devore, MD, Chairperson

Mandy Allison, MD, MSPH

Richard Ancona, MD

Stephen Barnett, MD

Robert Gunther, MD, MPH

Breena Welch Holmes, MD

Jeffrey Lamont, MD

Mark Minier, MD

Jeffery Okamoto, MD

Lani Wheeler, MD

Thomas Young, MD

Robert Murray, MD, Immediate Past Chairperson

Mary Vernon-Smiley, MD, MPH – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Adolescent and School Health

Linda Grant, MD, MPH – American School Health Association

Veda Johnson, MD – National Assembly on School-Based Health Care

Carolyn Duff, RN, MS, NCSN – National Association of School Nurses

Linda Davis-Alldritt, RN, MA, PHN – National Association of School Nurses

Madra Guinn-Jones, MPH

American Academy of Pediatrics

This document is copyrighted and is property of the American Academy of Pediatrics and its Board of Directors. All authors have filed conflict of interest statements with the American Academy of Pediatrics. Any conflicts have been resolved through a process approved by the Board of Directors. The American Academy of Pediatrics has neither solicited nor accepted any commercial involvement in the development of the content of this publication.

All policy statements from the American Academy of Pediatrics automatically expire 5 years after publication unless reaffirmed, revised, or retired at or before that time.

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The Benefits of Recess in Primary School

Curator: Catherine M. Bohn-Gettler

Anthony D. Pellegrini

Nick Orbeck

Robyn M Holmes

Megan Tulac

Dr. Anthony D. Pellegrini , University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, Usa

Dr. Catherine M. Bohn-Gettler , Wichita State University, Wichita, KS, USA

Although recess has traditionally been a regular practice in primary school settings, today recess is being reduced or eliminated in an effort to provide more instructional time and increase achievement. However, empirical research does not support the elimination or reduction of recess. Research documents that recess affords many physical, cognitive, and social benefits for primary school children. These benefits have a positive effect on classroom behavior and achievement. In the current era of evidence-based practice, it is important to utilize empirical research when making decisions regarding educational policy.

In primary schools, recess is a common practice during which children receive a break from the structured, academic parts of the day. Giving breaks is also a standard practice in the workforce, in an effort to increase productivity (Russell, 1932/1972). During recess, children interact freely with one another in an unstructured manner. Children develop their own games, decide which activities to engage in, and choose their playmates (Burghardt, 1988; Pellegrini & Holmes, 2006; Pellegrini & Smith, 1993; Waite-Stupiansky & Findlay, 2001). Although wide variation exists with regard to how recess is implemented, it often occurs outdoors, lasts approximately ten to fifteen minutes, and is combined with lunch (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDCP], 2010; Pellegrini & Bohn, 2005; Pellegrini & Holmes, 2006).

However, there has been a trend to reduce or eliminate recess time in primary schools in recent decades. The primary rationale for this is to improve achievement and standardized test scores. In the 1990s, improving achievement scores became a critical issue for schools and legislators, and it seemed logical that increasing instructional time would increase achievement. Given that there are a limited number of hours in the school day, recess seemed to be the most rational activity to reduce, despite articles detailing empirical research in support of recess (Pellegrini, 1991, 2005; Pellegrini & Glickman, 1989). However, in an era of evidence-based instruction, it is critical that educational decisions be grounded in empirical evidence. Scientific research consistently documents that recess plays an important role in the school day, and has benefits for children’s cognitive, social, and physical health (Bohn-Gettler & Pellegrini, in press). Furthermore, it can improve children’s achievement scores. The goal of this article is to advocate for children by providing research-based findings regarding recess. Considering that educational policy decisions should be driven by rigorous and scientific data (Jarrett & Maxwell, 2000), it is our hope to inform policy decisions regarding recess.

Decreasing Recess Time

As described, recess time is being cut in order to increase time spent on academic instruction. In the 1990s, some districts even abolished recess completely as part of school policy (Jarrett & Waite-Stupiansky, 2009; Johnson, 1998; Pellegrini, 1995), or built primary schools without playgrounds ("Schools becoming all work and no play," 2001). By the late 1990s, 40% of school districts in the United States had reduced or eliminated recess (Zygmunt-Fillwalk & Bilello, 2005). A similar trend was also occurring in the United Kingdom (Blatchford & Sumpner, 1998).

When the No Child Left Behind Act passed in 2001, recess time continued to be cut further as legislative pressures motivated schools to meet standards for achievement (Fedewa & Ahn, 2011; Jarrett & Waite-Stupiansky, 2009). In fact, 40% of public schools either got rid of, or planned to get rid of, at least one daily recess period (Bland, 2005; G. Klein, 2006), and most schools do not actually require daily recess periods (National Association for Sport and Physical Education & American Heart Association, 2010).

Of the schools who offer recess, its definition and the number and duration of recess periods varies considerably. Recess should be a time in which children can engage in unstructured free play that is not directed by adults (although it should be supervised). This does not uniformly occur among schools that offer recess: Some schools claim to offer recess, but it is adult directed, may only occur once a week, or may last less than 15 minutes (Dills, Morgan, & Rotthoff, 2011; National Center for Education Statistics, 2006; Pellegrini, 2005). In total, children have experienced a reduction of twelve hours of free time per week since the 1970s (Juster, Stafford, & Ono, 2004; Wingert, 2000).

In today’s educational world, increasing achievement is a top priority for school policy. One logical way in which to increase achievement is to spend more time on academic tasks. Without increasing the number of hours or days students are in school, this means cutting time elsewhere, and recess may seem the most logical time to cut because it is a break from more challenging academic tasks. Some even argue that reducing breaks in the day will help to maintain concentration and classroom routines (see Blatchford & Sumpner, 1998; "No Time for Play," 2001; and Pellegrini, 1995). Across many cultures, there is also a historical precedent for considering work and productivity as more positive than play and leisure time ("Great cultural revolution in progress: Workers' Mao Tse-Tung's thought propaganda teams in colleges and schools," 1968; Marx, 1906; Russell, 1932/1972; e.g., Sutton-Smith, Mechling, Johnson, & McMahon, 1999; Tawney, 1969). However, as we will describe, scientific evidence does not support the notion that reducing break time would improve concentration and achievement.

In addition to a movement to increase achievement, significant efforts are being invested in decreasing aggression and bullying in schools. Preventing bullying and aggression is incredibly important, and any instance of aggression constitutes a serious issue that should be immediately addressed. Aggression and bullying can negatively affect children’s lives and sometimes leads to serious and tragic consequences. Because recess represents unstructured playtime, many perceive playgrounds and other recess areas as being rife with aggression. Although it is vitally important to decrease aggression rates, decreasing recess is not the solution. Bullying and aggression occur in any setting where there is little adult supervision, such as hallways, locker rooms, bathrooms, and at lunch (Pellegrini, 2005). And, even though playgrounds tend to have less supervision than classrooms (Pellegrini, 1992; Pellegrini & Glickman, 1989), aggression constitutes less than 2% of playground behaviors (Pellegrini, 1995; Smith & Connolly, 1980). Instead of eliminating recess, providing more adult supervision can help to decrease aggression while still allowing children the opportunity to interact with their peers, practice conflict resolution skills, and cooperate with one another.

Some advocates of decreasing recess argue that physical education classes provide a more structured setting in which children can engage in physical activity, and thus should replace recess. In physical education, children receive adult-directed curricular instruction on health, fitness, physical activities and competencies, and rules of organized games. This standards-based instruction pushes children to learn and extend their capabilities. All of this is valuable for children’s development and health, however both recess and physical education are recommended because they offer differential benefits (CDCP, 2010; Council on Physical Education and Children [CPEC], 2001; Dills et al., 2011; Jarrett & Maxwell, 2005). Unlike in physical education classes, recess activities are child-directed, unstructured, and children choose activities and develop rules through cooperation. As we will discuss, allowing children to engage in unstructured and child-directed play is important for learning and development.

The Importance of Recess

Although a variety of arguments can be made for reducing or eliminating recess, it is critical to examine relevant empirical research. Controlled experiments document that recess can improve children’s attention to academic tasks, and thus enhance achievement and learning. For example, experimental research utilizing a variety of methodologies documents the importance of recess and unstructured free play on achievement, social competence, and physical health (Bohn-Gettler & Pellegrini, in press; Pellegrini, 2005). These types of empirical findings should drive educational policy decisions, to ensure that children receive the best possible conditions for learning and development.

Much of the research examining the benefits of recess are rooted in the theoretical grounding that recess allows time for children to engage in unstructured free play, during which they can be self-directed, practice important skills, and explore roles (Bateson, 2005; Pellegrini, 2009; Waite-Stupiansky & Findlay, 2001). Children are also physically active during play, and develop social, emotional and cognitive competencies. In short, recess allows children a realistic setting in which to cultivate skills, which we will now describe in more detail.

Physical Fitness. Although children can engage in a variety of activities during recess, at least 60% of children engage in physically active, social play (Pellegrini, 2009; Pellegrini & Smith, 1993). Children may even engage in higher levels of activity during recess compared to physical education classes (Kraft, 1989). Such activity builds strength, coordination, and cardiovascular fitness, and helps reduce childhood obesity and its associated health complications (CDCP, 2010; Dale, Corbin, & Dale, 2000; e.g., Simons-Morton, O'Hara, Simons-Morton, & Parcel, 1987; Waite-Stupiansky & Findlay, 2001). Physical play also helps children learn about movement and develop spatial perceptual abilities, beyond what can be learned from books or various forms of technology (Bergen, 1998). Furthermore, activity begets activity. When children are more physically active at school they are more likely to be physically active at home, and vice versa (Dale et al., 2000). In combination, this research suggests that recess, especially outdoor recess, encourages physical activity and can thus promote physical fitness (Pellegrini & Davis, 1993; Smith & Hagan, 1980).

Classroom Behavior. Recess is also associated with improved classroom behavior and attention. Research demonstrates that fidgeting increases prior to recess, especially when recess is delayed for a longer period of time. Fidgeting decreases after recess, especially when children engage in moderately vigorous play (Jarrett et al., 1998; Pellegrini & Davis, 1993; Pellegrini, Huberty, & Jones, 1995). This aligns with research indicating that overall classroom conduct and academic on-task behavior is higher for students who receive recess. The benefits of recess on classroom behavior are especially helpful when recess periods are provided directly before or after an academic lesson (Barros, Silver, & Stein, 2009; Fagerstrom & Mahoney, 2006; Pellegrini et al., 1995).

Social Skills. Recess also facilitates children’s social development and social competence (CDCP, 2010; Rogers & Sawyers, 1988; Waters & Sroufe, 1983). It provides an avenue for free interaction and play, and children will create and organize their own social games. Children must communicate with one another, interpret social signals and experiences, deal with conflict, take perspectives, manage stress, inhibit aggression, practice self-discipline, set and follow rules, and practice leadership skills (Bateson, 2005; Bergen, 1998; Bishop & Curtis, 2001; Fein, 1979; Ginsburg, 2007; Jambor, 1994; Jarrett & Maxwell, 2000; Sutton-Smith, 1990). Few real-world settings afford the learning and practice of such a multitude of skills.

In particular, recess provides a setting in which children can learn and practice cooperation, conflict resolution, and perspective taking skills. Although adults can teach children some of these skills, research documents that children learn and develop these skills more effectively when interacting with peers. This is because children are more likely to disagree with peers than with adults, and children are extremely motived to resolve conflicts with peers so that they can continue the play interaction (Hartup & Laursen, 1993; Rogers & Sawyers, 1988).

Cooperation and conflict resolution during unstructured free play also help children develop healthy friendships (Jarrett & Duckett-Hedgebeth, 2003; Waters & Sroufe, 1983). Friendships foster positive associations with school, reduce the stress that can occur in classroom settings, and facilitate learning and school success. Friendships also improve adjustment when children move from preschool to elementary school (Barros et al., 2009; Coie, Dodge, & Damon, 1998; Jambor, 1994; Ladd, Kochenderfer, & Coleman, 1996; Ladd, Price, & Hart, 1988; Pellegrini, 1992; Pellegrini & Bohn, 2005). In addition to building friendships, recess enables children to experience self-determination as they direct their own activities, develop self-esteem, solve problems, and feel control. They also develop cognitive skills through pretend play and reciprocal interactions (Pellegrini & Smith, 1998; Waters & Sroufe, 1983).

Cognitive Skills and Achievement. In addition to building social skills, recess is related to cognitive and academic skills (Bohn-Gettler & Pellegrini, in press; Jarrett, 2002; Pellegrini & Bohn, 2005). Theoretically, one reason this occurs is because recess allows for children to distribute their academic efforts over multiple practice sessions. Although the amount of time spent on an academic tasks positively predicts learning and achievement (see Brophy & Good, 1974, for a summary), this does not mean that learning should occur only in sessions that are long, intense, and that do not provide breaks. When working continuously, the brain becomes less efficient as a function of the amount of time elapsed without a break (Jensen, 1998; R. Klein & Armitage, 1979; Waite-Stupiansky & Findlay, 2001). Thus, distributing efforts results in improved attention, learning, memory , productivity, and achievement, particularly for academic tasks (Dempster, 1988; Ebbinghaus, 1885/1964; James, 1901; Kausler, Wiley, & Phillips, 1990; Toppino, Kasserman, & Mracek, 1991). In classroom settings, these findings are most robust when examining attention (Dempster, 1988). Thus, providing breaks, such as recess, helps to distribute practice and facilitate learning and achievement.

Although research documents that breaks are important for learning, what constitutes a true “break”? Empirical studies indicate that breaks should be more “drastic” in order to maximize the effects of distributed practice, especially for younger children. For example, simply changing from a math lesson to a reading lesson is not enough of a break (Ginsburg, 2007; Toppino et al., 1991). Academic learning tends to be more sedentary and has little social interaction. As a result, children, especially younger children, require a more physical and social change, such as the ability to engage in free play and direct their own activities (Bjorklund & Brown, 1998; Pellegrini & Davis, 1993). Recess can provide a true change from academic regiments, allowing for distributed practice of academic work to improve learning.

The benefits of recess and distributed practice are more pronounced among younger children. Young children process information differently than older children and adults, and many researchers argue that their way of thinking is functional and best suited for free play settings (Bateson, 1981; Bjorklund & Pellegrini, 2002). As an example, children often overestimate their abilities and social status, which promotes persistence and competence (Bandura, 1997; Smith & Boulton, 1990; Yussen & Levy, 1975). Younger children are less efficient at processing information, inhibiting task irrelevant thoughts, and reducing cognitive interference. As a result, more cognitive effort is required to complete tasks, making sustained attention a challenge (Bjorklund, 2004; Bjorklund & Green, 1992; e.g., Bjorklund & Harnishfeger, 1990; Harnishfeger & Pope, 1996; Lorsbach & Reimer, 1997; Pellegrini & Bjorklund, 1997; Piaget, 1983; Siegler, 1991). Therefore, younger children experience a greater degree of interference when engaging in focused, cognitive, academic tasks. This interference continues to build up even if children switch to another academic task.

Providing a greater change in activity, as is afforded by recess, helps release this cognitive interference (e.g., see Pellegrini & Bjorklund, 1997) and improves achievement and learning (Toppino et al., 1991). In line with this, children demonstrate improved academic attention, efficiency, and productivity following recess (especially for boys with ADHD), especially when afforded the opportunity for free outdoor play (e.g., Rowe & Rowe, 1992; e.g., Toppino et al., 1991). The longer students must wait for recess, the less attentive, productive, and efficient they become (Holmes, Pellegrini, & Schmidt, 2006; Jarrett et al., 1998; Pellegrini & Bjorklund, 1997; Pellegrini et al., 1995).

Recess also can improve achievement by providing a realistic setting in which children can learn and practice cognitive skills while interacting with peers, such as negotiation, following rules, and problem-solving. When engaging in play, children will break problems down into their component parts and put them back together (Bateson, 2005). For example, children will break down the rules of a game, and negotiate these rules with their peers (Jarrett & Maxwell, 2000; Jensen, 1998). All of this also requires that children communicate with one another such that they practice language skills. In fact, preschoolers employ a greater number of vocabulary words and verbalize more thoughts when engaging in open-ended activities with peers compared to with adults (Heath, 1983; Isbell & Raines, 1991; Pellegrini & Galda, 1982; Waite-Stupiansky & Findlay, 2001). In addition, when pretend play occurs during recess (as it often does), it fosters imagination and creativity (Bergen, 1998; Waite-Stupiansky & Findlay, 2001).

Given that all of these cognitive skills are learned and practiced at recess, it comes as no surprise that academic achievement is predicted by recess activities. For example, the physical activity students engage in during recess is linked with reading and math achievement and general intelligence (CDCP, 2010; Fedewa & Ahn, 2011; Hillman, Erickson, & Kramer, 2008). Practicing language and perspective-taking skills with peers also increases achievement (Bjorklund & Pellegrini, 2000). And, the skills that children demonstrate on the playground in kindergarten are predictive of their scores on a first grade standardized achievement test, even when controlling for kindergarten achievement. Thus, the activities and interactions children engage in during recess explain unique variance when predicting future achievement, beyond traditional indicators (Pellegrini & Bjorklund, 1997).

In summary, the theoretical and empirical research provide converging evidence that recess is vital for children’s physical, social, and cognitive development (Bohn-Gettler & Pellegrini, in press; Jarrett & Waite-Stupiansky, 2009; Pellegrini & Bohn, 2005; Pellegrini & Smith, 1993). In an era of promoting evidence-based instruction, policy decisions and instructional practices should be grounded in scientific research to promote positive development and learning among children.

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The Importance of Recess: Why Schools Need More Playtime

By Ashley Brooks on 06/20/2018

Your kids run and jump alongside you as you walk them home from the bus stop after another successful day of school. “What was your favorite part of the day today?” you ask. Both the kids shout, “Recess!”

You’re hardly surprised at their answer. You remember recess fondly from your own elementary school days. Jumping rope, swinging from the monkey bars, playing kickball and simply enjoying the outdoors was the highlight of your school day, too. But many children today aren’t given the opportunity to explore the full joys of recess.

School districts across the United States are cutting recess to make more time for structured classroom learning. On the surface, this may seem like a good idea. What’s wrong with giving kids more time to learn? But cutting recess and playtime may actually do more harm than good. Worse yet, only eight states currently require recess , which has some parents and educators worried that recess could disappear completely.

Don’t underestimate the importance of recess in your classroom. Read on to find out why play is vital to learning and what you can do to keep recess and playtime a part of your early childhood program.

The decline of recess

Recess time has been in decline for many children—in fact, one 2007 George Washington University study found that 20 percent of schools have reduced recess time. 1 So why would school districts across the country begin taking away recess time? The likely driving force behind these cuts to children’s unstructured playtime is rooted in U.S. educational policy.

America’s education policy

The rapid decrease in recess began the same year the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was passed. The law aimed to make America’s education system more internationally competitive by introducing achievement goals for schools, gauged by standardized tests in reading and math. If schools missed their achievement goals, they could be subject to a series of penalties, including loss of funding.

Fast-forward to 2011 when states began reviewing and adopting the Common Core State Standards . The goal was to standardize student achievement in math, literacy and language arts—and it bases student achievement on a series of mandatory tests. Much like the NCLB, Common Core relies on standardized test scores to gauge student performance—and those scores can influence school funding.

Teaching to the test

Between NCLBA and Common Core, it’s no surprise that teachers have felt the pressure to make sure students perform well on standardized tests. When educators are facing pay cuts, loss of funding to their school and perhaps even the loss of their jobs, it’s no wonder they started questioning if recess was a waste of time.

This pressure to cram even more learning into the school day is especially felt by underperforming, low-income schools that are already strapped for funding. The students in these schools are often so far below grade-level standards that the achievement bar set by Common Core feels unattainably high, and the gap between high-performing and underperforming schools hasn’t shrunk. While clearly nationwide educational standards are a well-intentioned idea, the implementation of these policies has left a lot to be desired—and the loss of recess time in favor of study time has become an unintended consequence.

The hidden benefits of recess

It may seem counterintuitive to send kids out to play when they’re falling below state standards, but recess advocates argue that getting outside for unstructured play may be more beneficial than keeping kids in the classroom all day.

“When schools choose to cut recess, they should consider the benefits they are cutting also and evaluate if the reasons for cutting recess outweigh these benefits,” says Marie Conti, head of The Wetherill School and member of the American Montessori Society board of directors. These are just some of the benefits that highlight the importance of recess.

Physical activity may improve brain function

“Freedom to move, run and play, especially outdoors, has a tremendous impact on children’s abilities to focus and control themselves throughout the day,” Conti says. Maria Montessori , a pioneer of early childhood education, believed that “the mind cannot be educated without using the body,” Conti adds. “She viewed learning as an integration of thinking and moving.”

This isn’t just the belief of an influential educator—research has shown positive links between people who exercise regularly and their cognitive ability. Even if no such research existed, common sense makes a compelling case—would you feel mentally fresh sitting for hours learning a subject?

Recess promotes social skills

“Recess time gives more opportunity for socialization, teamwork and practice with conflict-resolution skills,” Conti says. Asking other kids to play, explaining the rules of a complex game and hashing out disputes are all important life lessons that kids can only learn if they’re given time to play.

Recess also offers the chance for children to strengthen their leadership and negotiation skills, and it can prevent bullying . Kids love playing—and when a conflict arises, it pushes children to practice these vital social skills so they can get back to having fun.

Recess fights childhood obesity

About one in five school-aged children has excess body fat, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) . 2 The CDC also recommends that children get at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day, but that’s tough to achieve if kids are sitting in a classroom for six to seven hours with no break for movement.

A healthy and active lifestyle is a routine that needs practice and reinforcement to make into a lifelong habit. Recess offers kids the chance to move their bodies and get closer to their 60 minutes of physical activity, thus making it less likely that they’ll struggle with obesity.

Recess reduces stress

“Outdoor recess also gives the benefit of experiencing fresh air and sunshine, both noted for increasing overall health and mood,” Conti says. Sunlight is also a key source of vitamin D, which increases learning and productivity .

The physical activity kids take part in during recess can also reduce stress levels and allow children to feel more relaxed . In an education system that continues to place higher expectations on children to perform to a certain standard, less stress is just what the doctor ordered.

How to stand up for recess

Recess doesn’t have to go extinct. You can keep the importance of play front and center in your classroom by taking small steps to encourage recess in your school or early childhood program.

If your program doesn’t allow for a longer midday recess, Conti recommends taking smaller breaks throughout the day or teaching a lesson outside so kids can still reap the benefits of the great outdoors. You can also designate an indoor space for recess so that kids don’t have to give up their free play due to bad weather.

Make the grade

Now that you understand the importance of play, you’re prepared to defend recess and create a strong learning environment for the children in your classroom.

Recess isn’t the only way to encourage learning through taking breaks. Find out how techniques like spaced learning can positively impact your ECE classroom in our article, “ What Is Spaced Learning? Reaping the Rewards of Repetition in the ECE Classroom .”

1 George Washington University, Center on Education Policy, NCLB Year 5: Choices, Changes, and Challenges: Curriculum and Instruction in the NCLB Era, [Information accessed May 21, 2018] https://www.cep-dc.org/displayDocument.cfm?DocumentID=312 2 Division of Population Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

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Home » Tips for Teachers » 9 Reasons Why Students Should Have Recess: Enhancing Learning Through Breaks

9 Reasons Why Students Should Have Recess: Enhancing Learning Through Breaks

Recess, a scheduled break in the school day, is often underestimated and overlooked by educators and parents alike. However, research shows that recess plays a crucial role in a student’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being, ultimately enhancing their learning experiences. In this article, we will explore 9 reasons why students should have recess, highlighting its benefits and the importance of well-structured break times.

Recess is not just about play; it’s about the holistic development of students. It provides an opportunity for physical activity, which is essential for students’ physical health. Additionally, it has been found to increase mental focus, improve memory and attention, and reduce stress and anxiety, ultimately contributing to better academic performance. Moreover, recess fosters social and emotional development, allowing students to engage with peers, practice social skills, and develop essential life skills.

Furthermore, recess nurtures creativity, imagination, and leadership skills, as it provides unstructured time for students to explore and create. It also contributes to the overall well-being of students by providing a much-needed energy boost, reducing disruptive behavior, and promoting healthy habits.

Students stated their opinions and provided supporting details in Ms. Timmer’s first grade class today. Students were fully engaged as they wrote about why students should have more recess 😆. #CPSBest #Scholarsfirst pic.twitter.com/jRCnWJR9S7 — Marekka Nickens (@TeachNickens) February 15, 2022

Well-structured recess can significantly improve students’ learning experiences and overall well-being. By understanding the multifaceted benefits of recess, educators can create a more productive and healthier academic environment for their students.

In this article, I’ll share:

• 9 Reasons Why Students Should Have Recess →
• Optimal Duration and Timing →
• Additional Tips for Enhancing Recess →

9 Reasons Why Students Should Have Recess

Understanding why students should have recess reveals its undeniable importance in the school day. It is not just a break from the classroom; it’s a vital component of a student’s day that fosters physical, social, and emotional development.

Recognizing its multifaceted benefits, I delve into nine compelling reasons that underscore the importance of preserving recess in educational settings. From enhancing academic performance to improving health and well-being, these arguments advocate for the indispensable role recess plays in shaping well-rounded, healthy students.

1. Physical Health and Activity

Physical activity during recess is essential for maintaining good health and combating sedentary lifestyles. Recess provides students with an opportunity to engage in physical activity, which helps them build healthy bodies and prevent chronic diseases. Studies have found that physical activity during recess can help children increase their physical fitness, decrease body fat, and improve their overall health.

Moreover, physical activity during recess can help children stay focused and attentive in the classroom. Exercise releases endorphins, which improve mental focus and cognitive skills, leading to better performance in the classroom. Additionally, physical activity during recess helps children’s bodies deliver more oxygen, resulting in increased energy levels throughout the day.

Incorporating physical activity during recess can also help reduce stress and anxiety in students, contributing to a healthier academic environment. Furthermore, physical activity during recess allows students to engage with peers, practice social skills, and develop essential skills like collaboration, communication, compromise, conflict resolution, leadership, and negotiation.

This video is recommended for insight into the diverse ways schools can incorporate physical activity into the daily schedule.

In conclusion, physical activity during recess is crucial for maintaining good health and combating sedentary lifestyles. By incorporating physical activity into recess, educators can create a healthier, more productive learning environment for their students.

2. Mental Refreshment

Recess serves as a vital period for mental refreshment, rejuvenating the mind, and enhancing focus and concentration in post-recess classes. When students engage in unstructured play during recess, it allows their minds to take a break from the rigors of concentrated academic challenges in the classroom. This mental break is essential for cognitive, social, emotional, and physical well-being, and it offers cognitive benefits that may not be fully appreciated when a decision is made to diminish it.

Research dating back to the late 1800s indicates that people learn better and faster when their work includes breaks and downtime, proving more effective than working in long stretches. Recess increases focus, as it provides an opportunity for children to engage in behavior considered unacceptable indoors, allowing them to take control of their world, which is a rarity in their lives.

Moreover, morning outdoor breaks contribute to optimal cognitive processing and a break from academic challenges, making children more attentive and productive in the classroom.

This video is recommended for its compelling presentation by a 6th grader to educators, sharing his personal discovery on how increased physical activity contributed to his academic performance, offering valuable insights for parents and educators alike.

In conclusion, recess plays a crucial role in providing mental refreshment, which is essential for enhancing students’ focus and concentration in their academic pursuits. By understanding the cognitive benefits of recess, educators can create a more conducive learning environment for their students.

3. Social Skills Development

Recess plays a crucial role in developing social interactions and friendships among students. During recess, children have the opportunity to engage in unstructured play, which allows them to practice social skills with their peers and form meaningful relationships.

Some of the valuable communication and social skills kids learn during recess include:

• Collaboration
• Communication
• Conflict resolution
• Negotiation
• Perseverance
• Self-control

Recess also provides a space for children to practice decision-making skills while playing games or engaging in creative play, which helps them build gross motor skills, improve coordination, increase energy levels, and foster self-confidence and positive relationships with peers.

Watching the video on Playworks, a national nonprofit that transforms recess into a time for active social and emotional learning, is recommended for understanding how structured play can enhance conflict resolution, leadership, and self-regulation among students, while also reinforcing a positive school culture.

Moreover, recess provides an opportunity for children to bond with their peers, especially those in large classes where it’s increasingly difficult to talk to each student. Time spent in the classroom with classmates is not enough to build relationships, and children need time to have full-length conversations that are not interrupted. More extended recess generally allows time for kids to build this bond, which is an important element of child development .

In conclusion, recess is essential for social skills development, as it provides students with the opportunity to engage in unstructured play, practice social skills, and form meaningful relationships with their peers. By understanding the social benefits of recess, educators can create a more conducive learning environment for their students.

4. Enhancing Creativity

Unstructured playtime during recess can significantly boost students’ creativity and imagination, making it an essential part of the school day. When children engage in unstructured play, they have the freedom to explore their own ideas and process information, which is crucial for fostering creativity.

Recess provides a break from structured learning, allowing students to have independence and engage in activities that help them learn how to get along with each other and feel good about themselves. Additionally, unstructured play during recess helps children mature in ways that are unlikely to happen in the classroom, promoting creativity and social development.

Furthermore, the American Academy of Pediatrics emphasizes that recess is necessary for the cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development of children, and it should never be withheld for punitive or academic reasons.

This video is recommended for those interested in discovering creative approaches to combine learning with play during recess.

In conclusion, unstructured playtime during recess is vital for enhancing students’ creativity and imagination, and it should be prioritized as an integral part of the school day to support their overall development.

5. Improving Academic Performance

Research has consistently linked regular breaks, such as recess, to better academic outcomes. Recess benefits students by improving their memory and attention, helping them stay on topic in class, reducing their disruptive behavior, and improving their social development. The unstructured, physical time in their school day has been shown to increase creativity and problem-solving, leading to improved academic performance.

Additionally, the American Academy of Pediatrics emphasizes that recess is a crucial and necessary component of a child’s development, and it should never be withheld for punitive or academic reasons. Furthermore, the elimination of mandatory recess has been shown to negatively impact children’s cognitive development and school achievement.

Studies have found that recess provides cognitive, social, emotional, and physical benefits that may not be fully appreciated when a decision is made to diminish it. Recess is important because it:

• Serves as a necessary break from the rigors of concentrated, academic challenges in the classroom
• Offers cognitive benefits
• Provides social benefits
• Contributes to emotional well-being
• Supports physical health

Several studies demonstrate that recess, whether performed indoors or outdoors, contributes to optimal cognitive processing and a break from academic tasks.

For a deeper understanding of recess as a crucial educational tool, viewing this video, “The Most Overlooked Learning Tool in Education: Recess,” is highly recommended.

In conclusion, regular breaks, including recess, play a vital role in improving academic performance and should be prioritized to support students’ overall development and success. Teachers and school administrators should recognize the importance of recess and ensure that students have adequate time for unstructured play and physical activity during the school day.

Delve into “ 7 Research-Based Reasons Why Students Should Not Have Homework: Academic Insights, Opposing Perspectives & Alternatives ” for a comprehensive view of the homework debate, presenting alternative strategies to improve student learning.

6. Emotional Regulation

Recess allows for emotional decompression and better mood management, making it an essential part of the school day. Children need time to relax and recharge, and recess provides them with an opportunity to do so. Recess also allows children to release pent-up energy and emotions, which can help them regulate their emotions and behavior in the classroom. Additionally, recess provides children with a sense of autonomy and control, which can help them feel more confident and less anxious.

Research has shown that recess can help children develop emotional regulation skills, such as self-control and conflict resolution. During recess, children have the opportunity to practice social skills and role-play with peers, which can help them learn how to manage their emotions and interact with others in a positive way.

Furthermore, recess provides children with a break from academic challenges, which can help reduce stress and improve their overall well-being.

Watching this video is recommended to see how Montpelier High’s innovative schedule adjustment, allocating 15 minutes for recess, enhances calmness, focus, and camaraderie among teachers and students, positively impacting the classroom environment.

In conclusion, regular breaks, including recess, play a vital role in emotional regulation and should be prioritized to support students’ overall well-being and success. Teachers and school administrators should recognize the importance of recess and ensure that students have adequate time for unstructured play and physical activity during the school day. By providing students with regular breaks, schools can help promote emotional regulation, reduce stress, and improve overall academic performance.

7. Inclusivity and Equality: Emphasizing the Importance of Recess for All Students

In the vibrant tapestry of a school, recess functions as a unifying thread, fostering inclusivity and equality among students. Regardless of background, abilities, or interests, recess provides a leveled playing field where everyone can participate and engage. The playground becomes a space where friendships are formed, social skills are honed, and differences are celebrated.

During recess, students have the opportunity to interact in an informal setting, breaking down barriers that may exist in the classroom. Games and activities create a shared experience, transcending academic and cultural differences. This inclusivity is especially vital for students with diverse needs, ensuring they are not left on the sidelines but actively involved in the social life of the school.

A study by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) emphasizes that recess is a critical period for social interaction among children from diverse backgrounds. The AAP highlights that recess promotes social and emotional learning (SEL), which is as crucial as academic skills. This aligns with findings from Pellegrini and Bohn (2005), who observed that recess breaks improve social competence among students.

Moreover, recess can be a great equalizer for physical activity. Students of varying athletic abilities can find activities that suit their preferences, promoting a sense of belonging. Team sports, imaginative play, or just a stroll around the playground—each child can participate at their own comfort level.

This video is recommended for understanding the growing importance of playtime, especially as school-starting ages become younger and school days longer. It explores the critical question of why students should have recess, highlighting its necessity in the context of modern educational challenges.

In essence, recess acts as a microcosm of the real world, teaching students the values of acceptance, collaboration, and appreciation for differences. By incorporating inclusive practices during these break periods, schools send a powerful message: that every student matters and every student has a place to belong in the shared joy of recess.

8. Developing Independence

Recess stands as a pivotal period in the school day, serving not just as a break from structured learning but as a vital arena for fostering students’ independence and decision-making abilities. In the throes of free play, children are afforded the liberty to select their activities, navigate social interactions, and establish their play parameters.

This autonomy in choosing how to engage not only bolsters their confidence but also enhances their ability to make decisions independently, a cornerstone of personal development.

Moreover, the unstructured environment of recess acts as a sandbox for personal exploration, where children can:

• Delve into their interests
• Experiment with leadership roles
• Learn to manage conflicts on their own terms

Such experiences are invaluable, imbuing them with the resilience and adaptability needed for life’s varied challenges. Recess thus emerges as a key contributor to developing a child’s sense of self-reliance and self-direction, skills that are critical not only within the confines of the schoolyard but in the broader context of their future endeavors.

Research by Ramstetter, Murray, and Garner (2010) supports the idea that recess plays a vital role in child development, particularly in autonomy and decision-making. Their study suggests that unstructured play during recess encourages children to make independent choices, enhancing their problem-solving and negotiation skills. This is further supported by Bjorklund and Brown’s (1998) work, which links unstructured play to the development of executive functioning.

Watching this video is highly recommended to learn how a specific recess program fosters independence, creativity, and empathy among students, addressing the important question of “Why should students have more recess time”.

Acknowledging the multifaceted benefits of recess underscores its indispensability in the educational landscape. It’s a time when children can cultivate their individuality, learn the nuances of personal responsibility, and build the foundation for a lifetime of independent thinking and problem-solving. Consequently, ensuring recess remains an integral part of the school day is paramount for nurturing well-rounded, autonomous individuals prepared to navigate the complexities of the world.

9. Healthier Classroom Environment

Recess is not just a time for children to play and have fun, but it also plays a significant role in developing their decision-making and independence skills. During recess, children have the freedom to make choices and engage in activities of their preference, which fosters a sense of autonomy and self-reliance. This sense of independence is essential for their overall growth and development.

Additionally, recess provides children with the opportunity to explore their interests and make decisions about how they spend their time, which can contribute to their decision-making skills.

Recess has been significantly linked to improved behavior and a more conducive classroom environment, with studies demonstrating its benefits in enhancing memory, attention, and social development, while also reducing disruptive behavior. It provides a critical break from the academic grind, allowing students to engage in free play and social interaction, which are essential for their overall development. Key benefits of recess include:

• Enhanced Memory and Attention: Breaks during the school day, including recess, help refresh students’ minds, improving their ability to focus and retain information when they return to class.
• Social Development: Recess offers a unique space for children, particularly in large classes, to forge deeper connections with peers through uninterrupted conversations—something the structured classroom setting cannot always accommodate.
• Physical Health: It provides essential physical activity and exposure to natural light, both of which are vital for children’s overall well-being and stress reduction.

A comprehensive review by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on the association between school-based physical activities, including recess, and academic performance, found that physical activity can positively impact cognitive skills and attitudes, which are indicative of academic behavior.

Moreover, Barros, Silver, and Stein (2009) found that more time in recess correlates with better classroom behavior among elementary school students. This evidence supports the notion that recess contributes to a more conducive learning environment by not only improving physical health but also enhancing cognitive function and reducing stress.

To uncover the link between recess and a healthier classroom environment, along with its impact on student productivity, watching this informative video is highly recommended.

In conclusion, recess is an essential part of a child’s education. It provides numerous benefits, including developing decision-making and independence skills, improving behavior, and creating a healthier classroom environment. Therefore, schools must prioritize recess and ensure that children have enough time to engage in unstructured play.

It might be interesting to explore “ Comprehensive Analysis: 8 Strong Reasons Why School Should Not Be Year-Round ” which offers insightful arguments on the potential drawbacks of year-round schooling for both students and educators.

Optimal Duration and Timing

The duration and scheduling of recess in U.S. schools are pivotal for enhancing student health and learning outcomes. Research underscores the benefits of longer recess periods for boosting student behavior, attention, stress management, and social-emotional development.

The American Academy of Pediatrics underlines the necessity of regular breaks, like recess, for the holistic development of students across cognitive, social, emotional, and physical spheres. To be effective, recess must be long enough to facilitate substantial social interaction and physical activity.

Educational experts recommend specific durations to optimize the benefits of recess. Debbie Rhea suggests four 15-minute recesses daily, a guideline supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics for all age groups. This structured approach is essential for ensuring that students receive adequate breaks for physical and social engagement, contributing to their overall well-being and academic performance.

To see the positive impact of increased playtime in North Texas schools on classroom performance, watching this video is highly recommended.

However, the implementation of recess varies widely across the United States, influenced by factors such as age, grade, facility, and district policies. Many elementary schools schedule recess immediately following lunch, although studies have shown that holding recess before lunch can enhance nutritional intake and reduce food waste.

This finding has led some institutions to adopt a recess-before-lunch policy, which also correlates with improved student behavior both during meals and in post-lunch classroom settings. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Agriculture endorse recess before lunch as a component of school wellness policies.

While the precise optimal duration for recess remains undetermined, the consensus underscores the importance of regular, scheduled breaks that align with national guidelines. The variability in recess scheduling reflects different educational philosophies and logistical considerations, but the overarching goal is to support student well-being and learning efficiency. Key points include:

• Recess Duration: In the United States, recess times in schools typically range from 20 to 60 minutes daily, depending on age, grade, and school policies.
• International Practices: Countries like Japan implement a different approach, offering a 10- to 15-minute break every hour. This frequency is designed to accommodate the natural decline in attention spans after 40 to 50 minutes of instruction, suggesting a more nuanced understanding of student concentration cycles.
• Benefits of Regular Intervals: This varied scheduling across different educational systems suggests that to enhance learning efficiency, recess should be timed at regular intervals. Such breaks provide students with sufficient opportunities to refresh and refocus, thereby optimizing their readiness to engage with subsequent instructional material.

These insights point to the nuanced considerations that influence how recess is implemented globally, highlighting the universal recognition of its value in the educational process. The goal remains consistent: to ensure that students have the necessary breaks to support their physical, emotional, and cognitive development.

Additional Tips for Enhancing Recess

Recess is an essential part of a child’s school day, and educators can take steps to make it more effective. Here are some practical tips for teachers to enhance recess:

By implementing these tips, educators can help make recess a more effective and enjoyable experience for students. Recess provides numerous benefits for children, including improved academic performance, emotional regulation, and social development. It is essential that teachers prioritize recess and take steps to make it a positive and productive part of the school day.

Discover effective playground games and strategies for enhancing recess by watching this insightful video.

Useful Resources

• Average School Day Length by Country 2024
• Effect of Recess on Fifth Grade Students’ Time On-Task in an Elementary Classroom
• Do High Schools Have Recess? A Detailed Look

Final Thoughts

In summary, recess plays a vital role in a well-rounded educational experience, offering cognitive, social, emotional, and physical benefits for students. It provides an opportunity for children to be physically active, improve their memory and attention, reduce disruptive behavior, and enhance their social and emotional development.

Recess also fosters creativity, leadership, and conflict-resolution skills, making it an essential component of a child’s school day. Therefore, it is crucial for educators to prioritize recess and implement strategies to make it a positive and productive part of the school day.

For an in-depth analysis of the benefits of delayed school start times on student well-being and academic achievement, the article “ Exploring the Evidence: 7 Comprehensive Reasons Why School Should Start Later for Enhanced Student Well-being and Academic Success ” is highly recommended.

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Study Asks: Is There an Ideal Amount of Recess?

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The amount of recess students have varies widely from school to school, and how much time students should spend playing and socializing during school hours has been the subject of some debate. New research in Arizona State University’s Education Policy Analysis Archives hopes to determine whether there is a most-effective way to schedule recess.

In “Recess and Reading Achievement of Early Childhood Students in Public Schools,” researcher Ummuhan Yesil Dagli of Yildiz Technical University in Turkey describes how much time kindergartners around the United States spend in recess and in reading class, and whether that is connected to students’ scores on a reading assessment.

Dagli uses data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Class, a National Center for Educational Statistics-sponsored survey of 22,200 students who started kindergarten in 1998. This study focuses on the 3,951 students enrolled in public, full-day kindergarten for whom all data was present. Students’ reading ability was assessed at the beginning and end of kindergarten, and the length and frequency of recess was determined via a survey of teachers.

It turns out that the amount of time students spend in recess and the amount of reading instruction they receive varies significantly by ethnic background and socioeconomic status. White students and high-income students spend the most time in recess, while black and Hispanic students and students of low-socioeconomic status get less recess. For instance, while only 1.8 percent of white students have no recess, the same is true for 10.7 percent of black students and 8.7 percent of Hispanic students. Of students in the top 20 percent in terms of socioeconomic status, 82.9 percent had recess every day, as opposed to 76.1 percent of those in the bottom 20 percent.

How did all of this variation impact reading scores? Well, it turns out that it didn’t much at all. Certain combinations seemed to yield slightly higher scores, according to the study: “Daily recess, once or three or more times, for a total of 45 minutes or longer; and daily recess, twice, for a total of 31-45 minutes appeared to produce the highest reading scores for students,” followed by students who received a single daily recess for 1-15 minutes. But, she continues, “There is no single answer for the optimal frequency and length of recess that may facilitate students’ reading achievement.” At least two things seem clear: The answer is likely not all-day recess, but neither is it no recess.

Researcher Dagli notes that her findings could be taken to mean that less recess does not decrease reading scores, but she favors the interpretation that more recess does not decrease reading scores—and may lead to social, cognitive, and other benefits. “It allows a child to be a child,” she writes.

A version of this news article first appeared in the Inside School Research blog.

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More Recess, Please

Assessment model print, okay persuasive letter.

Title: More Recess, Please

Level: Grade 4, Grade 5

Mode: Persuasive Writing

Form: Persuasive Letter

Completed Rubric: More Recess, Please Rubric

Blank Rubric: Argument Rubric

View related assessment models:

Student Model

Dear Mrs. Knight,

Do you remember fivth grade? Well, I do because I am in fivth grade. Well, if you do I bet you recall rules you hated, like how short the recess is. Well, read on to find out why I think recess should be longer.

First the rule I detest is how little the recess is. Recess should be longer about 40 to 55 minutes, because we need more exercise, and if you expand the recess time limit we can exercise by running, basketball and other sports or ways to get more in shape or healthier.

Second of all longer recess can be excellent for if you play football, baseball or kickball or any other long games like that, I bet you never finish them. You probably do half of the game one recess, and the other part in another recess. Unless the friends you played with live close to you that really never happens. Another reason is if we have longer recess time we can have fewer ties and that would be way cool. Teachers and probably all grown-ups like children to have ties because they do not want anyone to cry or wine. Well, if you think we like ties we do not!

Third of all recess is an outstanding time to refresh yourself. Recess is the best at refreshing you, because you can run like a dog trying to catch a cat or you can relax and get away from all those tests. Books, words, and mot of all headaches or brain freezes (when you can not think). Recess is marvels at getting away from the funky, stuffy and muggy smell in your school!! Last of all I hope you will change the rule of recess. Matthew. A. Walega

Teacher Support:

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Standards Correlations:

The State Standards provide a way to evaluate your students' performance.

• LAFS.4.RL.1.1
• 110.6.b.8.A
• LAFS.4.RL.1.2
• 110.6.b.12.C
• 110.6.b.11.B
• LAFS.4.W.1.1
• 110.7.b.8.A
• 110.7.b.7.C
• LAFS.5.RL.1.1
• LAFS.5.RL.1.2
• 110.7.b.11.A
• 110.7.b.11.B
• 110.7.b.12.C
• LAFS.5.W.1.1

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Essay on Recess Should Be Longer

Students are often asked to write an essay on Recess Should Be Longer in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Recess Should Be Longer

Importance of recess.

Recess is an important part of school. It’s a break from class where students can relax and play. It helps kids clear their minds and get ready for more learning. If recess is longer, it can help students even more.

Physical Health

When kids have a longer recess, they can play more. This means they can get more exercise. Exercise keeps our bodies strong and healthy. It also helps us feel good. So, a longer recess can help keep kids healthy.

Mental Health

Recess is not just good for the body, it’s also good for the mind. When kids play, they feel happy. This can help reduce stress. A longer recess can give kids more time to relax and feel good.

Social Skills

During recess, kids can talk and play with their friends. This helps them learn how to get along with others. If recess is longer, kids have more time to build these important social skills.

Academic Performance

A longer recess can also help with school work. After a good break, kids can focus better. This can help them do better in class. So, a longer recess can help improve students’ grades.

In conclusion, a longer recess can be very helpful for students. It can help them stay healthy, feel good, get along with others, and do well in school.

250 Words Essay on Recess Should Be Longer

Why recess time matters.

Recess is a favorite part of the day for most kids. It’s a time to play, eat, and take a break from lessons. But, is the current recess time enough? Many believe that recess should be longer.

The Need for Play

Playtime is not just fun, it’s also important for our brains. When we play, our brains get a break from learning. This helps us to focus better when we get back to class. Plus, playtime helps us to learn social skills. We learn how to share, work as a team, and solve problems. These skills are just as important as math or reading.

Exercise and Health

Recess is also a time for exercise. Kids need to move around to stay healthy. Sitting in class all day is not good for our bodies. We need time to run, jump, and play. This keeps our bodies strong and healthy. Plus, exercise helps to clear our minds and makes us feel happier.

Learning and Focus

Longer recess can also help us to learn better. After a break, we can focus more on our lessons. This means we can understand and remember more. Teachers also get a break during recess. This means they can rest and prepare for the next lessons.

In conclusion, longer recess is good for both our bodies and minds. It gives us time to play, exercise, and prepare for learning. So, let’s make recess longer and make school a more fun and healthy place for all of us.

500 Words Essay on Recess Should Be Longer

Introduction.

Recess is a cherished part of the school day for students. It’s a chance for kids to play, chat, eat and take a break from the busy day of learning. This essay will talk about why recess should be longer.

Firstly, kids need time to play. Play is not just fun, but it’s also important for a child’s growth. It helps kids learn how to solve problems, work as a team, and be creative. If recess is longer, kids will have more time to play and learn these important skills.

Health Benefits

Secondly, a longer recess can help kids stay healthy. When kids play, they move around a lot. This movement, or physical activity, is good for their bodies. It can help kids stay at a healthy weight and keep their hearts strong. If recess is longer, kids will have more time to be active.

Improving Focus

Thirdly, a longer recess can help kids focus better in class. After sitting for a long time, it can be hard for kids to pay attention. A break can help refresh their minds. When kids come back from a longer recess, they might be able to focus better on their lessons.

Lastly, a longer recess can help kids learn social skills. During recess, kids talk to each other. They learn how to make friends, solve arguments and work together. These are important skills that kids need to learn. A longer recess can give kids more time to learn these skills.

In conclusion, a longer recess can be good for kids. It can help them learn, stay healthy, focus better in class, and learn social skills. While it’s important to have time for lessons, it’s also important to have time for recess. By making recess longer, schools can help kids grow in many ways.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Reconstruction Success Or Failure
• Essay on Recreational Activities
• Essay on Recycling Should Be Mandatory

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

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Congress has a long to-do list on tech post-recess— and little time

Happy Tuesday! We had so many tasteful and not at all corny April Fools’ jokes ready to go that will sadly never see the light of day. Send tips to: [email protected] .  Below: Jon Stewart says Apple stopped him from interviewing FTC Chair Lina Khan . First:

Congress has a long to-do list on tech post-recess — and little time

When lawmakers get back from recess next week, they will face a laundry list of legislative targets on tech and a dwindling shot clock to convert them ahead of the 2024 elections. 

This Congress is already poised to be one of the least productive in decades , and legislating typically slows to a crawl on Capitol Hill ahead of presidential elections. 

Lawmakers’ tech ambitions will also face competing priorities, with talks around Ukraine aid, a tax package, federal nominations and more all taking up Congress’s limited time. 

Here’s a look at what will be atop Congress’s tech agenda in the coming months:

Senators are expected to continue talks about the future of TikTok and other apps with foreign ties when they return, but how quickly they can — or want — to move is still a big question. 

Some Republicans have called for the Senate to take up the House bill to force TikTok to be sold or banned “asap,” but many others have pumped the brakes on talk of rapid action.

Most notably, Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) has been noncommittal about how quickly he wants to move on the issue, or about what approach he prefers, and Senate Commerce Chairwoman Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) has floated holding a hearing first .

Several key senators have warned that Congress could miss a major opportunity to act on their concerns by not hashing out an agreement before the 2024 elections. “We will rue the day if we don’t get this done,” Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) told me recently .

Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.), who introduced the House bill targeting TikTok, is set to step down from Congress later this month, and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), whose committee advanced the bill, is also not running for reelection. That means if lawmakers don’t get a bill done this year, they would need to find new champions for the push in the House.

Child safety

Children’s safety advocates are clamoring for a swift floor vote in the Senate on the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) , which advanced out of committee with broad bipartisan support for the second time last year and is now backed by two-thirds of the chamber . If passed, it would be the most significant effort to regulate tech companies to clear a chamber of Congress in decades.

But there are still questions about when or if Senate leaders may dedicate floor time to the push, and whether they will try to bundle KOSA with other bills that have fewer public backers, including the package of bills targeting child abuse material from the Judiciary Committee. 

Proponents of KOSA have argued that Senate passage would significantly increase pressure on House lawmakers to take up the bill, but key House leaders have shown little to no interest in taking up the proposal to date — focusing instead on broader privacy talks. 

After advancing their TikTok bill, House lawmakers approved a separate measure to restrict foreign “adversaries” from getting U.S. personal information from data brokers. Cantwell, a crucial player in Congress’s privacy negotiations, called it an encouraging effort. 

While narrow in scope, it’s one of the few proposals aimed at bolstering U.S. privacy protections to gain significant traction in Congress in years. Some House lawmakers have urged the Senate to take up the measure in tandem with the TikTok legislation, but some senators have their own proposals that could compete for consideration.

McMorris Rodgers recently also reaffirmed plans to introduce a broader privacy bill, which could revitalize the bipartisan House legislation that fell short last Congress .

Artificial intelligence

In June, Schumer kicked off a new push to regulate artificial intelligence technology , saying it would take “months” but not “years” for Congress to act on the issue. 

More than nine months later, lawmakers have done little beyond hold meetings and hearings, launch task forces and working groups, and unveil narrow proposals. But both Schumer’s working group and the leaders of the House’s AI task force have talked about potentially taking more immediate action to grapple with the tool’s potential impact on the 2024 elections — but they have little time to devise and implement a plan.

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Jon stewart says apple stopped him from interviewing ftc chair.

In a Monday interview with Lina Khan , comedian Jon Stewart revealed Apple had blocked him from interviewing the Federal Trade Commission chair, one of multiple disputes he had with the tech giant before the abrupt cancellation of his Apple TV Plus show last year, our colleague Cat Zakrzewski reports for The Technology 202.

During Comedy Central's "Daily Show,” Stewart said he tried to book Khan for a podcast interview, and Apple “literally said please don’t talk to her.”

“I didn’t think they cared for you is what happened,” he said. Apple spokesman Fred Sainz declined to comment.

In November 2022, Stewart's staff reached out to the Federal Trade Commission to book Khan for an interview about the impact monopoly power has on inflation, FTC spokesman Douglas Farrar told The Post. Planning for the episode was underway when discussions abruptly broke down. After Stewart returned to "The Daily Show" on Comedy Central earlier this year, Khan was quickly booked for an interview.

Khan has emerged as one of the sharpest critics of tech giants' power, and her academic writing and work has shaped a new slate of lawsuits alleging Silicon Valley companies illegally wield monopoly power. Last month, Khan's counterparts at the DOJ brought a sweeping antitrust lawsuit against Apple — which alleges that Apple is incentivized to bring its anticompetitive playbook to new markets, including streaming.

"Apple’s conduct extends beyond just monopoly profits and even affects the flow of speech," the lawsuit said. "For example, Apple is rapidly expanding its role as a TV and movie producer and had exercised that role to control content.”

Government scanner

China’s advancing efforts to influence the U.S. election raise alarms (New York Times)

The FTC is trying to help victims of impersonation scams get their money back (The Verge)

Inside the industry

Trump Media stock plunges as 2023 Truth Social loss put at $58 million (By Drew Harwell)

Mnuchin’s plan to buy TikTok has some insiders bewildered (By Elizabeth Dwoskin and Drew Harwell)

Sam Altman no longer owns OpenAI Startup Fund (Axios)

Competition watch

Here’s how the iPhone could change if the government wins its suit against Apple (Axios)

Privacy monitor

Google to delete some data it collected on ‘private’ web browsers (By Gerrit De Vynck)

Data from 73 million AT&T accounts leaked to dark web, company says (By Rachel Lerman)

Ready or not, self-driving semi-trucks are coming to America’s highways (By Trisha Thadani)

Gmail revolutionized email 20 years ago. People thought it was Google's April Fools' Day joke (Associated Press)

• IAB hosts a public policy and legal summit today at 8 a.m.
• The Center for Democracy and Technology hosts an event , “Spring Fling,” today at 8 p.m.

Before you log off

Full interview with @linakhanFTC : https://t.co/1b0mNIRXOQ — The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) April 2, 2024

That ’ s all for today — thank you so much for joining us! Make sure to tell others to subscribe to  The Technology 202 here . Get in touch with Cristiano (via email or social media ) and Will (via email or social media ) for tips, feedback or greetings!

To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories .

The Unbearable Uncertainty of Pregnancy

By Clare Beams

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In my first pregnancy it looked like this: At our anatomy scan, the doctor was able to see that the umbilical cord was attached, not in the center of the placenta, where it was supposed to be, but off to the side. In my second pregnancy, it came when they measured a fold at the back of my daughter’s neck, the nuchal translucency. Follow-up testing was recommended if this fold was thicker than 3mm, because too much thickness there might or might not mean chromosomal or structural abnormalities that might or might not be incompatible with life. My daughter’s was 3mm exactly.

“What does that mean?” I asked, both times.

“Don’t worry,” the first doctor said. “Nature knows what it’s doing. It’s probably nothing.”

“Don’t worry,” the second doctor said, and then gave me forms to sign for chorionic villus sampling.

Neither of them actually answered my question.

Even before these moments, I’d found pregnancy uneasy , unknowable terrain. First there were lines on a test, then a little mounding between my hipbones, which I could only feel when I was lying down, and a vague sense of sickness, like reading in the back of a car on a twisty road. With more months came heft and an uncanny internal stirring, like a twitch of a new inner muscle that became distinct flailings, bumpings, and rollings. Here, at my core, was a region I had no access to. A sealed black box on which everything—a whole life—suddenly depended. Were things all right, inside? Who knew? Not my doctors, it seemed—not with the certainty I craved. I’d somehow turned my own body into a sort of restaging of Schrödinger’s cat . My eventual baby, inside the closed container of my uterus—my own organ, but exempt from my conscious control or knowledge, an unseen central zone I’d never been very aware of before—was both all right and not all right at all times. Both possibilities existed, and neither could be ruled out. The baby was utterly inaccessible to me even when I contained it completely, even when I was touching whatever appendage it was jabbing me with through the wall of my own abdomen.

When my doctors didn’t answer my questions to my satisfaction, I set off in search of answers elsewhere. My Google searches from those months read like a staccato seismograph of panic:

nuchal fold how thick is still normal

nuchal fold thick outcomes

umbilical cord attachment placement

umbilical cord off-center what happens.

Yet the whole internet seemed to be an echo chamber of the uncertainty my doctors had given me, a whole world with nothing surer to offer than probably, and the facts I gathered just made my not-knowing noisier. I found my way to the sites of scientific journals and lost hours there, reading about percentages of babies who turned out to have various conditions, babies born alive and not born alive. The numbers were objectively in our favor, yet failed to reassure me. Nowhere could I find enough of the central why I sought: a clear cause-and-effect-based story, some account of what the things the doctors had seen, when they glimpsed inside the black box at my core, might mean. Every possible cause was quickly supplanted by the next, sometimes with wildly different ramifications. The abnormalities on my daughters’ scans could be inconsequential artifacts of being a particular human, or they could be the first stage of a cascading catastrophe. The internet just told me, in the end, that what the doctors had seen could mean nothing or everything, and the seesawing of my mind between these two possibilities felt like actual motion, like the uncanny internal motion of the baby inside me, shifting me around in ways I couldn’t control.

I’ve found, in speaking to friends who’ve been pregnant, that some version of this experience isn’t uncommon. There is an amazing amount we do not know about pregnancy , and about women’s bodies in general , particularly those organs that have anything to do with sex . Pregnant women don’t generally volunteer for invasive studies, of course—but the reasons for our collective ignorance are, I think, deeper. We have a longstanding squeamishness about women’s interiors, which many cultures have historically imbued with a lot of fearful mystery and capacity for wrongness. For centuries, the dominant feeling on the part of the people in charge (mostly men) was that it would be better for everyone—maybe especially for women themselves—to avert their eyes, that no good could come from looking in such places. Medicine hasn’t fully recovered from this view because society hasn’t. I kept coming up against the limits, sometimes deliberately set, of what everyone knew.

By Hannah Jackson

By Hannah Coates

By Christian Allaire

I also think my search failed to reassure me because it was my first real high-stakes experience with the limits of what it’s possible to know at all. I’ve had two pregnancies, and I have two daughters, now 7 and 11, and this is lucky math. But it turns out, of course, that the end of the pregnancy is far from the end of the worrying. Pregnancy itself was only my first taste of the joy and fear my daughters have brought streaming into my life, in quantities that have reset my scales. Every day I find new things I can’t know about my daughters: what their experiences feel like to them, what they’re thinking at any given moment, what the world is doing to them while I’m not with them (or even while I am). My daughter breaks an arm jumping for the same bar she’s caught 500 other times; my other daughter decides, after a snub at recess, that her friend will never love her again; in just the time between when they get off the bus and when they arrive at our door two streets away, there are a million unforeseen ways they could break my heart. Children, after all, are definitionally unprecedented. I’ve had to expand, in every way, to fit mine, but I can never hope to succeed entirely. When my daughters were born one worry ended, yes, but they moved out from my body into a world I can only ever see in part—and their inner worlds, too, are only ever partly accessible to me, a new form of the black box, those realms on which so much depends. And so parenting has brought me constant practice with not knowing the information that matters more to me than any information in the world.

Clare Beams is the author of the novel The Garden , out next week.

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Johnson Outlines Plan for Ukraine Aid; House Could Act Within Weeks

The G.O.P. speaker’s proposed conditions for sending a fresh infusion of military assistance to Kyiv are the strongest sign to date that he plans to defy critics in his own party and push through the aid package.

By Catie Edmondson

Reporting from Washington

Speaker Mike Johnson has begun publicly laying out potential conditions for extending a fresh round of American military assistance to Ukraine, the strongest indication yet that he plans to push through the House a package that many Republicans view as toxic and have tried to block.

His terms may include tying the aid for Kyiv to a measure that would force President Biden to reverse a moratorium on new permits for liquefied natural gas export facilities, something that Republicans would see as a political victory against the Democratic president’s climate agenda. The move would also hand Mr. Johnson a powerful parochial win, unblocking a proposed export terminal in his home state of Louisiana that would be situated along a shipping channel that connects the Gulf of Mexico to Lake Charles.

“When we return after this work period, we’ll be moving a product, but it’s going to have some important innovations,” Mr. Johnson said on Sunday in an interview on Fox News.

That strongly suggests that the aid package for Ukraine, which has been stalled on Capitol Hill for months amid Republican resistance, could clear Congress within weeks. It enjoys strong support among Democrats and a large coalition of mainstream Republicans, and the main obstacle standing in its way in the House has been Mr. Johnson’s refusal to bring it up in the face of vehement hard-right opposition in the G.O.P. to sending more aid to Kyiv.

But after the Senate passed a $95 billion aid package for Ukraine and Israel, and with Mr. Johnson facing pressure from the Biden administration and NATO allies, the Republican speaker has been searching for a path forward on the bill that would provoke the least political backlash in his own ranks.

Now, the question appears to be not whether Mr. Johnson will allow aid to come to the floor, but in what form and when.

In the interview, he openly discussed how to structure the aid, saying that he had not come to any final decisions on what he would ultimately put to a vote but that he had been “working to build that consensus” among House Republicans.

Mr. Johnson cited the REPO Act, which would pay for some of the aid by selling off Russian sovereign assets that have been frozen, as one idea under consideration.

“If we can use the seized assets of Russian oligarchs to allow the Ukrainians to fight them, that’s just pure poetry,” he said.

American officials had previously been skeptical of the idea, warning that there was no precedent for seizing large sums of money from another sovereign nation and that the move could set off unpredictable legal ramifications and economic consequences. Only about $5 billion or so of Russian assets are in the hands of U.S. institutions; more than $300 billion in Russian central bank assets are stashed in Western nations.

But the Biden administration has quietly come around on the idea amid waning financial support for Ukraine.

Mr. Johnson also floated the idea of sending some of the aid as a loan, noting that “even President Trump has talked about” the concept.

And he mentioned an idea he first privately raised in February, at a White House meeting with Mr. Biden and other congressional leaders, of tying the aid to lifting the Biden administration’s pause on liquefied natural gas exports. He and other Republicans have argued that by prohibiting American exports of domestic energy, the administration has in effect increased reliance on Russian gas and indirectly funded President Vladimir V. Putin’s offensive against Ukraine. He cited the case of Calcasieu Pass 2, the proposed export terminal in Louisiana.

“We want to unleash American energy,” Mr. Johnson said. “We want to have natural gas exports that will help unfund Vladimir Putin’s war effort there.”

Taken together, the measures Mr. Johnson outlined appear to be aimed at convincing skeptical Republicans that at the very least, the cost of the aid package would be offset. Though he did not mention it on Sunday, he has also considered advancing fresh sanctions against Russia.

The reversal of the liquefied natural gas moratorium in particular could be a powerful political incentive for Republicans, ratcheting up pressure on the White House to abandon a policy they have long denounced.

The administration paused new export permits after months of protests by environmental activists, who argued that adding new gas export facilities would lock in decades of additional greenhouse gas emissions, the main driver of climate change. The administration said it would take time to analyze the impact of new permits on the climate, national security and the economy.

The United States is still exporting more liquefied natural gas than any other country, and export capacity will double by 2027 because the government has already approved a handful of new export terminals, which are in the construction pipeline.

Mr. Johnson’s search for a politically viable option to funding Ukraine’s attempts to fend off Russian attacks puts him in the middle of two powerful and opposing forces. The hard-right flank of his party, led by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and egged on by former President Donald J. Trump, has urged him not to allow a vote on aid for Ukraine, arguing that the United States should not be pouring tens of billions of dollars into another country’s war. But the leaders of most NATO countries have warned Mr. Johnson that a failure to extend help to Kyiv could lead to the young democracy’s undoing, a message that has been echoed by mainstream Republicans, Mr. Biden and Democrats.

Ms. Greene filed a resolution calling for Mr. Johnson’s removal late last month before the House left Washington for recess, saying she wanted to send him “a warning.”

Mr. Johnson on Sunday called the move a “distraction from our mission,” but said he shared Ms. Greene’s frustration over the spending bills Congress approved to prevent government shutdowns and planned to speak with her this week.

At the same time, Mr. Johnson has continued to face pressure from leaders around the world who have sought to impress upon him the costs of U.S. inaction.

Mr. Johnson and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine spoke by phone on Thursday, and Mr. Zelensky briefed the speaker on the dire battlefield situation in Ukraine and urged “quick passage” of aid.

Mr. Zelensky said they discussed “the importance of cutting off Russia’s sources of funding for its war as soon as possible and using frozen Russian assets for Ukraine’s benefits.”

“We recognize that there are differing views in the House of Representatives on how to proceed,” the Ukrainian president wrote on social media, “but the key is to keep the issue of aid to Ukraine as a unifying factor.”

Brad Plumer and Lisa Friedman contributed reporting.

Catie Edmondson covers Congress for The Times. More about Catie Edmondson

A Divided Congress: Latest News and Analysis

G.O.P. Congressman’s Wild Claim: More than three years after the attack on Congress, a Republican subcommittee chairman offered a series of baseless and disproved claims  about it, reflecting an effort on the right to falsify what occurred.

Plan for Ukraine Aid: Speaker Mike Johnson has begun laying out potential conditions for extending a fresh round of military assistance  to Ukraine, the strongest indication yet that he plans to push  through a package that many Republicans have tried to block.

Replacing Mitch McConnell: The intensifying battle for a new Senate Republican leader recalls an earlier era , when such races in Congress were crowded and sometimes messy affairs.

Spending Bill: A  bipartisan spending package  approved by Congress ended the prospect of a government shutdown. But the legislation also represented a major defeat for ultraconservatives in the House, who immediately turned on Johnson .

A Dwindling Majority: Representative Mike Gallagher, Republican of Wisconsin, announced that he would resign from Congress months earlier than expected on April 19, bringing the already minuscule G.O.P. majority down to a lonely one vote .

An Invite for Netanyahu: Johnson said that he planned to invite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel to address Congress, moving to welcome a leader who has become a flashpoint for partisan disagreement  over the war in Gaza.