Let them Have Recess

09/01/2016

Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play IS serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.
Fred Rogers, children's television host, 1928–2003

"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?"

Angela Hanscom, a writer for Edutopia (a project of the George Lucas Educational Foundation) believes that longer recesses yield countless dividends for children, including more time for creative play and the development of socio-emotional skills.

She writes, "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."

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