Hannah Hetrick

RCL 138

Dr. Freymiller

Persuasive Essay

3/30/19

No Monkeying Around: The Importance of Recess in Schools

Currently, only five states in America mandate daily recess in elementary schools. An

additional seven have twenty to thirty minute daily physical activity requirements, but they don’t

specify how the time should be allocated (Shammas). With the introduction of the Common Core

and increase of standardized testing, many schools have placed greater emphasis on instructional

time, and, as a result, have replaced ‘wasted’ recess time with more lessons on vocabulary and

mathematics. While the main purpose of attending school is to learn, it seems unnatural that

children should sit behind desks for seven hours straight. Children thrive during play and the

unstructured, outdoor aspect of recess provides a perfect opportunity for experiential learning.

The shrieking laughter, inventive games, and friendship that can be found on a playground are

indicative of student growth and learning. The Federal Government should require mandatory

recess in all elementary schools. Including recess in school days will provide students with

opportunities for growth outside of the classroom, encourage healthy habits and interests, and

can benefit learning and test results.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH

One reason that recess should be required is that it provides students with opportunities for

growth and learning that can’t be found within the confines of a traditional classroom. Perhaps
the aspect of recess that is most beneficial to children is the set of social skills they learn and

practice daily with their peers. As kids create, organize, and play games, they are constantly

communicating with each other. This practice of communication skills will benefit children in

the classroom and will help them later in life as they are placed in various social contexts. In

addition to enhanced communication skills, there are many other ways that recess benefits

children’s social behavior. Since children are under adult supervision rather than direction, they

are able to interact freely and more casually at recess, which provides the perfect environment

for practicing social skills (Berk, 639). Examples of social skills that children have the

opportunity to practice include cooperation, leadership, negotiation, sharing, problem solving,

perseverance, and self-control (Council On School Health).

In addition to cultivating student’s social skills, recess is a perfect time for students to use

their creativity. During recess, children are constantly developing new games and expanding

their imaginations through make-believe play. While teachers can certainly incorporate creativity

into their classroom lessons, recess time is still important because it gives students the chance to

explore new ideas without the fear of failing or the pressure of being graded (Terada). Not only is

recess a more stress-free creative environment, but it also provides a time where children can

experiment with breaking the social constructs that might otherwise restrict them in the

classroom. Students can play in different social groups than the ones they are forced to work with

in the classroom. Some kids who aren’t seen as leaders in the classroom can lead the way at

recess and other children who are struggling with gender identity have the opportunity to express

themselves to their peers.

 In consideration of physical education classes as a substitute for recess time, while they

certainly contain the physical component of recess they, too, lack the quality of creative play that

recess offers. Running laps or cycling through structured physical activities isn’t quite the same

as running free and inventing new games on the playground. Recess is unique in its ability to

provide rich, social and creative benefits to students during the school day thanks to its

unstructured nature.

Recess time is also important because many children, particularly in urban areas, may not

have opportunities to go outside and play when they are at home. Many parents might not allow

their child to play outdoors if they aren’t home to supervise them or if the area that they live in is

unsafe for students (American Heart Association News). Recess might be the only time during

the day that children are able to play outside with their peers and enhance their creativity in a

safe and supervised setting. The carefree fun of playing the cloud game, making daisy chains,

and trying to feed squirrels should be guaranteed experiences for every child. It is important that

recess is part of the school day so that kids can explore, observe nature and have rich, formative

experiences with their friends.

HEALTH

A second reason recess should be mandatory in all elementary schools is that it can promote

student health. There’s no questioning the link between physical activity and personal wellness.

Making sure that students have time to be active each day will help them to achieve the sixty

minutes of moderate to vigorous activity daily that’s recommended by the Office of Disease and

Health Promotion (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 8). For students who aren’t
vigorously active during recess, this time still gives them the chance to be active in a way that

they enjoy and to practice their motor skills (Council On School Health ).

At recess, children are exposed to a multitude of different games, activities, and sports.

Children that are given the opportunity to explore these different activities might find a passion

in a new sport, such as basketball or soccer. Girls specifically are more likely to get better grades

when they are involved in sports and are therefore more likely to graduate than girls who aren’t

involved. Additionally, playing sports leads to higher levels of confidence and self-esteem, lower

levels of depression, and lower rates of unplanned pregnancies (Benefits - Why Sports

Participation…). Regardless if children become involved in sports due to recess activities, the

physical benefits of recess alone are enough to call for its requirement.

In addition to introducing students to new activities and games, the inclusion of recess in

a school day can help children to develop healthy habits they can carry with them throughout

life. By sending children outside to play and interact with their friends, schools are “affording

young children free activity for the sheer joy of it” (Council On School Health). Growing up

with an enjoyment of the outdoors and of physical activity is so important, especially in today’s

modern age. As time spent on electronic devices and playing video games is on the rise, recess

serves as a great reminder of how fun and engaging interactive play can be. Recess gives

children a vast store of activities and games that they can play at home or with their friends

outside of school. In general, encouraging physical activity from a young age seems to be a great

way to promote healthy habits for students that they can continue to practice as they get older.
BENEFIT TO LEARNING

A third reason the government should require daily recess in all elementary schools is because

studies have shown that this daily break can improve students’ learning capacities. As it turns

out, breaks in learning are essential for students so that their brains can process the information

they’ve learned. Humans’ brains are designed so that the hippocampus constantly sends ‘micro

bits’ of information to the cerebral cortex. This slow flow of information, when paired with

breaks for processing, protects the brain from overloading with new information (Jensen, 65).

Studies have shown that regardless of whether recess is held indoors or outdoors, the

unstructured break that it provides makes children more attentive and productive in the

classroom (Council On School Health). Meanwhile, researchers found that students who did not

receive a recess period had a difficult time concentrating on specific classroom tasks, were more

restless, and were easily distractible (Council on Physical Education…).

While some law makers and educators value increased instructional time over recess,

there seems to be no evidence to support improved learning outcomes from such classrooms. A

comprehensive study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of

Adolescent and School Health concluded that, “school boards, school administrators, and

principals can feel confident that maintaining or increasing time dedicated for physical activity

during the school day will not have a negative impact on academic performance, and it may

positively impact students’ academic performance.” They cited that time spent in recess was

positively related to cognitive skills, attitudes, and academic behavior, such as improved

classroom conduct (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 6, 28).

CONCLUSION

Recess is an important part of the school day for elementary aged students because it allows

them to grow socially and creatively outside of the classroom context, encourages healthy habits

and interests, and can benefit their learning and test scores. Students with little to no recess time

may find long days in the classroom tiring and overwhelming. It is imperative that the

government establishes recess as a necessary part of the school day so that all students receive

equal benefits and opportunities. As stated in a report from the American Academy of Pediatrics,

“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” (Council On School Health).

 Works Cited

American Heart Association News. “Recess Helps Kids Learn Better in School.” American

Heart Association, 29 Jan. 2016, www.heart.org/en/news/2018/05/01/recess-helps-kids-

learn-better-in-school.

“Benefits - Why Sports Participation for Girls and Women.” Women's Sports Foundation,

www.womenssportsfoundation.org/advocate/foundation-positions/mental-physical-

health/benefits-sports-participation-girls-women/.

Berk, Laura E. Child Development. Pearson India, 2017.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The association between school-based physical

activity, including physical education, and academic performance. Atlanta, GA: U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services; 2010.

Council on Physical Education for Children And The National Association for Sport and

Physical Education. “RECESS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.” Nh.gov, National

Association for Sport and Physical Education, an Association of the American Alliance

for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, July 2001, www.nh.gov/gcpah/

documents/recessinelemschool.pdf.

Council On School Health. “The Crucial Role of Recess in School.” Pediatrics, American

Academy of Pediatrics, 1 Jan. 2013, pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/131/1/183.

Jensen, Eric. Learning with the Body in Mind: The Scientific Basis for Energizers, Movement,

Play, Games, and Physical Education. Corwin Press, 2000.

Shammas, Brittany. “Time to Play: More State Laws Require Recess.” Edutopia, George Lucas

Educational Foundation, 7 Mar. 2019, www.edutopia.org/article/time-play-more-state-

laws-require-recess.

Terada, Youki. “Research-Tested Benefits of Breaks.” Edutopia, George Lucas Educational

Foundation, 9 Mar. 2018, www.edutopia.org/article/research-tested-benefits-breaks.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans,

2nd edition. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2018.