Source: Fox News
Summary
The American Academy of Pediatrics has released updated guidance on the importance of recess for kids’ health, learning, and behavior. The guidance, published in the journal Pediatrics, urges schools to protect recess time, highlighting its benefits for focus, memory, social skills, confidence, and physical activity. Despite these benefits, recess time has been shrinking in many schools, with up to 40% of districts reducing or eliminating it since the mid-2000s. The Academy recommends at least 20 minutes of daily recess and multiple breaks, and warns against using recess as punishment.
Our Reading
The advice sounds familiar.
Recess, once a staple of the school day, has been under threat for years. The new guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics is just the latest in a long line of warnings about the importance of unstructured break time for kids. As screen time rises, the need for outdoor activity and recess is becoming increasingly clear. The Academy’s recommendation for at least 20 minutes of daily recess and multiple breaks is a call to reverse the trend of shrinking recess time. It’s a reminder that recess isn’t just for younger children, but for kids of all ages who need time to unplug, move, and recharge.
Recess is not just a nicety, it’s a necessity.
Author: Evan Null
