Why Recess Matters
Because play is essential to learning and human development, loss of recess could:
- Reduce learning in the classroom
- Curtail the integration of social, emotional, physical, and academic learning throughout the school day
- Reduce the ability of children to problem solve, make decisions, negotiate, resolve conflict, and self-advocate
- Diminish creativity, ingenuity, and self-expression through the exchange of ideas
- Minimize teachers’ capacity to understand students through observation
- Eliminate or reduce the joy children derive from selecting their own activities
- Heighten stress in children, resulting in irritability, loss of sleep, and poor school work
- Increase the number of children medicated for stress, anxiety, depression, and attention deficit
- Decrease the ability of children to conquer their fears and develop resiliency competencies
- Be one reason why 10 million American children over age 6 are considered obese
- Be one reason why a high percentage of young children are identified as having significant cardiac risk factors, including high blood pressure and high cholesterol, due to an inactive life style, making this is the first generation not expected to live as long as their parents
Strong National Museum of Play
Rochester, New York |
