Recess isn’t just a fun break for grade schoolers. It’s crucial to good health and good grades for kids of all ages.That’s the message from a leading pediatricians group, which just released the first new guidance in 13 years about this unstructured time at school and how it needs to be protected.The updated policy statement by the American Academy of Pediatrics comes after years of shrinking recesses and worsening children’s health.The group “has always supported play – free play for kids – but it’s been increasingly threatened over time,” partly by the drive for higher test scores, said Dr. Robert Murray, a lead author. “It has a very powerful benefit if it’s used to the fullest.”
AP AUDIO: Pediatrics group issues new guidance on recess for the first time in 13 years
AP correspondent Haya Panjwani reports on a new study in favor of school recess.
The new guidance, published Monday in the journal Pediatrics, is similar to the previous policy statement but cites the latest research on why these breaks are essential for kids’ academic success and mental, physical, social and emotional growth.
For example, new evidence shows that kids need pauses between concentrated bouts of learning so the brain can hold and store the information. Researchers also say recess gives kids a chance to navigate relationships and build confidence, which is just as important for older kids as younger ones.
