The law does not stipulate a specific schedule or time for recess, although some schools provide at least one recess before the school day starts. Left to their own choice, high school students bemoan any teacher organized activity even though a few will offer begrudged praise afterward. Noah lives in Florida, where a new law gives kids 20 minutes of recess each day. Researchers Kimberly A. Clevenger and Karin A. Pfeiffer found in their 2020 study that recess time can contribute up to 70% of a childs weekday physical activity. According to the Association for Play Therapy, play is a way for children to self-express, think creatively and explore, regulate emotions, build self-confidence, connect with others and practice skills and roles needed for survival. Is Recess Important for Kids? Heres What the Research Says - Time Not everyone agrees. Would that be alright? For instance, further research into this subject can compare the test scores of schools that allow recess daily against the schools that have eliminated recess overall. [5] One article, Recess in a Middle School: What Do the Students Do? seemed promising but was disappointing: the county in which the students lived had a policy against recess (! Now that youre an adult with responsibilities, how do you enjoy yourself in your free time? WebArizona passed a law in 2018 that requires all schools that have grades K5 to have two recess periods per school day. While there are compelling scientific perspectives on the importance of play, it seems that most people seek a different, more phenomenological understanding of play: what is it about the experience of play that we need, and why? In middle school kids need to prepare for high school. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that children participate in 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per day, and suggested that One way schools can prevent bullying and other negative experiences is by having organized recess. And in Arizona, a bill that aimed to expand recess time to 50 minutes passed in the House but met opposition in the Senate this year.