AAP Urges Schools to Keep Recess

Article at a Glance

• American Academy of Pediatrics says that recess has many cognitive, emotional, physical, and social benefits.
• Schools should not withhold recess for academic reasons or as a punishment.
• Recess should not substitute P.E. classes.

It turns out that “all work and no play does make Jack a dull boy.” Schools trying to squeeze as much as they can out of a school day might be tempted to cut into recess time. But according to a new statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), sacrificing recess for academics might be counterproductive. The AAP urged schools not to withhold recess for academic reasons or as a punishment.

The statement cited decades of research showing that recess plays an important role in a child’s development. Time spent during recess has many cognitive, emotional, physical, and social benefits.

According to studies, benefits include:

• Giving students time to decompress from the demands of the classroom.
• Boosting academic achievement.
• Helping to improve students’ attention spans while in class.
• Decreasing problems with classroom behavior.
• Fostering creativity by providing free, unstructured play.
• Developing social skills by allowing children to interact.
• Allowing children more time to be physically active.

With increasing pressures to reach academic demands, 40 percent of schools in the U.S. have either cut back recess time or dropped it completely. A surprising 25 percent of schools only have recess for some of the grades, but not all. And 77 percent of schools withhold recess as a form of punishment.

The statement also urged schools not to use recess as a substitute for physical education. Although recess can be a good time for students to practice skills learned in gym, it should remain unstructured time where they can relax and engage in free play.