Let the Children Play

The American Academy of Pediatrics says recess is critical to academic, physical, social, and emotional development, as many schools cut it back to prioritize test performance. New research suggests downtime helps students retain information, with experts recommending at least 20 minutes of recess daily and additional short breaks. Up to 40% of US school districts have reduced or eliminated recess since the mid-2000s. Among schools offering recess, the duration ranges from less than 10 minutes to over an hour. In countries such as the UK, Japan, and Denmark, students commonly get breaks every 45 to 50 minutes. See what recess looks like around the world here.

They need to understand, explore and protect nature.  

About a dozen states require some daily recess. Oklahoma became the latest state last month to expand its recess requirement, passing a law that increases mandatory unstructured playtime to 40 minutes each day.