I believe that recess is key to a clear and ready to learn mindset. As a junior in high school, I often find myself restless and antsy from sitting at a desk all day long, with little to no physical activity other than the swift walk from class to class. Elementary grade students have recess because they are young, with small attention spans and often can get too rowdy for a rancher to handle. Is that not the same for high school students? Many high school students struggle with disorders such as ADHD, ADD, OCD, and others. Without specified times for students to break and relax, students will never be matched to their fullest potential. Even if you don't struggle with a disorder, 8 hour school days without a moment to breathe can affect you physically, and even mentally. Even adults need recess time, breaks to breathe fresh air and enjoy the outdoors is key to a healthy day. Students, elementary and high school, even adults, deserve a recess time.
recess should say because it helps give people a break
no grades should have recess because it just causes drama and its very dangerous anybody anyday could just get hurt thats why I think its a bad idea.
all kids need recess. in most schools they are stuck with only 20 min per day. Ms. Dathan protested that schools should provide 50 min per day. middle schools don't even get any recess. I believe all grades need recess.
The bill states that children preschool through 5th grade should have a mandatory 50 min recess. Though I believe that children of all ages should have at least one 30 min break outside.
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I believe children do need recess; Even adults need recess. As humans, we are prone to exhaustion, lack of motivation and interest when doing one thing or staying in one place for too long. I think recess is a vital part in kids success in school. Recess is a time for unstructured, unplanned adventure that allow for the kids to rejuvenate for another school session. If recess was removed, then the school day should be shorter.
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Children need recess. It is needed because after so long of doing school work, children become restless and need a break to release energy. Recess is not just for elementary students, as school work gets harder, kids still need time to take a break and relax. No student can sit through 8 hours of straight school work. All states and school districts should require recess is mandatory, because it isn't something that is different in every state; every student in the world needs recess and break time to rest. I think school work and recess time should be correlated, for example every hour of school work could have 15 minutes if break.
Number one thing about recess for kids is what it does and does it help. Many students think that recess is to take a break or to have fun, but that is only one part of why kids have recess. Teachers say that recess is to have breaks during the day, they have also informed parents that recess helps the kids learn better such as improving their memory, attention and concentration in class helping them stay on task and learn more in class. A parent said that their child was in a public school and moved to a different one and the recess was less time. She said that her children don't have enough time to take a break and refocus. She said that the shift in her children's mood was palpable. Many parents around the world have been wanting to change the times for recess as they think their children will do better in school.
Recess was a very important time for me. It helped me clear my mind after stressful classwork, and gave me a chance to bond with my friends, both in my same class and out of it. It helped me foster creativity and learn how to just have fun, and it helped me learn to just step back and take a breath.
I am sad to say I no longer have recess in Junior High school. I know recess definitely helped me in elementary school, and I think it would be a valuable addition to every student’s (Yes, including junior high and high schools) schedule. Recess is a time to have a break, and a time to escape the constant stress of more and more work. However, there should be very well-enforced rules, especially for older students, regarding staying on campus.
Man they need some recess for high school too
We believe that kids do indeed need recess. For one, they need it for health reasons. In order to be healthy, you need to move your body. Recess provides just that.
Recess also gives you a break so your brain can recharge so-to-speak. So when you go back into the school building, and you need to learn how to determine the area of a multi-dimensional shape, your brain is rested and ready to persist through challenging work.
Also, recess might seem small and insignificant, but imagine the big impact it has in the long-run. If recess leads to better test scores, that means better success in school, and then later in life too.
So yeah, kids need recess, so they can learn and thrive in school and life.
Yes, schools definitely need recess for the kids. It gives the kids a break to relax and refresh their brain. If there is no recess kids will get overwhelmed and not want to learn, but when kids get a recess even if it is 10 minutes it gives kids time to talk to their friends and relax before their next class. Recess also gives kids time to eat, to help their brain so their brain is also ready to learn and ready for the rest of the day. It is also similar to lunch. So yes I do think that kids should have recess because it gives them time to socialize, eat and refresh their brains for the next classes coming up.
Actually in Korea, we have breaks five minutes between every classes, pretty much different from American recess. In terms of me, I think that students need recess since no-recess might interrupt the classmates studying during the class for something like going to the restroom during the class.
@Han Park We have ten minutes between classes to get to class because we have a big school. I agree that recess is a good idea.
I also think us kids need recess because if we don't have enough recess we won't have enough time to get all our energy out.
When I was in middle school I didn't always go to recess. Teachers would get mad at me and say things like "It's good for your health" "You need to get a fresh breath of air." Then once I got to high school it suddenly wasn't good for me anymore. Recess was a time for me to express my emotion and find games I was good at. Recess also helped me stay in shape, but then it was ripped away from me. I started gaining weight and felt awful and stressed all the time. Recess should be required for every grade. If not required then at least optional.
YES KIDS SHOULD HAVE RECESS BECAUSE ITS WHEN STUDENTS CAN RELEASE THEIR STRESS AND COMMUNICATE WITH OTHERS
When I was in elementary school we had three recesses and it was great i could focus on something other than work and think about fun but as I got older it felt like more a time to just talk with friends and I didn't need that long to talk, when I got to middle school It was fine to only have a 45 min lunch break because that's all the time I needed. So I think it is necessary for younger kids to have lots of time to think but there's a point were the amount of time they need way less time then they had and I believe that's why schools get less free time every time you move up. So I do think elementary kids should get way more time than middle schoolers but that depends on how mature the person is.
Yes children do need a recess because their brains need a break from all the work and little kids can get rowdy after sitting for a long period of time. Recess for me was important because it gave me a chance to see all my friends from different classes and interact with all kids. No I do not still have recess but we do have passing periods to talk with friends for a very small amount of time I think if passing periods were more like 10 mins that would be a lot better for middle school and high school because after sitting in desk every class you start to get tired.
I agree with Bilder all states should have recess to keep the students social. There is a connection between it because then they can do both and learn more things about problem solving. I think a good amount for recess would be 25 mins in the morning and 25 in the afternoon and if it is cold then just have the students play a game for example like heads up seven up. There is not really any downsides of it because imagine being that age and just sitting for a long period of time?
I've always seen recess as a pretty necessary part of a young child's school day, a break time for social interaction, fun, and exercise all for the small price of 30 minutes out of the school day. With the constant advancement of technology, with regards to toys, computers, video game consoles, and etc., children are more likely than not spending much less time outside after school than in previous generations. It's very easy for children to overlook their health but it should not be overlooked by school systems or parents. Longer recesses may provide very important exercise and socialization to children that may not have had it otherwise. I feel another factor is the fact that it can be very tiring for a child to sit through 8 hours of school without break, in elementary through middle school children are very rarely patient enough to do so, causing attention to waver and grades to fall. It's very important to take good care of the health of America's children, and I believe providing more time in recess would be a very good way of doing so.
Recess is a very helpful tool that is used during school to help kids stay focus during the day by getting out energy they have from sitting and a class room for hours on hours. And the article is says that Ms. Dathan’s kids were having shorter recess than they used to have and it led to the kids being cranky and class. Having recess keeps the kids happy throughout the day and when they are happy they are easier to teach and have a better chance of listening to their teacher. Recess isn't all about getting out energy it teaches us one of our most important skills and that is being able to have conversations with other people around you. Most classes the kids aren't aloud to talk at all and how can little kids supposed to make friends with their classmates if they have no time to talk with them and play. Recess gives kids time to run around and hang out with their friends and to make new ones.
i think that they need to get recess to make the children distracted and stop thinking about the assignments of school and having fun can make them like a little more the school,it also can do activities to make them learn some the assignment so they can understand in a more easier.
I'm in high school so I don't have recess anymore but I think that it is necessary for elementary school students. They have a lot of built up energy. It could help to concentrate students and calm them down for the day. Middle school should have a period where kids can go outside and do what they want. Recess can lead to creativity. Kids will be able to make up new games as they play on their own. It can also help to build better connections. All states and schools should require recess because there are a lot of pros in doing this. Recess should be around 30-40 minutes long so it is just enough for kids to burn off energy but not long enough to eat into the school day and time spend learning.
@Sam I don't have recess anymore either but think it is essential to kids’ success at school, especially at a young age when attention spans dwindle during long periods. Recess provides kids with much needed break to clear their heads, get a snack, stretch and laugh with classmates. It allows them to recharge for more learning.
I went to a grade school where the teachers believed fresh air was key to success. We had a wooded park where we were allowed play during recess. We built forts, tried to catch fish in a pond and played hide and seek. We also had time to play games like four square or basketball. Some kids would draw pictures on the pavement with chalk. I once got in trouble for climbing a tree too high on a dare. We loved it.
I think free time and a break from sitting is key for high schoolers and adults to just give the mind a rest. Our high school has has long 90 minute class periods and fairly short lunches with no freedom to leave the building for fresh air. It makes school a grind, and I believe students would be more engaged and happy if they could see sky once in a while.
@William Hudson
Totally agree with you on the highschool part. I also had a lot of freedom during recess as a kid in elementary school. But what goes along with that is I think that society as a whole has been holding back things from today's new age kids. So for example, enforcing a shorter reccess just means more time spent in a classroom, more than likely staring at a screen.
Recess, while I was in elementary school, taught my smaller school independence, communication and so many other aspects that go along with emotional development. On top of that, it's the health aspect. Giving kids the time to burn that extra fuel that's built up from sitting at a desk all day is so beneficial to their physical health. There are so many other reasons why I think recess is crucial for elementary and even middle school students, but there's a few.
I think that kids should have recess because that's how you truly make friends in elementary school. You get to know more people outside of your classroom. That's I made most of the friends that I have now that I am in highschool with. If you are taking away recess from little kids in elementary its like taking away their freedom and that's kind of taking away their long time friendships that they could have.
I think it is very important to give kids recess to let them let all their energy out play with their friends and get a break from work. Most kids do not do great under pressure and alot of the time that is what kids feelm like in school so recess is a way to help not think about anything. Even tho im in high school i wish is still had recess because it just gets harder and harder anf for 7 hours straight so it gets really old fast and you just drea the whole day watching the clock all i need is just 30 minutes to relax then im good this should be a mandatory thing for schools.
I do think kids should have more recess, but shouldn't we be concerned in Middle Schoolers having break time or Recess too?
Reply Yes or NO. If you agree or don't.
I think kids should have recess because it gives them time to not think about school for a short period of time and be able to be kids and run and play and enjoy themselves. I think every grade should have to to rest their brains for at least half an hour.
KIds should no doubt have recess due to the long hours of sitting in class, They need to get their energy out so way. When I think back I always remember the times of recess. It's a time to hang out with friends and enjoy being a kid instead of just sitting and acting up in class, while not wanting to be there in the first place. During this play time it brings about creativity and just imagines as they play around. As kids, recess should always be there and remain that way for the future.
I think kids should have recess because sitting in a class all day long is just boring. They work 7-8 hours a day for 5 days a week (unless we on a break) kids should get a chance to release all that energy from all that hard work they did and just be kids I think recess should also happen close to the end of the day like from 2:00-3:00 instead of bumping it into the middle of the day. Kids wanna run around and have fun and be wild and scream, let them have their fun now and be a child because they won't be a child forever
Sometimes when you ask a kid what their favorite subject in school they will respond with recess. I think it is very clear that recess is one of kids favorite part of the day it where kid get to be kids and just let lose. some of my favorite memories of my childhood are from recess. I think if kids had more time like that they would be able to concentrate in class more.
I think that recess is necessary for young children because they always have so much energy, so they need an outlet to release everything. its hard going 7 hours everyday without a break, especially for children who are already more hyper and energetic. in the article it was shown in Ms. Dathan's children that less time to release the pent up energy, the less they can focus on work and the worse they act at home after school.
Kids in school do need recess, it is a necessary release of creativity and energy that often builds up throughout the normal school day. Getting outside and wasting some of that extra energy really helps the students to focus, and this can be proven by test scores. 30-45 minutes would be optimal time for the recess, that will be enough time to relax their minds and allow themselves to get a creative break. Recess allows children to form necessary social and interactive skills. Staying in the same classroom with the same people all the time doesn't allow for much social advancement.
Kids do need recess. It will help them get all of their built up energy out. If they don't get it out they won't pay attention and be all over the place in class. They need at least 30 minutes to runaround instead of being all cooped up in the classroom.
I believe that kids need recess. School has been getting harder and harder over the years and one thing has remained the same, recess. Recess is a very necessary break for kids to go outside and play. It is a great time for them to get their minds off of school. If they were in school all day and didn't have a break, then it would be a hassle for the parents as well because the kids will need to let out energy.
It is crucial for kids, of all ages, to have a break during the school day, to socialize and release the pent up energy from being stationed in desks all day, but why set the boundaries to only elementary age? My freshmen year of high school, we had a program called smart lunch, where we were given extra lunch time to make up work, talk to friends and teachers, and be outdoors. I am now a sophomore, and due to a change in administration, smart lunch has been revoked. I can distinctly notice a difference in my abilities to focus and take in absorb information since this change in schedule, and is it not a positive change.
Studies have shown time and time again, exercise increases both mental and physical health. I believe that it is a key component to success that students have time to grow and learn in a different way than what any school can teach. Just as Holson writes, "playtime fosters the creativity that we need to solve crazy world problems", through suppressing the time given to students to spend outdoors, society is limiting the potential of the future leaders of America. I find myself able to work and learn far more efficiently once I have exercised. It would be hurting students, from first grade to twelfth, to revoke their one slice of free time in attempt to try to cram in more information in a school day.
I think kids need recess. When I was in school I developed a lot of interaction skills with kids suring recess. I do not have recess in high school and kind of wish I did. By this I have lunch, but cannot go outside. In my perfect world kids would be able to go out for 45 minutes a day with some playground equipment they can use. But, know for a lot of high schools (and some middle schools) this is not the case.
When I was young and still had recess I remember a game I used to play every day at recess boys and girls and it went something like this, so I was the knight and I had to save the princess stuck in her tower...well tree. And then the next day I would be the princess and my friends would be the knight. But my recess was the time I made friends and I interacted with people, it was the only time I had to socialize and make bonds with people I barely knew and truly connect with people and make important friendships everyone needs. This is an important thing to have in life especially as you grow. I think that recess is a time kids can develop and grow and become the person they making new friends and have fun, without recess we'd be stealing away friendships and the opportunity to develop. I believe no human being in the world deserves that. So yes, of course kids need recess.
I think children do need recess, it should be more than 20 minutes, because they need time to play, have some fun.
It's important that children have recess, they have been sitting in class, listening to a boring lesson for hours and it's not easy to concentrate. After recess they are way more concentrated, because they had fun, did whatever they wanted and now they are ready to be more productive in class. the ideal time for recess should be 30-40 minutes, they should have time to eat, talk, play.....
Should all states and school districts require recess? Why, or why not?
Kids need recess, think about when you were young in school, did you think can't wait to learn. NO! Everybody loves recess when I was struggling in school and we had recess I felt refreshed and did so much better on my work.
I feel kids do need recess. They need the time to get energy out. When they do so, they can focus more in class, be more creative, and their overall mood stays positive. Now some may say recess is a waste of learning time. Those students could learn way more throughout the day without recess. Although, this could be true the students wouldn't focus and wouldn't actually learn in that time. That small break given really has an impact of there overall learning.
Yes, I agree that children should have recess. I do think there is a connection un-directed play and creativity. I say this because, if you are unaware of what to do outside during recess, you could come up with a game of your own. Which shows creativity. I think recess is good for all kids grades K-12. They give children they break they need in the middle of a long educational school day. All states and school districts should grant kids recess everyday. In my opinion, recess should be 30-45 minutes. I say this because students still need time to eat their lunch.
I think that kids should definitley have recess everyday for at least 50 min because at that age kids dont really actually care about learning they just sit and wait for recess to come around and if they just sit in the desks all day then they wont function with as much energy as they would with recess. Its also true that recess is healthy for kids.
kids should definitely have recess everyday. kids are at school for seven hours a day and they need at least one break a day. kids will get bored and start to get distracted from learning after sitting in the school for long hours at a time. having even thirty minutes of recess a day allows students to let out all of their energy and continue to focus and learn.
Should kids have recess? yes because these kids go to school 7-8
hours a every day and they are usually hyped on sugar before or during school and they just need that time of day to just let out all of the energy they have built up.Plus when i was a kid recess made up my childhood I made new friends and i loved to play in the sand pit and make mud pies like that is the best thing a child the age of 4 years old could ever ask for so yes children deserve recess.
I think kids should have recess because I believe it gives them something to look forward to while they're in school, so if a teacher say that if they don't work hard enough and stay focus while they are in class they're not having recess, they are gonna work harder than they would if they knew they weren't getting anything out of it. As soon as they get their play time, I believe they would feel so much relief after working hard all day they would be more willing to stay focus in class after they've released all the energy they've had all day in class.
Should kids get recess? My personal opinion is yes, because they're at school for 7-8 hours. Kids are going to get hyper, they're not going to pay attention in class. Although, if you let them out for recess, then they can take their energy outside.
Children need recess because it enhances education and student focus. Children are full of energy and need an outlet outside of the classroom. If they do not have a designated time and place to release their energy, they will be distracted and restless during class. Recess also gives children an opportunity to bond with their classmates, which will teach them collaboration skills. Without recess, children will be less excited for school and subsequently not work as hard. While academics are important, the mood of the student's during the day is equally important, and recess will elevate their moods and make them more eager to learn. Our physical and mental health are closely related, so recess will undoubtedly enhance mental health of students.
Kids are full of energy, you can’t change my mind. A 20 minute recess is just simply not enough time to get out all that extra energy that has been cooped up all day. When kids are pinned in desks with not even enough room to tap their feet, they go a little crazy. I have ADD and am constantly moving or fidgeting with whatever I can find. In elementary school, I worked best after I got back from recess because I was able to focus without the annoyance of my extra energy.
Personally though, I think high schoolers should have a recess too. My classes are 90 minutes and during the last 30 minutes, a good 80% of my class is dozing off and clearly not getting the information. We need something to wake us up, like recess. We can't get our energy out in the cafeteria, but a trip to the football fields to run a lap, or a walk around the campus for 10 minutes would make such the difference.
I think elementary schools need recess longer and highschool and middle school need recess or something like it. Doing the same thing sitting in desk all day can get boring and makes it hard to concentrate doing the same thing for 7 hours with barely any breaks. By the end of the day everyone's been doing the same thing all day you start getting fidgety and want to be done or have a break. Even if you have study periods you have ti study so you still really don't get a break. Giving highschool and middle school recess/breaks can make them work harder.
What are the greatest memories of elementary school?
The kickball games in the parking lot, the freedom of running around the playground? A proud Grant Elementary School alumn, I was lucky enough to get to play Titanic. Titanic involved 3 teams of kids, each dispersed across a gym in 3 columns, pulling each other on 4-wheeled scooters from platform to platform without touching the ground. The coordination and need to communication and corporate made this after lunch activity much more like a mission, but it was a vital moment that taught teamwork and grit; I’m grateful for it Learning simple rule following skills in games like kickball, forming friendships, and learning cooperativity.
And we still have any doubt why the transition into middle school is anything short of a trainwreck. The middle school saga is miserable.
It’s like this for kids across the country. Studies have shown that unrestricted break time to play outside directly correlate to decreased disciplinary reports, as well as in increase in punctuality, concentration and academic performance. Recess simply molds a more dynamic, better mind. For the sake, and to the benefit, of this generation, our country should takes note from Connecticut. An Act Concerning The Improvement of Child Development Through Play went into effect statewide in January. The bill requires all schools to provide at least 50 minutes of unrestricted, free, outside playtime, daily.
Why not do it on Saturday and Sunday too?
“Let Them Play”
Remember the rush of waiting for recess time--and the pent up energy? Recently legislatures have reached an impasse regarding how long children should be able to play for. The answer is clear: at least fifty minutes within one school day. Play time has shown positive results time after time.
Play time should not be deemed as a privilege, when in reality it is a crucial part of every child's day. Limiting or restricting play time is the worst thing a school can do for the children. Recess time according to the American Heart Association does many things for kids; this entails strengthening their memory as well as their ability to learn and perform significantly greater when it comes to academics. Not only this but it helps them learn vital social skills that come from playground communication. We also need to be concerned about the generations we are raising. Kids who receive more play time have a chance to let their minds wonder and boost their creativity and problem solving skills.
Some suggest that P.E. gives kids the same amount of activity as recess. This could not be further from the truth; P.E. is a structured class even though it is physical, therefore it is missing the essential “letting kids be kids” philosophy. Recess is an obligation that no school should have the power to rid their kids of.
With the only drawback being that the extra recess time has to take out of other classes, the solution is evident: stop limiting recess time.
Recess is a Necessity
In America we send little kids to school at a young age at the most unreasonable hours. Children are not meant to be up before about 10 in the morning. Yet, we have middle schools and high schools starting at 8 and 7:30. They are not meant to be working all day straight through either. They are only kids and their brains are not build for the mind numbing work all day long. They are just kids! They need the break in the middle of the day, they need the time to get out all their energy.
Kids are growing. They are chalked full of energy. After a few hours of sitting in silence, they need to eat and run off some of that built up energy from throughout the day. Not to mention the things they learn during that time. They learn social skills. They learn how to share and play, all while getting the health benefits of exercising after they eat. There is so much more to recess than just playing and burning daylight. Even for older kids and teens, they might not need a playground and field but they should have 30 minutes to 1 hours of free time and non brain stimulating activity.
Growing people of all ages need some free time. Whether it be running around on a playground or just being able to numb your brain for a while, it is beneficial to growth. Brains grow until we are about 25 years old. Up until then, the brain just works differently. Let the brain grow, and let humanity thrive.
When I was younger I would play with my friends during recess, like any other elementary schooler. We would make up this games where we created characters and storylines, and each day we would add on to the previous day’s story. There was no goal, no endgame. Just us, three little girls having fun before having to go back to class. The importance of recess in the lives of elementary schoolers cannot be stressed enough. Not only are they incapable of paying attention for longer periods of time, they are bundles of energy bound together ready to explode. That’s why most kids have behavioral issues in class; there is pent up energy that needs to be released. The twenty minutes of recess kids get in a day simply just isn’t enough. With that being their only real outlet to explore their creative side and release energy, recess should be seen as a more important priority. More recess time will not only serve them in the present...the effects of such playtime is seen throughout the lives of everyone in the future. The fact that there is no goal to be towards allows them to absolutely flourish, and they take that with themselves into their future. Instead of trying solve a problem feeling confined, we recognize the ability to think freely, nd that helps us solve problems at work, at home, between friends. Twenty extra minutes of letting our children enjoy themselves with no instruction has a bigger payoff than ever imagined for the future.
--"Twenty Minutes? That's Nothing!"
I think that anyone who is against recess has forgotten what it is like like to be a kid in middle or elementary school. For me recess was simply a break from school, a super boring and taxing environment for my young ADD filled brain. It helped me relax and gave me a time to hang out with my friends and become better friends. Not to mention that I love sports and recess makes it easy to get teams together to play something like soccer, tag, or even kickball.
The main problem is that I think some parents, though not many according to the article, think that recess is a waste of time and almost like wasted time. Even if it is mostly a time just to relax it is in no way wasted time. It is obvious that productivity will be increased after a break like recess and it has already been shown in some schools with "enhanced test scores" and "fewer disciplinary actions".
Children need recess like an adult needs a lunch break at work. No one can work at one hundred percent for really long periods of time and small children need that cool down period to reset even more than most working adults. Another connection between recess and a workers lunch break is the social component.
Recess is a better place to grow a relationship with a friend then in any class. Lots of classes require your specific attention and it can be hard to talk to and connect with other people while its happening. Recess in necessary for children and no child that you ask will ever refute that.
Think about that time when you were a kid--did you truly want to be doing homework and watch a teacher talk at you all day? Of course not! Every child (and adult) needs a break in the day to be mentally healthy. Too many repetitive and boring tasks will turn any person into mush. There should be at least an hour of play and relaxation every single day; not just to unwind children, but to provoke creativity. How can you come up with an idea to write a novel when you are working on math problems? You can not--this is where recess comes in. And when you let children have recess--do not make it a “safe” playground. Children should not learn fear from falling down or dropping something or from physical hand-to-hand play. They need to learn risk and problem-solving. Kids and adults deserve time to play.
Most high-school students do not have the privilege of going outside during school hours. Some may not even have a break. Our only break is lunch or a study hall. I know I miss going outside and being involved with big groups for playing games. There simply is no time made or allotted for us to enjoy the simple activities of running and playing catch. Consider this: which group tends to be more depressed: kids or adults? You likely said adults, and that is true. Having fun seems to be a taboo for us and it simply should not be the case. Let us get kids together to form their own systems of play and allow for more friendships to form in an environment of creativity and risk.
Is Recess a Necessity?
Do you remember the anticipation that accompanied the thought of recess as a kid? Do you remember the feeling of excitement that you would soon be able to run and jump and scream? Do you remember the prospect of recess, and all that came with it? Today, many schools have narrowed, limited, restricted recess times—about 20 minutes a day. The consequences embedded in a short or nonexistent recess are clear: fidgeting and grumpiness and agitation.
The constant jumpiness attached to many kids will only get worse if we continue to take away their recess time; the constant curiosity that comes with a kid will be squelched. A continuation of excessive energy and suppression of curiosity will negatively affect these kids. Kids naturally have energy, fueling their need to learn about and understand the world. Too much of it could become a distraction in the classroom—they need to be able to get their energy out somehow.
More recess for kids means they have face to face time with people, helping their ability to communicate in person, rather than through texts and emails and online relations. More recess for kids means time to explore their surroundings and begin to understand the world. More recess for kids means furthering their creativity, and giving them a break from the constant stress of everyday life. Recess is a fundamental need for kids: they need time to take a break from the classroom to inhale fresh air and appreciate the outdoors.
As kids, most of us probably said that our favorite class was “recess.” Who doesn’t love going outside, chatting with friends, or even playing in the dirt? No one! We all need time to unwind and relax, and there is no better time to do this than at school, where desks and homework and expectations chain us back. Recess is imperative: it grants us a chance to break free.
Recess has many benefits that extend beyond simply being fun. Increased time for recess allows kids the chance to step away from their busy lives, in favor of basking in the beauty and glory of the outdoors, where creativity flows like a pulsing river, where we become healthier. Running (or walking) around makes us more in shape--both physically and socially, as we can practice speaking directly to our peers rather than through a computer screen, and get exercise. Increasing recess time has also found to be effective in raising test scores, reducing disciplinary disruptions, and gifting children a chance to explore and solve problems. 30-45 minutes a day dedicated to recess goes a long way.
At the end of the day, most parents would not complain about additional recess time for their children. Nor would the children, or teachers, or administration. It rids the innocent kids of the heavy weights of stress and restlessness, and allows them to expand their creative genius, their horizons, their futures. Sitting at a desk all day long is incontrovertibly brutal; we all need recess to relax, recharge and reset.
"It's Bigger Than You Think"
Recess-- all the amazing memories of playing with anyone and everyone. That break in the middle of the day, you get to each lunch and then burn it all off on the playground. Taking away this little time in the day to get out and run around will cause health problems and will cause more disruptions within the classroom.
The United States is starting to become more and more obese: 40% of all adults are considered obese and 20% of kids are considered obese. All of this comes from not being lead in the correct direction as a young age. This includes getting out and running around. Not everyone has the time to get out and be active every day. This is where recess comes into play in many peoples lives. Just getting out and running around, doing whatever will help lead you to a bright and healthier lifestyle.
Not only just to stay in shape easier, but it also helps teach leadership and teamwork. You're with your classmates on the playground and want to play a game of tag. Someone has to be a leader and everyone has to learn to cooperate and work with each other. This type of leadership and teamwork will not only pay off in the classroom, but it will show later in life, with jobs and sports and friendship.
So taking away recess isn't as small as it seems. Taking away recess will be taking away learning opportunities for everyone.
“Children Need Recess”
Recess -- a time sanctioned to children in order to apply their acquired knowledge to a real-world situation. Children soberly demand an unstructured time throughout their day. You simply cannot remain focused for the duration of a 6-7 hour day with the absence of an interval. Today, there is a by-state law enforced, regarding the time duration of public school’s recess. In most states, the time is 20 minutes; however, some states up the ante to nearly an hour, based on improved test scores...but how are children performing superior when spending less time in class?
Children's minds mosey off into creativity and imagination. The built social skills will benefit them for the rest of their life -- fortunately, the younger the specimen, the easier it is to acquire new skills. During recess, children apply their knowledge by problem solving; whether this means: playing ball, imagining, or simply talking, they are actively involved in expanding their mental capacity at all times. In addition, this sensibly equates to lower disciplinary actions.
Alongside the mental advantages that recess offers, kids assimilate information faster than anyone. When playing, children are not only releasing excess energy, but they are greatly improving their skills in any given physical activity.
Bottom line -- the time given to children to enjoy among themselves is just as or more beneficial than time in the classroom. Recess is a necessity, and it shall be submit to.
Power Hour
Saved by the bell. Children all across America can relate to the wonderful feeling of hearing the bell ring for recess. For most kids, when you ask them, their favorite “subject” is recess. We all giggle at their answer, due to its comical dissatisfaction, and say “No, really?” But odds are, recess really is their favorite time of day. Here they are left to let loose and explore their curiosity and creativity.
Recess is necessary for children to both release built-up energy, and also provide them with a specific time where there are no constraints as to what they need to accomplish or how they need to go about it; this time is theirs. Some schools in America provide a recess for only short intervals of approximately 20 minutes. In order for these children to fully let loose and immerse themselves into this time of exploration, they must be provided with sufficient time to do so. Giving children between an hour and an hour and a half, gives them just enough time.
This special time, however important, isn’t offered to middle school or high school students. Recess should exist throughout all of school. Providing middle schoolers and high schoolers with this guaranteed free time, would lead to major decreases in skyrocketing stress and may also lead to happier children. When given this time, they are given an opportunity to catch up on work, sleep, partake in hobbies, interact with new people.
However frivolous recess may appear, its value still holds true.
In our complicated world full of intricate inventions artists and world problems it would be a shame to send our kids through school just to have them come out as clones. Clones unable to think and problem solve creatively for themselves. Recess is seen as a childish thing that ends once you leave the doors of elementary school. But, is it really that childish? Giving kids the opportunity to direct themselves for an allotted period of time each day helps the brain to decompress and creativity to fly.
Most elementary schools only offer twenty minutes of recess time each day, middle schools only time for lunch, and in high school neither of those are guaranteed. In a system where school gets harder, wouldn’t it be a priority to allow the brain to decompress? Yes, learning time would be cut by the smallest bit, but is that true? Recess allows for people to direct themselves, direct their own brains toward something they wish to learn. It may not be structured but it teaches valuable skills that delve far deeper into brains than geometry or photosynthesis ever could.
Within our education system, kids are expected to sit, learn, apply, and test well. All humans are different, all humans learn differently; wouldn’t that lead us to think that not all classes should be structured so black and white? Time to decompress and process during the day is helpful to most kids especially ones with ADHD, anxiety, and depression because classrooms aren’t always the most stress-free places.
I agree that kids need a 50 minute recess. Recess is like a charger, it charges you up after a long day helping you continue. Recess could help out kids that are stressing over something or kids that just need a break during the day. It could also possibly help kids physically. Getting them in shape and healthy. It would replenish ones mood, maybe making them feel better. At the end of the day school would be better with recess than without it.
The swings, the jungle gym, the monkey bars, the ball field. Those various pieces of equipment came together to form your elementary school playground. The playground that you grew to enjoy and love, no matter how dirty or small. Each piece of equipment tells a different story, a different memory. Elementary Schools have carved out a somewhat sacred time of day for children to replenish their fuel levels and release their pent-up energy. Children need time to break away from the formalities of school; a time to reset, a time to form friendships, a time to develop. We acknowledge this need for social growth and playtime, but often we forget that humans--no matter the age--are social animals, and require the very same.
Contrary to popular belief, this need doesn’t stop after the 5th grade; junior and senior high students require a similar hiatus. The need exists, but little exists that could even begin to compensate--Lunches, study halls, free periods are only morphed versions of recess. It’s not enough. Not every high schooler is given a free period; many are only allocated a study hall, which a great majority use for homework or studying. The bottom line is this: High schools should carve out a time of day for each student that acts as a free period. Recess was an influential time of my life; it helped me form many of the friendships that I have today, and to be quite honest, it was fun. Greatest of all, recess showed me how to be a kid.
I agree that kids need recess for about an hour. Recess helps kids release their energy, and if you only have a short amount of time for that, the students will be cranky and won't want to learn. With an hour, kids will be ready to focus after they have had awhile to play.
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I feel like everyone deserves recess
I agree with this article about how kids need more than just 20 minutes of recess. Kids need to let energy out and not be confined to a classroom for majority of the day. Having 50 minutes of recess lets a child socialize with other kids which can lead to playing together and creating ideas off of one another.
I believe that children aren’t the only ones who need a “50 minute recess.” At my high school we use to have something called SMART lunch. It was were all students have lunch in the same hour. It let clubs meet during the day and teachers to have tutoring. This hour of lunch also let students de-stress from classes and socialize with other student. Teenagers also need creative time and this hour can let out energy the same way it does with younger kids.
In all a 50 minute recess should be given to all students because in a world that is becoming less face to face we need to give students a push in the direction of socializing not on a screen.
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@Jessica Swanson I agree with you Jessica. I like that you ended your post with the fact that we are less and less a face to face world so giving students a chance to connect with other humans is vital for the human soul and a community.
In elementary school, recess is a huge part of the day. Children often need a break after so much learning in the classroom. Recess doesn’t only serve has a break for the young students, it’s also a time they can make new friends, improve their social skills and let out their creativity. Meanwhile, it also serves as a time where they can’t simply relax and be themselves. The school day is so long and often times students can’t sit in one seat for so long. Lucy Dathan spoke on how her children’s new schools recess was half the time of their previous school. For her children it was difficult for them to adapt to the change. She said they were now having difficultly at home staying focus and doing homework. Recess is a time for students to let out their energy because once they are back in the classroom they have to get back to learning and once they get home they have homework to get done. Recess is a necessary part of children’s day, as they are so young and full of energy and creativity.
Elementary schoolers having recess should now be more important than ever before and definitely should be extended to a longer time. Kids nowadays only spend time on electronics and don’t really know what it’s like to play outdoors. It also never hurts to have some sort of physical activity. I remember being in elementary school, the thing i looked forward to the most and that got me through the school day was recess. So kids being “restless...and...cranky” as well as having trouble with focusing on homework is very understandable. I wish that now as a high schooler i had a recess because i know for sure that it’d make my school day a lot more bearable and would help me stay focused.
Even as a junior in high school, I constantly feel cooped up and in need of a break. Although our 30 minute lunch could serve as a break, my friends and I rarely do anything but study and finish homework. Recess is important for all ages, especially elementary school students who are beginning to form relationships and are at a crucial spot in their academic career. Generally, younger kids have a harder time focusing for large amounts of time which is another reason for the importance of recess. Such scattered breaks throughout the day, or at least one big chunk around lunch, allows students to unwind and let out some energy, hopefully generating creative juices. Many states who have already realized this problem and required recess have seen many noticable changes with their students. For example, Arizona's legislature recently passed a law that requires two daily recesses for all elementary students. As a result, teachers have already noticed, "fewer disciplinary actions, enhanced test scores and improvement in children’s overall health," (Holson). Other states will hopefully notice these positive effects and take similar actions. Recess provides an opportunity to play with friends, overcome obstacles and release some energy, overall bettering the experiences of students, teachers and parents.
Unlike adults, children aren't able to be pinned in a classroom or office all day long and make it off of coffee. Their brains are still developing, and need time to expand their logistic and imaginary thinking through learning in a classroom and playing outside. Whether it be a blacktop, jungle gym, or just a simple field, kids should be spending time outside in order to "get their wiggles out", obtain vitamin D from the sunshine, and enhance their communicational skills while playing with other children. In actuality, there's no con to having more recess time, and more and more teachers are realizing this. As stated in this article, "Last April, Arizona legislators passed a law that provided two daily recesses for the state’s elementary school students. Teachers have already seen encouraging results, reporting fewer disciplinary actions, enhanced test scores and improvement in children’s overall health." Even though children are receiving less class time, they're making better grades, behaving appropriately, and becoming a healthier generation for our future.
When I was in elementary school, I only received about 20 minutes of recess, and half of it was having to walk around the track for 10 minutes. Everyone hated this and made sure to make it apparent by cutting the track curves short or by walking very slowly to make the teachers mad. I don't know the amount of time kids have at my old school currently, but I sincerely hope it's better than my 10 minutes of free play.
Recess is imperative for the development of social skills, and it serves as time where children are able to explore their creativity and escape from the constant badgering of information in the classroom. As someone who hasn’t had recess since elementary school, I believe that it allows students to retain all the information they just had learned and also gives them time to release their pent up energy thus making it easier to focus during class. Recess is beneficial to the health and wellness of children, as they are able to exercise while also developing socially and creatively. When thinking of the creative aspect of child development, people often think of arts and crafts. Like Ms. Dathan explains, “creativity does get stifled,” however, through recess it gives them an environment in which they have complete control and free reign of their individualized self-expression, all the while having fun with their peers. It relieves students from the constant pressure of school by giving them the opportunity to relax and enjoy themselves, allowing them to enjoy their education as well.
In my opinion, kids do need recess. They need to be active and engaged in something where they can use their creativity and imagination. In the article, they said that if kids are using their creativity today being active, that could carry over into the future and help solve the world's problems. I usually used to recess to run; play football, basketball, soccer, tag, anything that involve running, I would already be playing it. I was always active and I still am. Probably the most important life lesson I learned from recess is learn from your mistakes. I used to do things that would hurt me and I did them because I thought I was cool, but as I got older I learned if I don't do that then I wont get hurt.
I am a freshman in high school now and all we have is lunch. This is the only time we can really be active, along with two ten minute breaks in between classes. I do agree with this quote. I believe you have to use your creativity in undirected play to make the most out of it. Everyone is faced with a problem, even kids in preschool, especially in recess. All the obstacles on the playground that they have to figure out how to avoid definitely helps. I think all schools should have a recess or just a time where the students can be active. It gets the students ready for their next class.
I think an hour a day is needed to keep our bodies in shape and our minds sharp. Too much would be an hour and a half or two hours because then the kids just get worn out.
I cannot imagine what elementary school would have been like for me with the absense of recess. I strongly belive children need recess because it gives them time to let out energy, think outside the walls of school, and teach them how to play nicely amongst each other. Laura M. Holson spoke about how she noticed that with the absence of recess in her childrens new school, her kids had a lot of "pent up energy" after school. This is comepletely understandable given that yoiung kids whose minds are just starting to develope need a lot of free time to let out their energy and have a more efficient behavior at home. Recess was a big part of my school day growing up because it helped me develope great social skills by being out on the playground for 40 minutes without anything to do but talk to my friends. Eventually, the children will aquire their own cellular devices making it tricky to interact in a natual state with one another, so recess is a good way to make sure students have that chance before it's too late.
I agree that children need recess to be part of their school day. It allows them to get all of their pent in energy out. They can focus on class better and not be so fidgety. I remember when I was elementary school and middle school I loved recess and I would joke that it was my favorite class of the day. Recess gives students the break they need in between classes to socialize with their friends.
Recess also promotes exercise which is very important because the United States is currently one of the leading countries with the highest obesity rate. It allows children to get in the daily exercise that they may not get if it wasn’t part of the school day. School should stop cutting into the recess time of children because there’s much more benefit in them playing outside instead of being in class for another 5 minuets.
I strongly believe that recess is a necessary time that kids should be provided with in schools. Throughout the whole day, kids are sitting at desks and tables absorbing information, with very little physical activity or breaks within lessons. I know that from all my years being in school, at least a 20 minute break to be outside and take a breath of fresh air is totally needed after sitting in classes all day. For younger kids especially, I think its needed for them to exude their energy."Ms. Dathan said a shift in her children's mood was palpable. They found it difficult to focus on homework". Without recess kids are more likely to be tired when getting home, resulting in attention levels to decrease while completing work at home. In elementary school, almost all my great memories took place on the playground during recess. The twenty minutes (sometimes thirty minutes, if our teacher was feeling kind that day) to just run around and be free was a highlight of the school day. I believe that recess is necessary to combat drowsiness that kids feel during the day.
Students, especially at a young age, need physical activities in order to calm their mind and work up their bodies. Recess is the time in which a student is free to run around and have fun and of course all though this is not required for academic excellence, it plays a role in how they grow up. As children, making friends may be hard and during recess, you have the opportunity to play with anyone and everyone; there is no barrier that prevents students from interaction. With a lack of physical activities, students may "find it difficult to focus on homework" and if the only chance they get to move around is during the twenty minutes they have, recess is essential for growth as an individual and as a student. Recess does not benefit the children alone, but rather the teachers as well. They seldom get breaks throughout the day because their students stick with them for the six to seven hour period, and the teachers need some time too in order to preform at their best! Providing schools with recess only results in positive outcomes and this is made evident throughout the schools now.
I think students should have recess, here’s why.
Students have 8 hours of learning on a week day. They should have a break in the middle. The students need to get up and active not just in a room all day. If students don’t get recess they can’t be active with their friends either like with a sport or other activity. Those are why students should have recess.
I think kids do need recess if theres so many positive results. When I was in elematry school I had twenty minutes recess and they were good because I was used to it and when I went to middle school it was hard to adjust. Now I’m used to it so it’s ok but if I had more time outside in elementary school I think it could have changed drastically.
I believe that kids should be able to have recess but not too have too much to it. With recess, I learned the lesson of sharing and being patient. When I was in elementary school at recess everyone wanted to a swing but there were only so many for all the student's outsides so I had to be patient and wait for the swings and in return give up my swing to others waiting. I do not believe that middle school and high school students should not get recess because they should have the attention span of an adult and should get used to working for hours straight.
I loved recess. I wish we still had it in high school. I played games the entire time, from playing soccer, to imagining the playground is a sinking pirate ship. I do think kids should get at least a hour of recess a day. Students are held inside all day for seven hours, especially students in elementary school because we all know kids can hardly sit still. Recess could prevent students from being crazy in class and could probably even allowed their minds to focus more, kind of what Ms. Dathan said in the article. I strongly believe that kids shouldn’t miss out on that part of their childhood and early schooling career.
Everyone in school needs a longer recess, teens, kids, and toddlers alike. I know It's just called lunch for us high school kids but we need more time to just relax. At my highschool we only get around a 25 minute lunch. Compare this to our hour long lunch last year and my grades then to now, you’ll see there's a correlation between the two. When I’m in school I feel like I have nothing to look forward to. I can’t concentrate, I’m tired, I just want to see my friends, and I can’t even do that because they have separate lunches from me. To say that the students around me feel burnt out is an understatement. I thought there was a law in place that said breaks had to at least be 30 mins long, welp I guess thats why theres a 5 minute transition
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After Hurricane Florence hit, my school has been grasping for extra time to put on to our classes to make up for our month absence due to the reconstruction of power lines, roads and houses in this small coastal town. This extra time does nothing. The material is too fast to catch up with, there's no breaks, and our summer break has even been affected. Even the teachers have been crankier, they have no planning period now. My easy A’s have turned to C’s and I feel no need to fix them, I’m too exhausted. And it's not just me but all my friends as well. I feel for the kids who need extra recess time because everyone in the american school system is in desperate need of it.
I believe that it is imperative for kids to have recess every day because it lets them get freedom, exercise, and have fun. Also, kids could have less energy in the classroom make it easier for them to sit still.
Kids do need recess during school time, not only because it lets them get their energy out, but what they do during this period. I remember being in elementary school and during recess, we would create different types of games to play during our time and think of different situations we would be in and how we would solve them.Instead of the structured learning you receive during class, recess allows you to think of new things and work with friends and classmates unlike the individual learning in the classroom. Like Ms. Dathan said, "playtime fosters the creativity that we need to solve crazy world problems." Recess may be seen as just a play period for children but it actually lets them develop their skills in creative thinking and problem solving.
Recess is an essential thing for the development of a child. Children definitely do need recess because it allows them to build social skills, release energy, and be creative. I remember when I used to have recess as a child and I can honestly say it was the best of times. I met so many new people during recess and a lot of them became my friends whom I still talk to today. Recess helped me become more social since I was kind of a quiet child and become more focused in school. During this free time, several children are able release all their energy which they hold in at the start of their day. When kids are given a break from all the academics, they tend to be more engaged when they go back. Some teachers found "fewer disciplinary actions, enhanced test scores and improvement in children's overall health" due to recess. This comes to show that not everything always needs to be strictly academics because children eventually get bored and will not focus. Recess can also help children develop curiosity, creativity and problem-solving. I attended two elementary schools, one with a playground and one with just plain concrete ground. In the school with the concrete ground, I remember all the kids creating their own games, playing hand games, and even playing hopscotch. We had no other things to play with so we were able to create things ourselves to keep us entertained rather than rely on something else. Recess was our time to enjoy ourselves how ever we wanted.
Recess is necessary for children in school because without recess, they have no way of letting out their energy. It is not realistic to expect children to sit in a room for 7 hours without time to run around and socialize. When I was in school, we would haave recess for about 30 minutes after lunch. It was a great escape from school and to be able to catch up with friends. Going to middle school was a complete change. Recess ended for us in middle school, and I remember the first few months felt so strange not being able to let out my energy. I would often start to day dream and get sleepy as the day went on because I was stuck in the classroom all day. As Ms. Dathan states, '“I think playtime fosters the creativity that we need to solve crazy world problems, like global warming, or other issues we need to face as a planet.”' I agree with her quote, after recess, students brains feel more refreshed and they are ready to learn again. I think elementary students should get an hour of recess and middle schoolers should get 30 minutes.
I fondly remember in my elementary school, recess became much more uncommon the older we became. During recess time, we got out that energy we had been building up all day. After reading the article, I believe that its best to ease out of recess as kids approach middle school. Ms. Dathan, agreed to support a state bill that would require schools to provide at least 50 minutes of daily undirected play for students enrolled in preschool through fifth grade, but I believe that the number of minutes should decrease as children approach middle school. Of course, in kindergarten, children need at least 50 minutes of playtime because they are just hyperactive kids that have energy they need to release.
Another benefit to this could potentially be benefitting the children all around. According to the article, Teachers have already seen encouraging results, reporting fewer disciplinary actions, enhanced test scores and improvement in children’s overall health. Hopefully this step in the right direction will encourage other states to do the same.
Recess was a time to take a break from being stuck in a classroom most of your day. It gave me a chance to take a break but not only that it gave me time to discover new things outside the classroom. Children need recess because it gives them a chance be outside rather than to be stuck in a classroom. It not only gives them a break but it teaches kids how to communicate with others and being able to work as a team with other students. Recess should still be allowed in schools because stated in the article above Lucy states "They found it difficult to focus on homework. They were restless and sometimes cranky after school and she worried they were losing the ability to navigate personal relationships". When Lucy Dathans kids only had one recess it caused a change in mood along with many other things. Recess should still be allowed. but for middle school and high school there should be an unstructured time for students.
I believe that they should require recess for all children because it is the time where they can let all their energy out and not have to stress about school work. It is the time where they take a break from sitting in the desk for hours straight. Children can socialize with their friends in that time and lastly they can show more curiosity in learning things and not just be tired and bored in class.
As a kid some of my favorite memories occured from recess. Its where I met my bestfriend of 11 years. Its where I learned how to play tag and kickball. Kids need recess in order to be kids. Sure school is about education but kids are hyper and energentic and they need a period in the 8 hour school to get that energy out and be themseleves. Recess serves as a mental breakand for younger kids I feel like just having lunch as a "break" isnt enough for them. In the article Dr. Runco states that "undirected free time at school does not guarantee that children will become more creative thinkers”. I disagree with this. Nature can open up many new discoveries for kids. For example I learned about metamorphis. My class raised a catipillar, watched it become a butterfly and then set the butterfly free. Making kids strictly learn from tests and workbooks in desks would be a mistake.
Recess was a vital part in my learning and development as a child. It was the allotted time in which I no longer had to sit still and listen to the teacher. I was allowed to release the energy I had been suppressing in the classroom and run around. I would go as far as to say that recess should be a required part of the learning day, particularly for elementary school students. With an increase in recess time, teachers have reported “fewer disciplinary actions, enhanced test scores and improvement in children’s overall health.” This suggests that recess is very important for children and healthy as well. In a world where technology is very prominent, recess can be a time for elementary school students, as well as middle school students, to socialize and be creative with their time.
Kids need recesss. I would’ve never survived elementary school had it not been for recess. Sitting in the same chairs and having information piled on to you for x amount of hours is, for a 10 year old, torture. Recess is Absolutely necessary.
Being ADHD I especially understand the importance of recess. Without recess or some type of outlet for all my hyper energy I would be bouncing off the walls and totally defiting the purpose of learning.
I also find that my best memories and friends from elementary school were all created during recess. I meet my childhood best friend after hitting her in the face with a tether ball. At recess I would play games such as tag, 4square, tetherball, wall ball, and basically any other game you can name from the mid 2000’s. All of these games taught me how to work and compromise with others. You would be surprised how much diplomacy is needed to play 4 square.
So not only was recess an outlet for my energy as a child but it was also a place to create social skills and friends. Taking this time away from kids would be a unfair and falter their social development. If anything I agree with Ms. Dathan and that kids should have more recess. I know I would definatly want more recess.
I do not believe that recess is extremely important for learning and development. I don’t think that there is much that you can learn outside on the playground that you can’t learn in classroom. Although children learn how to play nicely together, they are learning very similar things in class already. I think that recess is a very important part of the school day, just not because it’s time to learn and develop. Young students deserve recess because they are working hard all day learning in the classroom. It’s hard to stay focused all day when you’re cooped up in a classroom all day. Lunch is a nice break, but the students are still required to sit. They need a chance to run around and rid themselves of all the unnecessary energy they have gained throughout the day. The classroom is for learning, recess is a time to take a break from that and have fun! Although you may learn a bit about how to interact with your peers, that isn’t the main process taking place during recess. I feel that simply playing games, running around, and having fun serves as a nice break from the rest of the school day. Therefore, children do need recess, not because it’s a way to learn and develop, but because it serves as a break from class time.
I think that the all states and school districts should require more recess. This is because as said in the article, “‘Creativity in children involves the ability to make things up and generate ideas on their own.’” More recess will allow children to have more time to be creative, this is something good and that we should want children to have because children with their own ideas are less likely to be influenced by the world around them. It will also create children that feel confident in their ideas making it so we have world leaders who know what they are talking about. Another reason is because “‘...playtime builds relationships’” and relationship skills, therefore creating human beings who have good communication skills and more relationship experience. Playtime is something that recess can offer.
Recess to me is a word that should not expire after elementary or middle school. Maybe recess shouldn't necessarily mean time to swing on the swing set, draw with chalk, or play tag but it should definitely mean a break. The fact is, as kids, teens, and even young adults, our brains are not developed until the age of 25.
Deep down, we all crave the opportunity for a break of some sort. To me it is absolutely insane to drill students for 7 hours straight with maybe 20 minutes of lunch in between much of which is filled with trying to catch up in my work.
At my high school, we had the wonderful blessing of a sort of recess by the name of Smart Lunch. One glorious hour to do whatever we please whether that is eating, studying, doing homework, getting tutored, or maybe even a nap if it was one of those days (we all know which days.) However all good things must come to an end...and it did; leaving many unfocused, off track, day dreaming teens.
Enough about me; the point is having a short amount of time to do whatever we please (legally of course) keeps us students alert, creative, active, and maintaining healthy relationships. Recess is not in one bit childish or outdated and in my opinion, should be instituted in some shape or form in every school because honestly have you ever met someone who would turn down a much needed break? Didn't think so.
I believe recess is essential to a school day. For those in elementary school, it is an opportunity to blow off steam and work on social skills. With this free time, students can catch up with friends and/or work on classwork. When students return to class, they will be less fidgety and in higher spirits. When I first entered middle school, I was shocked we did not have breaks of any sort. Personally, I missed having that spare time to decompress. At my high school, we don't have formal break periods, but because of how electives are scheduled, I do not have to move for my first three periods; this way, I get three minute breaks in the mornings while other students are moving to other classes, and even just that helps me decompress. When I compare this to my experience in middle school (where I had no breaks on any metric), I am not exaggerating when I say that middle school was more of a strain on me than high school has been thus far. In my personal experience, having free time in school greatly boosts morale and energy levels.
Having a break in the middle of the school day for recess was unquestionably one of my favorite parts of elementary school. It provided a time during which other students and I were able to relax and exercise at the same time. For many years, recess has proved to serve as a beneficial activity for young students, presenting a break in the middle of the day that allows them to regain their focus while simultaneously exercising and socializing with their classmates. However, recess is not merely an enjoyable activity; it also contributes to students' academic performance and ability to focus in school. A mother of three, Lucy Dathan noticed that having less time for recess caused her children to be "restless and sometimes cranky after school," whereas having a longer recess helped them focus on school work. What Ms. Dathan saw with her own children suggests the benefit that recess provides in student performance at all grade levels. When I was in elementary school, recess meant playing soccer with all of the boys in my class, which gave me a chance to get better at an activity I was passionate about while also having fun with my classmates and learning from their skills. I, along with many of my friends, felt both physically and mentally better after getting fresh air and exercising. Through what I have observed as a student, having a break that allows students to relax and exercise positively contributes to their focus and is, as a result, essential to their schooling.
Recess is a time for children to go out and play without being confined to a classroom with the same students. I remember my time having recess as a child and I can say that it was a factor that shaped who I am as a student today. Recess serves as an outlet for children to run around and release all of their built up energy. For me, recess was a time where I could mingle with students in other classes that I wouldn't see throughout the day. It helped build my social skills as I was able to play with kids in other classes as well as children in different grades. It was also a way for me to go back to class with a clear head, ready to finish my day without being fidgety.
I absolutely agree that there is a connection between daily undirected play and creativity. At my elementary school, our recess area was a large concrete plot right by the school building. with pretty much nothing, we were able to make our own fun. Making our own hand games, creating our own variations of tag and crafting flower arrangements with leaves were just a few of the creative things we did to have fun.
All sates should require recess, especially for elementary school children. Recess fosters creativity that is unmatched with anything a young student can get in the classroom. Recess is a time to make unforgettable memories. Recess helps children "retain the curiosity to learn more things." When children have recess as a key part of their day, everything else falls into place.
Everyday of my elementary school years, I would always look forward to the thirty minutes of running around and playing with my friends. When it ended and we had to line up with our classes, I was always craving for more. Recess is when children can get a break from sitting at their desks for hours straight and it also serves as a mental break. I am now in high school and I could use a recess every so often.
When I said I could use some recess during school today, I didn’t mean hanging around on a playground with swings and slides. More like students having a 15 min break in the middle of the day excluding lunch. The argument could be made that lunch could serve as this break, but people don’t always hang out with friends during lunch. Some go to tutoring or have clubs they have to attend. This not only takes away time from them satisfying their hunger, but also making the day seem longer. The small recess could help make up for that time.
I’m not asking for a full 30 minute period where we get to run around crazy, just a small break to give the student’s mind a breather. After all, we are absorbing tons of new information each day.
Allowing kids to discover new things and be creative while also having fun, recess is the perfect thing needed in every child's life. Growing up, recess has shaped many kids to who they are to this day. There are many lessons kids can learn from recess, like teamwork and communication. This break between the hours of a school day is a solution for kids being able to take their minds off of academics and focus on having fun with their pals and getting all their energy out. The debate over whether kids need recess or not has a simple answer "Teachers have already seen encouraging results, reporting fewer disciplinary actions, enhanced test scores and improvement in children’s overall health," showing all the benefits recess does for a kid. Though recess takes away from a child's academic standpoint, in reality, recess provides a kid with so many different lessons and opportunities.
Recess is absolutely necessary, and reading this article only reinforced that opinion. Before I supported recess solely on the basis that it would get rid of the kid’s energy, and allow them to focus better in school. Recess for me developed not my creative skills, however went a long way in developing my social skills to make me the chill person I am today. I had gotten in a few conflicts playing games of zombie tag that made me realize rather quickly how to settle arguments. It also made me realize that I hate conflicts of a petty nature. I would find myself in the middle of an argument on whether or not someone got tagged, and oftentimes it would end rather quickly, however I found it a burden to deal with and rather unnecessary. As time went on recess became less and less important for developing my skills, and recess was thrust out of my schooling once middle school began. Despite of this I still feel like we need it. How as a high schooler, I have a 25 minute break to eat and the rest is working. When I get home I feel drained, and I wish that there was some form of break that could allow me to do what I wanted for even just another 25 minutes. It would be a very refreshing break to my day and possibly allow me to get more on track during the remainder of my school day.
Everyday of my elementary school years, I would always look forward to the thirty minutes of running around and playing with my friends. When it ended and we had to line up with our classes, I was always craving for more. Recess is when children can get a break from sitting at their desks for hours straight and it also serves as a mental break. I am now in high school and I could use a recess every so often.
When I said I could use some recess during school today, I didn’t mean hanging around on a playground with swings and slides. More like students having a 15 min break in the middle of the day excluding lunch. The argument could be made that lunch could serve as this break, but people don’t always hang out with friends during lunch. Some go to tutoring or have clubs they have to attend. This not only takes away time from them satisfying their hunger, but also making the day seem longer. The small recess could help make up for that time.
I’m not asking for a full 30 minute period where we get to run around crazy, just a small break to give the student’s mind a breather. After all, we are absorbing tons of new information each day.
Asking the question: Do children need recess? is a ridiculous question! What child wouldn't want to have a period where you could just run around and play for about 30 minutes. I feel recess is necessary for all children. It helps takes some of the stress away that children might have during the day. It gives them a chance to socialize and play with all of the other kids. From what I remember, I hated having to sit inside all day just waiting for that time when we had recess. It was the best part of my day. Recess gives you an opportunity to see all of your friends that you haven't seen all day. Recess provides a free period with no assignments where you control what you want to play. Unstructured play teaches you how to get along with others as well as conflict resolution. It enhances creativity through play while minding playground rules and accountability. Recess is a necessary time in the school day to reset your brain and recharge your energy, and develop social skills.
I lost the chance to have recess when I left my middle school. I believe it would be a major help if high schoolers had an unstructured period of time where they could do what they want. Not necessarily a recess, but a free period. It would be a time where you could do anything that you needed to do and you could just relax and give your brain a break. Recess should be about a 35-50 minute time period. This would be a major benefit to everyone in school. Just to give them a time to relax and play.
My gut response to this question, and the probable gut response of all people who once had recess, is a definite, inarguable yes. A significant portion of my fondest childhood memories center around recess, and some of my most valued friendships emerged from the connections that I made there. Now, past the gut response lies the actuality of the issue. Does recess have significant enough beneficial effects on children for the time to be taken out of a kids school day. Once again, I believe the answer is yes. There is a clear correlation between free, undirected playtime and creativity, and that is exactly what recess provides. A relatively safe space in which children can develop their social skills and engage their minds. This can only have positive effects, as creativity 'is stifled' without the access to this time, and creativity are possibly the most essential skills to have in modern society. And of course, recess is, was, and always will be 'good for overall happiness'.
Children are a symbol of innocence and creativity, what happens when we take it away? just like breaking glass your favorite coffee mug, they'll never stick back together. taking away recess is taking the creativity side of children .It defeats the whole purpose of having a childhood, thinking outside the box, being clueless and not giving a care in the world, stuck in their own realm of thoughts and ideas. society does not need adults trapped in a child's body, we need creativity to fix our problems just like it was stated in paragraph four "I think playtime fosters the creativity that we need to solve crazy world problems, like global warming, or other issues we need to face as a planet.”. taking away recess is wrong because it harms the child's creativity and joy. It's not entirely surprising why no parents or teachers are against extended recess.
Most people probably believe that providing kids with more recess time will increase their creativity and it can lead to a more prosperous future for them. Well, I agree, but it’s not guaranteed so why risk it. In the article it Dr. Runco stated: “undirected free time at school does not guarantee that children will become more creative thinkers”. Creativity doesn’t only come from recess, it’s mostly their environment and the activities they’re doing. If the kids are living in a poor environment, giving more recess time doesn’t help. Kids should spend more time after school playing. Recess is only a small portion of the day but after dismissal, they get all the time they want to play to build up their creativity. Art is another thing that builds up creativity so if the children spend more time in class doing some sketching, painting, or writing it might be slightly more effective than recess.
Recess or at least some sort of break is needed at all preschools through elementary schools; it improves learning, lets students let out pent up energy and enables them to exercise. I chose this article because it reminds me of how recently my school decided to get rid of the break we get once a week to not only discover new things and people, but also destress. Not to throw shade or anything but this was a terrible decision, even high schoolers need breaks from the constant memorizing and working. I think all grade levels need time to socialize and have breaks. Recess is a necessity for children and it needs to be at least half an hour. Dispersing breaks throughout the day is a terrific idea, it lets children reset and regain focus.
Recess is highly important to children just as much for when adults need breaks from work. It is the only time where students can have fun doing physical actives or create strong friendships with other. In elementary school, students can't talk much, they always have to be sitting down, and they can't have fun conversations. Some may say that gym is all the physical actives they need for the day, However, gym restricts what the students will do. In addition, it's important to all students move around more, because most of their day is spent sitting down. As mentioned in the article, shortening the recess time will cause negative results, but having at "least 50 minutes" will result in "reporting fewer disciplinary actions, enhanced test scores and improvement in children’s overall health". Thus there should be no reason to shorten or get rid of recess, especially in elementary school.
Recess is something that every child needs. Recess is a period of the day where kids can release all they're pent up energy as well as develop key social skills with his or her fellow classmates. I remember as a kindergartener, making my first friends at recess. I remember my parents asking how my day was at school and I would only tell them about recess because that was the most fun and memorable part of my day as a kid. In the article “States Consider Longer School Recess…”, the writer Laura Holson says how kids require recess because it is a way for the kids to release their energy in a positive way as well as develop key social skills. The article even states how kids can be cranky and restless after school because of a shortened recess. I remember as a kid being in held in from recess because it was raining outside, I also remember how I would feel irritable because of my want to run around and play.
I think that every school should be required to have at least 45-60 minutes of recess to allow the children to release their energy in a positive way. This is even more important in the higher grades because as students move on in school their stresses in and out of school increase.
Recess is something everyone needs. It can be anything from play time to a relaxation session. The point is that recess is something that will benefit all students.
I spend a good amount of time around a small child, and it's not hard to see that they have lots of energy for almost everything they do. Having a block during your day where you can just play with your friends and not worry about school is vital to a child's education and how they manage their relationships. When I was younger and there was drama on the playground, I would have to come up with a way to deal with it myself and not escalate it, and this is important to the type of person I am today. I think the children of today having this unstructured time to play can be important to their education and how they deal with their problems and it's can prevent them from being to irritable and not being able to focus on work.
I believe that longer recesses are a great idea. A recess or a break is necessary in my opinion, as without themus students wouldn't get a chance for our mind to rewire for our next class. In my old middle school, I remember we had both a ten minute break early in the day and a 20 minute recess later in that day. I always felt like that wasn't enough time, but that could just be because I wasn't excited for my next class.
As a child, if I had heard that someone was trying to give me 20 extra minutes of playtime I would've been so excited. For those younger students, no recess is a bad idea. My mother teaches pre-schoolers, and when it rains and the kids have an indoor recess, things start to go haywire. The children have trouble sitting still throughout the rest of the class and they constantly will interrupt my mom or her assistant. Adding more time for recess can only help teachers, as having a break from us terrible kids is necessary for them.
Recess is a greatly important part of a child’s life. The issue with short recesses is one that needs to be solved ASAP. After implementing longer recesses, the article says “Teachers have already seen encouraging results, reporting fewer disciplinary actions, enhanced test scores and improvement in children’s overall health.” It’s so crazy to think that schools are okay with only giving their kids twenty minutes of free time and then locking them up in a classroom for seven hours, forcing them to stay in their seats, yelling when they don't pay attention, and then sending them to time out when they don’t behave. The cause of this madness is the lack of time for them to do what makes a kid a kid: playing soccer on the playground, swinging on the swings, running around, making up new games, making friends, and being creative!
I vividly remember sitting on the floor of my P.E. class in kindergarten and being told to play outside for at least an hour every day. This was reiterated all through my elementary school years. At my school, they would give us forty-five minutes for recess which looking back is a great amount of time, but other schools are telling their kids the same thing and only giving them twenty minutes. If you’re going to recommend your kids to do something… give them the opportunity to do it while they are at school! KIDS NEED RECESS!
Recess is one of the most important parts of the school day, because it allows for kids to not only relax their minds and recuperate a learning mindset, but it also allows them time to socialize freely. Having to push through an entire school day with only a lunch break can be stressful and makes it very difficult to focus on the things that need to be done. It is usually headache-inducing to sit through hours of classes doing page after page of work with no interruption. Some people might say that recess is a waste of time which instead could be used to learn, but I think the consensus is that you learn a lot more in a much more efficient way, if you are given a break to relax your mind and socialize.
On the topic of creativity, I believe that children should be allowed to explore what they want and, in order to develop curiosity and problem-solving ability, should be undirected. For example, kids shouldn’t be sort of forced to create things step-by-step, but rather allowed to create or use things the way they want to and have more open-ended ideas.
I don’t know any kid who doesn’t want a longer recess.
Adults don’t realize how uncomfortable it is for us to sit at a desk for most of the day.
Imagine staring at a bright screen for an hour, trying to memorize formulas, writing them down (even when your hand is cramping), listening to your teacher talk for thirty minutes, applying what they say to extremely long worksheets, and then having to do it all over again in another class. Now repeat that process four times in a row, in an uncomfortable plastic chair.
Recess to me, is 30 minutes of freedom and time to give my mind a break. How can teachers expect us to concentrate on their lessons when our minds are flooded with information? We need time to be able to breathe fresh air, laugh, smile, and talk freely with our peers.
In the article, Holson says, “I think playtime fosters the creativity that we need to solve crazy world problems”. I completely agree with this. In most classes we’re told how, and what to think. How can we branch off and think for ourselves if we’re surrounded by an environment that wants us to learn information the same way the person next to us does?
A longer recess, in my opinion, is crucial to the development of our own thoughts and ideas.
When I think about my time in elementary school, almost all my memories are from recess. I couldn’t wait to go out and and have a break from all the learning to play with my friends. I remember coming back to the classroom tired and sweaty from playing games like dodgeball and tag with my friends, but always in a very good mood. For most people, their best, and sometimes worst elementary school memories, are from recess, and we shouldn’t deprive other kids from that.
I believe recess time is essential for the learning process and development of young minds. It allows kids to spend their energy in ways they don't even realize, which leaves them in a good mood and an even better focus in the classroom later on. When an individual is learning new things, a break will not only assure that they don’t get too tired while learning to the point they can’t absorb anymore information, but it will also help the information sink better into their brains. And this can be supported when Laura M. Holson states, “Teachers have already seen encouraging results, reporting fewer disciplinary actions, enhanced test scores and improvement in children’s overall health.”
A long-enough recess is not only important for the academic development of children, it is important for social and emotional development. Recess allows kids to socialize among their peers and develop relationships, it allows them to open their minds to their friends and classmates, and learn new things about each other.
I think kids need recess. From what I remember, recess is where you make your friends in elementary school. It is also a time to take a break from work and allow kids to get their energy out. It is very difficult, especially if kids are in the same class all day, to stay focused without a break to run around.
As a child my parents always said to my brother and I “Go outside and play you need to exercise.” But at school we were never given more than a few minutes for recess and the rest being held up inside all day. In most states children go to school for about 6 hours, some go more and some less. With this amount of time for school they are using every second to learn leaving little time for play. Children now are exposed to more and more electronics with less time for face-to-face interactions. But when you think about it, as it says in the article 20 minutes is the new time slot for recess at public schools. We as a society are telling kids to spend more time interacting with others but on the other hand we are leaving no time for those interactions. Parents are proposing to extend recess times or include more during the day. “Teachers have already seen encouraging results, reporting fewer disciplinary actions, enhanced test scores and improvement in children’s overall health” for schools and cities who have already made the changes. Since positive results are already being seen worldwide we need to make the change. It will have a lasting impact of the next generation of kids, they will still be able to have the interactions of the world around them.
I feel that recess is a necessity, kids need at least 60 minutes of activity a day. Growing up recess was the best part of the day for me it was were you gotta make new friendships and could laugh and play without getting in trouble. As a kid i couldn't sit still and looked forward to recess every single day. Because after school there was always piles of HW to do, that would take sometimes hours. These means there is no time left at the end of the day to go outside and play. I say this especially because depending on where you live you might not be able to go outside and play with your friends but at school when your with your friends you more likely to get physical activity.
I think that free time is needed in any work or learning environment. When I was a child, I never thought about what goals I wanted to achieve, or the necessity or school and what I need to learn. I never forced information down my throat like I would now if I was bored. A child will follow instructions do learn or do something they don’t love, btu they won’t actually set aside their mind for synthesizing necessary information. Most of the time, children only think about two things when they are setting aside their attention, whether they enjoy something or are bored, and this is directly connected to their engagement in the learning environment.
Every moment doesn't need to be action packed with excitement but in order to keep them on task and focused, they need to have a break from doing something they may not have aspirations so they keep engaged in the activity.
I think that as you get older, you need less and less free time, rather you just need short breaks and motivation to stay focused on an activity, rather than a fun time.
Personally I think that PAssing the bill for requiring 50 minutes of recess in elementary schools, is an amazing idea.
Recess was the best part about elementary school. You got free time during the day to just play outside with your friends. In high school there is no recess, you go from 90 minute class to 90 minute class with a 30 minute lunch and its miserable. Recess got our jitters out so we weren’t all antsy in class. After recess we went to class calm and focused. Now, especially towards the end of the day, we are constantly moving and can’t hold our attention to one subject for very long. Ms. Dathan says, “I think playtime fosters the creativity that we need to solve crazy world problems...” and I completely agree. As a kid in elementary school I had recess everyday and I was ready to learn in every class. Now, as a highschooler, I can rarely pay attention to an entire class because I never get a break. Plus, now schools have block schedules meaning they are in class for 90 minutes learning one subject, which is a really long time. I think student participation and well-being would be better off if all students got recess.
I think recess is extremely important for kids to be able to get through the school day. I definitely think elementary school kids should have it. I had recess in middle school and it genuinely helped me focus better in the classes I had after, so I do believe middle school kids should be given recess time as well. I've never heard of high school kids having recess because I think for us we have our lunch break and just having that social time is enough to hopefully get us through the rest of the day (though I do believe the lunch break is way too short). But just because high school kids have a lunch break doesn't mean the idea of recess in high school is completely unnecessary.
Recess gives kids the opportunity to release stress and spend time having fun, which will make them happier and more willing to learn. Kids can get fidgety or cranky if they haven't had any time to run around and play. I think the ideal time for recess should be anywhere from 40-50 minutes, maybe even an hour, depending on the school's schedule.
In the article, Holson says, "I think playtime fosters the creativity that we need to solve crazy world problems." What this statement means to me is that by allowing kids to take a break from powerpoints, notes, reading, etc and giving them the chance to play and spend time with their friends outside of a cramped desk clump, they are being given the opportunity to unlock all kinds of innovative ideas and thoughts about various subjects.
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I believe that kids need recess. Maybe not in their later years of education such as high school, but they most certainly need in elementary school. I believe that recess is needed to exert this excess energy that these elementary school kids have so that they can focus in their classes. Kids get cranky and restless when they have too much energy built up and I’m positive that that will have an influence on their performance in school and their scores on their tests. Recess was extremely important to me in elementary and middle school. It served as a sort of break, a time to run around and reset so that I’m ready for the rest of my day. Not to mention, recess plays a major role in building social skills for kids because how else are they going to meet other kids and make friends. I’m in high school now and I don’t have recess and I don’t believe that I need it because as I’m older I don’t have as much energy to exert but I think to have a successful high school career you need recess in elementary school and middle school so that you develop proper skills and so that you perform better in your younger academic years. I do believe that daily play contributes to a child creativity because that is a time they can play and express themselves any way they want. However there can’t be too much recess time because there still needs to be time in the day for kids to attend class, so I think 30-45 minutes is enough time for recess for youth.
I think recess is good for younger kids from grades k-8 because they are sitting in a class getting overwhelmed by work they may or may not know how to do, and having alot of built up energy. Recess is the time to let kids go outside and be able to talk to there friends that they may not have classes with and be able to run around having fun before they have to go back and do more work. It is also the time for kids to go outside and get fresh air and enjoy the sun after sitting in multiple class a day.
I think that students need recess, or at least some sort of unstructured time. I believe that constant pressure to be doing something with no breaks is dangerous to mental health and stability. One may argue that you could take a break at home or after school, but for most this isn’t an option. Between sports, clubs, and unfair amounts of homework, students just don’t have the time to slack off after school. In fact, most of the time they can only slack off during the weekend, and that is only if they don’t have projects or weekend assignments to work on.
Kids need to run and play. Their minds are still learning how accept what the social norms are, every child needs to be allowed to interacts with fellow students and release their energy. Like Ms. Dathan said “her children’s mood was palpable. They found it difficult to focus on homework. They were restless and sometimes cranky after school,”. When children are not allowed to burn off their excess energy it can build up and distract students from the necessary work. Like the article had mentioned “Teachers have already seen encouraging results, reporting fewer disciplinary actions, enhanced test scores and improvement in children’s overall health.” these kids need to exercise. With the United States rapidly becoming one of the most obese countries in the world we need to allow our children to try and stay healthy. With more time allowed for recess, the kids are allowed to run and play, slowly the pace of weight gain. With so many of the nations adults being overweight, everyone needs to push to help the future generations.
If you have ever been around young kids for more than 5 minutes, you’ll know how much energy they have. Recess was a vital part of school for me when I was younger, especially one with ADHD. It was a way for me to take a needed break from school, so when those 50 minutes were over I could return to class and properly focus, no longer fidgety or bored. Grades Pre-K-5th grade should be required to have a 50 minute recess, and not just because it tires the kids out. Recess can also help in developing social skills, seeing as the entire 50 undirected minutes of play is spent with their peers. Recess is also healthy, encouraging children to move and play each day. Think of it as PE, just more fun.
In my opinion, I believe students most definitely need recess. Growing up with recess in elementary school helped me make some of the best childhood memories of my life. And it was the part of the day I looked forward too. Honestly, I think it could help improve student attention spans. Once they are getting bored of learning, they get a nice break, and then are ready to work again.
Now I am a high school student and no longer get recess. We only have a thirty minute lunch, which is nice, but it is an adjustment. Last year we used to have an hour, so the adjustment has been kinda weird.
Whenever I think about elementary school, I don't think about the classrooms I sat in, I think about the memories I made with my best friends at recess. I think that it is only fair for the kids growing up now to have the same experience. Also, kids are going to need to get their energy out. And recess is the only way to do that. In the article, it states, "Ms. Dathan said a shift in her children’s mood was palpable. They found it difficult to focus on homework. They were restless and sometimes cranky after school" The reason for this is because they had to adjust to a smaller amount of free time, which left them with more energy when they got home from school, and is now going to affect their work ethic.
Children clearly need to have recess without a shadow of doubt. It allows them to open their minds and get their energy out. I know that when I was in elementary school, after recess, I felt like I could complete my day clearly and I felt my day was just better. During that time I would run around with my friends playing games and just living my best childhood. I never got in trouble and the kids were always calmer after at that time in class. In high school, we don’t get any time to hardly eat lunch nor to socialize. We use to have a thing we called SMART Lunch where we would have an hour to work on any work we had and to create stronger relationships. Now we don’t have it and I feel as though my day continues to be just as low energy as before.
I fully agree with what Mr. Bilder said. Kids creativity and physical activity relate with one other. When they get the blood flowing, they can think better and therefore perform better in school. I believe all schools should require some form of recreational time for every school. They would then see higher test grades, lower disciplinary actions have to be taken, any many other benefits. There should be at least and hour or so for “recess”. Obviously you can’t let kids have a hours a day playing because of actual school, but don’t deprive young people of what they crave.
Growing up recess is what used to get me through my classes. I would be waiting for the bell to ring and for my teacher to dismiss the class to recess. I think recess is vital in the school day of a kid. Kids in elementary school and middle school have so much energy. They need time to move and be outside. As a young student the toughest day for me to concentrate were the days that it was raining and we could not have recess. Recess helps free your brain of everything and it brings some much needed fun to school. It helps kids concentrate for a longer period of time, because everyone needs a break no matter how old you are. Kids brains are always moving and sitting in a chair for hours and hours is very challenging. Let kids have some fun and it will make them concentrate more when they are in class.
When I think back to my early years in school, recess is the one constant. Sure, not all of the playgrounds were great. There was always too much mulch, and never enough swing-sets. But it was fun, and I got to spend time with my friends. In middle school, when playground equipment was unheard of, I still enjoyed myself. My friends and I talked, laughed, and overall just did what kids are ought to do. We even made videos of our experiences, which are currently buried deep underground where they will never see the light of day.
The reason I mention all of this is that I cannot, for the life of me, imagine what my education would have been like if I hadn't had recess. It was a staple of elementary school, where everyone would meet and talk and share ideas. Like the article states, creativity is fostered by "group play, storytelling and building with blocks and other toys that stimulate, not inhibit, wonder and curiosity." While I might not have noticed it back then, my playground ramblings were building vital skills that I still use today. And those videos I'm so embarrassed of? I still make videos for fun and for school, if only because it was nurtured by the allure of recess and friends.
Don't cut recess. In fact, add more! Creativity is a resource that the world cannot have enough of, all for the low, low price of giving kids more time to be kids.
I mean it doesn't really matter how long recess is in my opinion cause when I was in elementary school and middle school recess was really boring and lame. I think an extended lunch is the better option in general. Nah we don't have recess anymore, long periods of recess are pointless because of the restrictions they point on what the kids are allowed to do. I don't think students in high school need recess but the idea of a lunch period that leaves time for studying/working or just relaxing during the middle of the day is very important for a good structured school day.
There could be a potential connection between play time and creativity but like that can happen outside of school or in gym call. I think all states should just keep it the way they have it now because it seems to be working pretty well. There is no ideal amount of time for recess because it is decided by the school. For elementary kids id say the ideal time limit for recess is around like 30 to 40 minutes because that way they are able to get some energy out. I wouldn't say there are any downsides to mandating recess but regulating it so hard so that kids can't choose what they want to do during that time is kid of ridiculous.
Young children need time in school for a break; during recess, students can acquire skills that can't be taught in a classroom. By limiting their breaks, we are limiting their creative, social, empathetic, and athletic growth.
“Playtime fosters the creativity that we need to solve crazy world problems, like global warming, or other issues we need to face as a planet," Dathan says. While adults are working hard to find solutions to world issues, we need fresh minds that can search where we didn't before.
Similarly, cutting down recess time could slow the development of their social and empathetic understanding. Being put into social situations like recess at a young age can allow children to forge friendships. The education system needs to teach students the importance of an emotional standpoint. This allows them to use their opinions in school; assignments such as editorials or debates on climate change require students to assert their feelings and beliefs. If they're subjected to eight hours straight of academics, they could become careless and lose their independent thinking.
If we look at children's health, we can see that it has improved since the additional recess time was added. Allowing students to play outside and get exercise contributes to their athletic ability. During my elementary recess time, the vast majority of boys played soccer or basketball. Many students couldn't play school sports, but this time gave them the healthy benefits of athletics.
I think that recess is a crucial part of school for young children. Back in elementary school, I think everyone looked forward to recess. The students obviously wanted to go outside and play, the teachers wanted the students to get rid of their energy, and the parents also enjoyed it because we would not be so hyper later in the day.
Recess is especially useful nowadays, because kids can get exercise without even knowing it. They are also learning social skills and how to work together for a common goal. If they are playing sports, they might find out that they like to play it and eventually pursue that later in life.
After recess, the kids are not as animated as usual, so it is easier for them to learn and sit still in a classroom. Even in prison, the inmates get "recess" because everyone knows how vital exercise and happiness is to the success of society.
I think recess is absolutely vital to the development of young students, and even older ones. While a longer recess may take time out of other classes, it helps students be more present in the class time they have. At elementary school I had a really short recess, and it definitely made me restless throughout the day. I had trouble focusing and absorbing information. On top of that, I had much less time to spend with my friends.
I’m a high school student, and I no longer have recess. My school used to have a form of unstructured time called SMART lunch, which was an hour long lunch, split into two thirty minute parts. This was an incredible thing for the school day because it made each day much less monotonous, but sadly it ended. People were getting into fights and just in general making the school not want to continue it. I miss it every day, we now have really short lunches where there’s barely time to scarf down my lunch and talk to my friends a bit. I definitely don’t have the same sort of unrestricted creative options that I once did. I think that all around the country, all elementary and middle schools should have recess.
I believe that children need recess to break up their time in class. It is important that students are allowed time to socialize, relax, or play with friends. When I had recess in elementary school, it was very important because we were in the same classroom for all of our subjects. This makes it easy for children to become bored of their classwork. Children are highly energetic and have big imaginations, they need to have the ability to release their energy and express themselves during a time where they have the freedom to do whatever they want as long as it follows the school rules. When I had recess, I would spend that time playing games with my friends, or just relaxing and talking with my peers. I learned that it is important to take free time for myself, but also be ready to get back to work when it is over. In high school, I do not have recess anymore. I think that it is more important for younger students to have free time to use their imaginations and play with their friends, but it is also important for older students to have time away from their work to break up the school day.
I think all school should be able to have recess because as kids we have a lot of energy and we need to take it out. If we keep it and not do anything we will become restless like it says in the article. It will distract us form class and we wont be able to focus as it mentions for other kids.
I feel like whenever someones thinks of elementary school, one of the first memories that comes back to them is pretty much always set on the playground, at least that’s the case for me. It was always a time to talk and hangout with your friends, to climb, run, and fall on the playground, and most of all, just have fun. Looking back at it now, I really just viewed recess as a time to get out of class and do stupid things with my friends, not really as a time of learning and development. I would definitely say that recess should be a required part of the learning day in all elementary schools in all states and districts. It’s a time for children to practice their social skills, while also teaching them about a healthy lifestyle that can be fun, something that is very important in this century, since we’re all so use to staying inside on our devices. I believe that recess should be a minimum of twenty minutes, but an ideal time of about 45.
As a girl who isn't in elementary school anymore, I still long to hang out on the playground and talk to my friends as much as the younger students do. In my opinion, yes, students still need recess, the teens especially. As we grow older, we go through a lot of things, and school usually puts even more stress on students. back when I was in elementary, I was happy for the most part, and recess was my favorite time of the day. I'm sure it was for most kids, seeing how I could talk freely, and run around with my imagination until it was time to come back in. Now, as angsty teens who can't focus on anything for their lives, my classmates & I wish we could still get a bit of time for recess. We aren't the only ones either. I'm positive that most kids feel the same, too.
Recess was a way for children to use their brains in a different way, and now that we don't get that time, we have so much pent up feelings & energy that we want to get out. For the love of god, please give us some time, even if it's just a little.
@Sophia Chappell
its so true people do need breaks and kids deserve a break during the school people who work get half hour to an hour breaks so i agree with you i love to go swing with me friends
Most children need time outside not just for exercise, but for vitamin D and stress relief. I personally had an "okay" experience with recess, I was usually alone on the swings the whole time, but I know most kids love playing and socializing with others. Kids have this childish energy, and if not used for playing and having fun, it causes mood swings and grumpiness. I don't have recess anymore, I'm not in elementary school, but even then I never liked it that much. Recess is where you socialize, but some kids may not know how. But, DO YOU REALLY THINK I'M GOING TO SAY, "recess was the best part of my life as a kid, nowadays recess is shorter and that's a problem," WELL YEAH IT CAN BE A PROBLEM FOR SOME KIDS, BUT OTHERS WILL BE ALONE. But whatever makes kids happy, I just feel bad for kids who have to put up with recess. The worst thing to happen is if you got in trouble you had to stand against the fence the entire recess, and if recess was longer...yeah, boredom. So recess should not be longer than 40 minutes tops, and it's sad that nobody thinks of the outcasts when thinking about social time. It's not that I had problems or anything, it just annoys me how people assume recess was a good time for you. Recess was kinda fun for me, but that's because I always got o relax and be alone. Some, don't want to be alone, and it's very common that kids will end up not being with friends. Recess should NOT be longer, I guess kids will just have to exercise more in the time they have.
@Julia Fitz I agree
I believe student in grades Pre-K- Fifth should be allowed to have 50 minutes to an hour of undirected play. It can relieve stress. School can add a lot to a young child. being worried about a test, sitting at a desk all day, having homework are all things a child 10 or younger doesn't always know how to handle. When you want have a busy work week, someone goes in to the hospital or your just stressed in general don't you normally want a day to yourself, a me day. Don't students deserve a me hour. Even I would like to have a 50 minute brain break, and I'm in middle school.
Another great point is activity and health. I mean, obviously they are gonna go home and run around and play. But children of that age should be taking 12,000-15,000 thousand steps a day, and that's without additional activity that they should be getting. If for 7 hours they are sitting in a chair, I doubt they are anywhere close to that. To stay healthy it's not just what you consume, but what you do. It's in their nature to run and jump. Except, doing any of that in the classroom or in the hallway isn't allowed. SO with out recess when are they supposed to do it.
What I'm saying is it should be required for kids to have playtime. It can do what I have stated along with build bonds, increase brain power and so much more. Think about when you were a student. I bet you can remember your recess. What was included in it, smiles, laughs, running, friends. Wouldn't you want that for your child?
Every school districts should require recess because it helps children in their education and health. Teachers in Arizona have seen the change in students when they passed a law that gives two daily recesses for elementary students. The grades of the students increased, they had less students get in trouble. It also was said in the article that when Ms. Dathan moved to Connecticut from California, her children had trouble adjusting to the new school and focusing on homework. The reason for that was due to the amount of time that they got for recess, which was totally different from the previous school. With this is has a point in allowing student to recess and longer then twenty minutes. I think that all states and school districts should require recess.
An ideal amount of time for a recess should be about forty to fifty minutes. That is a good amount of time that they have to be outside and have fun with their friends. It is going to help the students then concentrate better on what they are learning and they are not going to be fidgeting around because they have all this energy still in them. But to much recess can take away from their learning, if the amount of time that they have for recess is over fifty minutes; that is sure to take away from the students learning. The students are then going to be tired and not going to be paying as much attention in class, so anything over fifty minutes is going to be too much time.
Personally I was never a fan of recess when I was n elementry school. I'd rather stay insie and learn how to long devide, it's not like i never got outside activity, I played sports and liked playing outside with my cousins but for some reason I never liked recess. Do I think it can benefit students learning, yes, it lets students get fresh air and sunlight instead of being cooped up in a classroom. Sometimes kids need to stop learning for a minute and clear thier head, it helps them be happier and while also getting exersize. In the artical a mother is concerned about her daughters mental health after switching school ultimatly cutting down recess time, ''Recess was limited to a 20-minute break after lunch, or about half the time as at their previous school, in California.
Ms. Dathan said a shift in her children’s mood was palpable.'' I think middle school should have recess, for i would say....... 30 minutes. Students get frustrated with the workload and being cooped up in a classroom all day so they can get some fresh air, besides, knowing teenagers there not going to go outside on thier own time, Their going to facetime their friends and play video games and watch TV. The in a was is "forcing" them to get some fresh air. Now highschool, no, I really don't think there should be recess in highschool, theres a number of differen't sports to play in highschool, theres even gym and track. It's pointless and there really is no benefits of it for highschoolers.
Yes, every state and school districts should require recess, because the kids in the USA are a lot different then they used to be kids where active in school and out but know the internet is taking over I feel like every school should have at least a 45 minute time block to let the kid do work and have fun outside with there friends and others.Make some homework that makes them work out like what angle did you have to go to get an almost perfect crunch in math.It could change every thing in the world there would be less over weight people.In 1-5th grade I would love the outside, I remember when my friends and I would run for the monkey bars and try to hang upside down or play kickball it was amazing to see how all of the kids loved to play all of the kids had fun and some times the teachers would sneak a couple minutes for the kids to play a little longer, it seamed it couldn't get better.Then in 6th grade they didn't let us outside that when everyone started to learn more about games and the internet it was a sad year, yeah we went out once or twice a month but it wasn't enough that's when I stared to lean more to the games side.In my mind I though they were the best thing ever but what I didn't know or care about was I wasn't going outside and that was the downfall now I barely go outside unlike the 1-5th grade me. So what I am trying to say is it important to do these thing for children it helps them learn that outside is needed to be fit and that is what a child needs.
I think schools do need recess. One reason is that it can enhanced improvement in your health. Recess also can make there be less discipline because students will have gotten most of their energy out. If students just sit in classrooms all day they will be loud or excited. Also, lots of teachers don't like students talking when they are trying to teach so, recess can let children talk to their friends and have fun with them. I think 20 minutes would be enough for recess. I think 50 would be too much because students would get bored and would have nothing to do. I think there is a downside to recess. It's that when done recess you are all sweaty and out of breath because of running and the weather.
When kids go to school, the thing that they are most excited for is recess. Playing with other kids and making new friends. But how long should recess be? I think it should be no longer than 40 minutes. Lots of kids are stressed from school and they need to take a break to go out and have fun. So maybe some school districts do need to extend their recess time. Some districts would need to give them a recess first. How do you know if a kid is actually having fun in school if they never have time to go outside and play with their friends? It takes pressure and stress off of them for that short amount of time and that is always a good thing.
My memories of recess are mostly fun and games but I think it is vital for kids to have it. it keeps them fit, it also teaches them ways to play sports other than gym class. I think kids k-5 will do much better if they have some free time everyday. The students will look forward to it and do well in classes. Recess also increases creativity in kids they become interested in new things.
6-8 do not need recess in my opinion they would cause more fights and trouble than anyone. that is why they do not have it in my opinion. Students should have at least 30-60 minutes of recess. I feel 25 is not enough and anything over 60 is too much.
That is why i think students should have recess
Students need recess. I think it is something that is mandatory. Elementary schools can go from twenty minutes to an hour of recess. But since a lot of middle school kids start sports well then they should at least have thirty minutes. I have gotten accustomed to not having recess but it is still something that I wish to have. In elementary school we would play soccer outside. There were so many of us and the goal would be the fence that was falling down. But there are classes that replace that but it does not feel the same. I don't have as much of an opinion because I have lived without so it doesn't bother. Do I want recess, absolutely, but it doesn't bother me if we don't have it.
I don't think student should have recess after lunch or anytime during academic parts of the day. I'm not completely against recess, younger student should have it just not after lunch. From the expeirence i've had with recess when I was little we had our recess after lunch most of the time. When we got back in the classroom most people in my class would be off task and we would have more homework. I didn't really like how much homework we got because of that because at the time this was going on I had things to do after school and most nights I would be out of the house from 4 to about 8. I played soccer, softball and I had dance classes every week. pretty much the only day that I did have time to do my homework at a normal hour was on Wednesdays. Every other night of the school week I was up until at leadt 9:30 and that doesn't include me getting a shower, blowdrying my hair, brushing my hair, and my other nightly things. I went to bed around 10:15 2nd-4th grade. I never saw the point in recess because when you go home i'm sure you would have a sport or be able to play outside so why have it during school.
I think a good amount of time for recess is 20 minutes at the most if you are having it before the end of the day because that takes away time when your students learn. I was always the kid sitting on the swings reading a book or being bored becauseI finished the book at the begining of recess. I never really enjoyed recess as you can tell.
Students of elementary and middle school should always have recess. Kids have much more energy than adults do. During class students are crazy and energized. They need some way to get all of that out so they have time to learn and focus after that recess break. When I still had recess I was energized in the morning, then after recess everyone would calm down and get serious towards the end of the day because we got all of our energy out. It may take a little time out of our day, but it still benefits everyone. Children need more than 20 minutes to do whatever to do to get energy out. Most of my recess time was spent playing kickball, or reading on the swings. I could do the week's homework and get all of it finished it by the end of recess, or read my favorite books. Recess benefits all students and gets them focused on the classwork ahead.
I remember all the time when I was little when I would be waiting to go outside with my friends and use every little bit of that time to hang out. I think schools should allow recess and have at least a half hour to play. I think all schools should have recess because everyone needs to take a break now and then. Personally, in 7th grade, we do not have recess and the only time we really get to talk to our friends is when we are at lunch. At my old school, the kids from k-8th had recess. This is my opinion on recess.
I think that elementary kids should definitely get recess. That's because little kids have a lot of energy, and letting out the right amount of energy can definitely help kids concentrate because of how much energy kids have. If kids don't have recess then they would have too much energy built up inside of them and would not be able to concentrate on work, they would just want to play or something.
The need for unstructured "recess" time during schools is critical to child development. It is during this time that students learn how to interact with each other, follow rules of games and activities, and use their imagination in free play. States and districts should build in at least 30 minutes of recess for all students pre-school to 8th grade. I think there will be less discipline issues, less noise in the hallways and more focused students in the classroom.
Yes it would be nice no it is not mandatory that we have it.
"Ms. Dathan is not alone in her observation. Last April, Arizona legislators passed a law that provided two daily recesses for the state’s elementary school students. Teachers have already seen encouraging results, reporting fewer disciplinary actions, enhanced test scores and improvement in children’s overall health."
I do think children need recess. Recess allows for these young students to blow off some steam after being cooped up in a classroom for hours. Elementary children have a lot of energy to start off with so trying to sit through 3-4 hours of learning in a small classroom can be overwhelming. Children are being taught so many things in these first years of school, and their minds may be working overtime to process all of it. Recess is a child’s release from all of the churning their brains have to do in the classroom. In high school, and even middle school, there is no recess. As we grow up, physically and academically, we are being taught to be more mature, and in society’s eye that means no more playing around outside. I think high school students, more than anyone, need time away from the stress that can come with their classes. High school is the time where kids pave the ways of their futures, and for most that can be stressful and even scary. It’s a time where people are participating in extracurriculars, getting jobs, learning to drive, deciding where to go for college. Their lives are jam-packed with decisions and activities that make them who they are and most of the time, the kids just need a break. There needs to be that support from the higher levels of education that it’s okay for students to be stressed and it’s okay if they need to take a break.
I strongly believe that all children do need recess. Students, especially at a young age, should not be confined to a school building for the whole day without a break to relax. School is a long day full of hard work and if elementary school kids are not allowed a time to decompress, then they will grow weary and the overall health of children will continue to decrease, as it was stated in the article. Personally, I feel like recess was quite important to my schooling. During recess, I was able to relax and relieve myself of the stress and difficulty of schoolwork and cool my brain down. Recess also helped with my social skills. I was exposed to more of my classmates which meant I could make more friendships. I was also exposed to different social situations such as picking teams for a game, being left out , or being the one to leave someone else out.
I really think that recess is important to children in elementry school but not in middle school and high school, recess is all about playing and having fun with your friends but I know that middle schoolers and high schoolers really don't find going outside and playing on a swing set as fun anymore. Maybe, if it was just like a free period or something like that. I do think it is good for little kids to have recess though because it lets them be creative and have fun, and take a break from all the work they do. I don't think that children in 4th grade want to be held up all day inside of a classroom, they need to let loose and interact with there friends. Personally I think recess is a big art of making good healthy friendships, and for some children who can not see other classmates out of school it can give them a chance to do other activities then just math problems with each other!
I do think that children need recess for many reasons. I think that children have a very short attention span and also have tons of energy so forcing them to stay inside with no break other than lunch seems like a very inefficient way to school them. Children need to break up their school day with recess to let out all of their energy that is pent up while they are inside learning. I loved recess when I was younger. I may not have learned many life lessons but I did learn a lot of different games and made more friends whenever I went out to play. In elementary school I normally played wall ball, four square, or just played on the slide or monkey bars. Doing those things allowed me to release all the energy I had so when I went back to class I was more than ready to sit down and learn because I was tired from running around. A life lesson recess teaches kids that is very important is how to share. If a kid is using a ball then the children figure out how to share it and make a compromise not even realizing that they are. Recess is a neutral setting that allows kids to flourish and have fun in whatever way they want. I think that as the grades get higher that time should be minimized but I do think that it is still important to have a form of free time to calm yourself and to allow your brain to relax. I do agree with Robert Bilder and I do think that recess can help children develop curiosity, creativity and problem solving all on their own.
Recess is a time for kids to let out their energy and have a break during the school day. In my elementary school, recess was around half an hour. However, if the students behaved well that day then teachers would add more minutes to our time at recess. As an elementary school student, I would spend my time at recess playing games like soccer and tag with my friends. Recess allowed me to create relationships at a young age with people that are still my best friends to this day. In highschool, we are not allowed time for recess. However, I do think students in middle school and high school should be given some form of recess or unstructured time during the school day. This time would allow students to relax and give them a short break with the increased amount of school work given since elementary school. Furthermore, I agree with the quote by Robert Bilder. Children become more curious when they are solving problems open-endedly and being creative individually and with one another. I do think that recess can help children develop curiosity, creativity and problem solving. During recess, children are communication with others and improving their social skills which are very important for their future. All states and school districts should require recess because even though it is a break from learning academically, children are learning socially by interacting with others. The ideal amount of recess would be 45 minutes, anything over an hour would be too much.
I believe that all students of all ages are required a recess. It is necessary for all students to take breaks between long periods of work. As an Eighth Grader, recess is one of the most important periods of time during the day. During our first ten-minute break after third period, middle school students are instructed to use this time as a snack break. I myself take advantage and enjoy a quick snack, but this is also a perfect time to socialize with your classmates and friends. I have been able to develop a few fun memories of getting involved in shenanigans with my friends during our thirty-minute lunch break. Our school has always gone by the same recess policy since I was in kindergarten, with both elementary and middle school receiving a recess during the day. I agree with the words of Bilder because children are humans like any other, and need to develop creativity, problem-solving, and curiosity in order to continue to develop as humans and exist in the real world. All states and school districts must require a recess for this very reason. Children need time to develop. I believe that a twenty to thirty-minute break during the afternoon is the ideal amount of time for recess, giving students time to eat and socialize. Giving them any more time would be taking away from their work time.
I think children do need recess. As seen in Connecticut, Arizona, and Arkansas, play time for children is extremely beneficial. Since enacting recess legislation, there has been an improvement in behavior, better test scores, and generally improved health of the children. In my experience, recess allowed me to play with my friends and explore my imagination, so that when I came back to class I was more attentive and ready to learn. The popular saying of “work hard, play hard” accurately described my experience of education mixed with recess. Now that I’m in high school, we don’t have recess, but I think it could be useful. Maybe playing on the playground wouldn’t be the best use of our time, but I think a break between classes in the middle of the day where we could hang out with friends and have time to ourselves would make school more tolerable. It can be draining going from one class to the next, with your only break being lunch. I believe recess for high schoolers and middle schoolers would have a highly positive impact on our education and general mindset.
Children do need recess. It is very important for children to burn the energy that they have cooped up inside them, while also learning valuable social skills and how to play games like kickball. If they did not have recess, their social skills would surely be not good by the time they were an adult. Recess during schooling was incredibly important for me. I spent my time throwing a tennis ball against a wall and catching it, playing with toys like Bakugan and GoGos, and playing on the playground. I learned how to play games and have fun, make new friends and socialize, and gained problem solving skills through games that I played. I think recess is only important for elementary school kids. As a High Schooler, I would love recess time, but I don’t think it is absolutely vital like it is in elementary school. I agree, I think unrestricted play is good for growing minds. I think recess does promote curiosity and problem solving for children, because they are allowed to learn about new things on their own. I think all states and schools should require an adequate amount of recess, because it will allow them to gain new skills and perform to the best of their ability in their classes. The ideal amount of recess is most likely a half hour. I think anything over 40 minutes is too much time on playing, and not on school. Potential downsides to mandating recess is having children be too energetic and have not enough time to learn valuable skills at recess.
I believe that children need recess.They are still kids after all, and it can give them time to burn off energy. I believe that recess was fairly important to my schooling, because it gave me a time where I knew I could just have fun and stop thinking about school for at least a half an hour. During recess, depending on the day, I would typically join in a game of Four Square or Dodgeball or I would walk around the playground with my friends and talk. I think that there are important skills that can developed during recess, such as how kids interact with one another, and how they can use their imaginations through interactions with others and games. I do not still have recess, as I am a junior in high school, and haven't had it since the fifth grade. I do believe that recess is simply for elementary school kids, and not those over it, because I think kids need to learn eventually that in the real world, and in jobs, they do not get breaks from their work later in life. I think that there is a connection between undirected play and creativity, because when kids learn to use their imaginations, they may be more apt to be curious to learn about the world around them, and may focus better in school. I think all states and school districts should require recess, for elementary schools, and the ideal recess time would probably be around forty minutes, which gives kids enough time to play, but not enough time to take away from the school day.
This article brings up a good point about having recess. For me, recess was just a break from the academics and a time to socialize during elementary school. Once I reached middle school, the only break we got was lunch and recess was replaced with thirty minutes of “silent sustained reading.” I believe having recess allows for creativity and a time to think outside of the box after having standard required curriculum drilled into the young brains. However, the recess parents want and people are fighting for, are not going to be sustained. As people grow up they aren’t going to be playing tag or hide and side or go-fish on their break. Today, this recess time would be replaced with texting and beating high scores on the most popular game. On the flip side, if children have more of a break to be creative, they will be more focused during learning time and stimulate their brains with new ideas (without technology hopefully). I believe having short breaks to be with your independent thoughts is beneficial for everyone and not just children. We all need to allow ourselves to have our own ideas and opinions; this is how we grow as individuals and as a society. Small breaks or recesses can enable this to happen. Recess is beneficial.
I believe it is essential for students to have recess during their busy schools days to release energy, reattain focus, collaborate with others, and evoke creativity to then implement in the classroom. Without recess, students’ heads would not be in the right mindset for problem solving and learning because all they will be thinking about is when they can have a mental break. Back in my elementary school days, recess allowed me not only to make friendships and better my social skills, but it allowed me to foster my creativity into play which was then brought back into the classroom and used in projects and assignments. Through recess, I learned to accept others differences and work alongside those with unlike minds to create something better than if we were alone and isolated. Unfortunately, as I am in my junior year of highschool, recess is 6 years in the past. I wish that highschool students could have a form of unstructured time with no learning, to allow us to destress and find our focus. We have 6 classes a day, all of which are long and strenuous, and we have no breaks (besides lunch). I believe that, especially highschool students, should have a form of recess, whether that be free time or independent work, to take themselves away from the stresses of school, foster their creativity, and feel able and prepared to attack whatever comes their direction. This break should be 20-60 minutes long to fully ensure that students are ready for the rest of their school day.
I believe that students in grades k-8th should get recess even though kids in middle school may think they're to big to be playing on the playground but having recess help some stress get off your chest. When i was in elementary school i used to be very excited to go outside and play on the playground with my friends after a long day of learning i just felt a little free. So in my opinion i think kids should get recess.
Student need recess to get out all of the creativity schools don't want to see in children. Schools control kids so they act the way they want them to act rather than the way the kids should/ want to act. Students hold in all these creative thoughts to help themselves from getting in trouble, but at recess they can be who they want. Recess is a time for these students to get out what they were holding in. It's important at all ages because you can look forward to something and hold in all of the energy until it comes into effect. It is important for everyone to learn who they are in a place of freedom while still seen by adults looking out for safety. Personally, I do not still have recess, but in my mind, I would be willing to fight for it. Recess is not only a break, but also a revival to awake your true self. Yes, that might of sounded cliche, but it is correct. You aren't yourself when you are in school. You are the person these school systems want you to be and I think it is wrong. I have ADHD and all through my life I have been held to a standard that if not reached, I would be punished. Recess was always my time to relax and not try to control myself for other people. The ideal time for recess is probably 30 minutes; just enough time for the body to be tired enough to go back into school and learn. When your mind is more tired then your body, and vise versa, nothing good comes from it. All states should require recess. In the long run people will see the difference.
By fostering a child's need and desire to be outside and to release energy helps to make them a better student when they come back to the classroom. From a young age we are taught how to act in different setting. You learn during school. You play during recess. Being able to recognize this difference and respect this fine line is a pivotal part of a child's development. With that being said, for elementary school students, who is to argue that one is more important than the other? Being outside and playing at recess teaches children things that the classroom can never teach. To be able to workout differences in a real life situation, being active and getting exercise, finding what you like to do independently or with others are just some of the skills learned during recess. Also, all children are different. Some do better in a classroom when it's quiet and they can do they work. But others function to a higher capacity when they are surrounded by the open air and find their passions and interests outdoors. In my opinion, it is unfair for adults to cater to just one learning style over another, especially with such young students. I would argue that the extension of recess in schools is a crucial decision that has to be made. As more and more children grow up staring at screens, playing outside has become a lost art. I believe that it would be a shame if children missed out on developmentally defining moments on the playground because they are confined to their classroom.
I think kids in all areas of school should have more recess. In multiple points in the article it shows how more recess shows better success in schoolwork. I still have recess and believe all kids should and kids in every state should get at least forty-five minutes of recess everyday.
The argument against longer elementary school recess is a bit ridiculous if you ask me, “it’ll take away time from our kids’ education”. If we’re being honest, kids don’t learn a ton in elementary school. The primary reason for elementary school is to adjust kids to the format of school and to help them get a base for middle school. I think it would be more detrimental to keep a short recess, because it’ll make kids begin to dislike school from a young age. Elementary school should be a positive experience that gets kids excited for middle school instead of restricting their time to exercise.
In my opinion, children most definitely need recess. They are growing children who are just beginning to discover their place in the world. Kids have trouble focussing and spending time in class when they have no outlet for their energy. If kids were to have absolutely no recess, I think teachers would notice a drop in test scores and a rise in behavioral issues. Also, America is facing a massive child obesity issue. Getting kids outside for 50 minutes a day would likely get them to spend more time outside and develop healthy exercise habits. I honestly can’t see a reason not to extend the elementary school recess time.
I think children need recess because they are so young and they need to go out and play during the day. In this day and age kids just stay inside and play video games. When I had recess I would always play a game that includes a ball and some skills I learned was I learned I was very competitive. At my school we still have recess and I look forward to it everyday because it is when I can go and hang out with all of my friends, get all my energy out, and I get to eat food. Yes, everyone should require recess because it helps kids everyday. Every school should give at least 10 minutes of recess and not more than 30. Too much could bad because they could be more tired then they fall asleep.
If you ask an elementary schooler what their favorite subject is, many are sure to answer, “recess.” Kids need to be kids- time to run and play are vital to their health. But aside from the mood and health benefits that come with recess, it is also the perfect time to give children the opportunity to truly learn and grow.
While there are a lot of time and resources devoted to giving children the structure they need in order to develop critical thinking skills, social skills, and creativity, schools need to go back to the basics. The article makes an example of the cardboard box being used as a toy as the article compares the box to online creative games, saying, “Our whole world is changing now. There are people who think you can have digital or remote playtime. You experience it in different ways.”
When I was young enough to have a twenty-minute recess, I used the time for everything from a standard round of tag to acting out books. My love of reading was surely fostered by the games of acting out Harry Potter or the Percy Jackson series: both activities that couldn’t be naturally fabricated in the classroom. I needed recess.
I remember looking forward to recess every single day when I was younger. My friends and I, would play our "make-belief" games every single day and enjoy every moment of it. Recess is a good way of letting out energy, clearing your mind, and having fun. School and learning can take a toll on your brain and learning abilities, so I think recess is a necessity for children.
In this article, Robert Bilder states, “What is valuable for children is freedom where they are solving problems with no predictable answer,” he said. “When it is open-ended, they retain the curiosity to learn more things. And that is going to be essential for their futures.” I agree with this because this is basically saying that recess is a way of developing curiosity and creativity. When kids are out there playing games, they discover new things about each other and their own unique thoughts and opinions come together to form games. They can learn from each other and all of their imaginations can come together to create something big for everyone. I think recess is also good for problem-solving because not every single kid is going to get along with each other. These little arguments and disagreements are going to force them to problem solve on their own and find solutions to their own problems. This is a good thing for kids to experience and develop on their own for the future.
Overall, recess has many advantages and is a necessity for kids growing up during school.
For me, recess was always the best part of the day. In elementary school and part of middle school, we stayed with the same people in all our classes, so when recess happened we got a chance to see other people that were in different classes. Whereas in high school in my classes I'm with many different people in all of my classes. In high school, recess is a wish we still have, longing to run around and hang out with other friends before going back to class. Even though we, unfortunately, don’t have a recess, and this year our hour-long lunch period was cut to about 30 minutes. We still look forward to lunch because we can sit with our friends and socialize while eating lunch. Some of my most fond memories involve being at recess. On my first day of kindergarten, I lost my tooth at recess, I also remember always running to get the first spot in line to play four square.
Getting older I wish I had recess more because it allowed me to work on socializing as well as giving me "down time" without instruction. I believe that recess is essential to help kids express themselves. It gives kids a chance to get all their energy out, so they can sit still. But it also allows kids to “ to navigate personal relationships” as Ms. Dathan puts it. After reading the article it did not shock me to find out that moods, test scores, and health were all improved by the increase of recess time. This shows that when kids have time to wear themselves out they are then more willing to learn.
I believe recess is a vital part of an elementary students education. As I was reading the article I found it very hard to believe that some children are only getting as much as twenty minutes of recess.I remember the joy I got when the bell rang and it was time for recess. It was the forty minutes I got to talk endlessly with my friends and get all my energy out. I couldn’t imagine young kids only getting as much as twenty minutes. Ms. Dathan’s quote,“I think playtime fosters the creativity that we need to solve crazy world problems, like global warming, or other issues we need to face as a planet,” was so true! Kids need a break from the hard work they do all day. They need time to run around and play make believe. Young Elementary school kids don’t have the attention span to be sitting for 8 hours doing the same repetitive stuff, they need recess to rest there minds and collect themselves.
I'm now a sophmore in highschool and although I miss recess very much I don’t need it anymore. Most High Schoolers have matured, and shouldn’t need to run around for forty minutes to give themselves a break. Middle schoolers on the other hand should be allowed a small block in their day to be able to get fresh air outside of the classroom. They shouldn't need forty minutes, but twenty minutes should be sufficient enough. I don’t think twenty minutes is a sufficient enough time for elementary students though, they need that time to be creative and have fun outside the classroom.
As the article mentions, longer recess has been shown to improve creativity, school performance, and improve health. I have seen this in my own experience.
In my elementary school, recess was always the highlight of the day. Every day, my friends would do something different. Some days we would dig around in ant hills, learning hands-on about nature and the complex nature of ant colonies. Sometimes we would play soccer, staying in shape and improving our coordination. Other days we would sell and exchange wares with school currency, learning valuable entrepreneurial skills.
There was one activity I partook in at recess that made the biggest impact on me. On Earth Day in 2014, I noted the amount of trash soiling the recess grounds. My friends and I organized a recess cleanup. For a week, many in our grade collected trash every recess. Everyone contributed in every way possible: by bringing bags, gloves, or just by helping to pick up discarded wrappers. By the end, we had gathered around 15 pounds of garbage.
This activity taught me an important lesson; I can change things. By noticing the problem and taking initiative, I could, along with my friends, better my own surroundings. I learned that it was us, young people, that could make a difference in monumental ways, such as stopping climate change. Since then, I have made choices to help reduce my own carbon footprint. I learned that my actions matter, a lesson I think we should all learn, and I learned it through recess.
I do believe that younger kids do need time to release the energy that has been built up inside of them since the bell rung to start the day, without it kids can become distracted very easily. As I visit an elementary school every Thursday I have come to notice although they have just begun the day they already need a break. Younger kids are just beginning to learn and learning important things that they need to have a good grasp on. The things they learn now is needed for their development. This is why it is necessary to provide recess for them.
“Ms. Dathan said a shift in her children’s mood was palpable. They found it difficult to focus on homework. They were restless and sometimes cranky after school, which she attributed to pent-up energy.” Recess provides a break for kids to release the energy that has been built up since the beginning of the day. In this case Ms. Dathan’s children are getting cranky because they were not given any freedom during the day, it was as if the kids were stuck in a cage unable to leave or move. While kids are in recess they continue to learn just in a different style that is fun for the students. The results from more recess time have only just started going up and they will continue to increase.
I think that kids do need recess because it increases their focus during educational opportunities and allows them to interact with other kids. I remember looking forward to recess and PE everyday in elementary school. I remember everyone sprinting out of the classroom trying to be the first one to get the ball or the equipment for what we wanted to play. I remember everything from capture-the-flag to four square to tetherball. It was my favorite part of the day, not only because I got a break from school, but also because I got to run around with my friends and just have fun.
I know that recess in high school or even middle school wouldn’t be the same as in elementary school, but I do think that it is good to have some sort of break in the middle of the day to allow students to catch a breath, hang out with their friends, or get some homework done. Even if high schoolers don’t get a designated recess during the school day, many high schoolers play sports outside of school hours or do some sort of physical or social activity that allows them to relax and enjoy some time while not worrying about schoolwork. Observations from longer recess include, “fewer disciplinary actions, enhanced test scores and improvement in children’s overall health.” This shows just how effective recess can be for kids because it allows them to interact with their classmates, develop a healthy lifestyle, and enjoy the outdoors.
The article states that “What is valuable for children is freedom where they are solving problems with no predictable answer… when it is open-ended, they retain the curiosity to learn more things.” Every day my friends and I would go to the playground and decide on what we wanted to play that day; there was no one telling us what to play, so we got to use our creative thinking skills to come up with our own games. Some days we would play pretend, some days we would put our own twist on a classic game like tag or hide and seek, and some days we would just talk to each other while swinging on the swings. Recess was not only a fun thing for me to look forward to every day, but it also helped me develop excellent social skills and encouraged me to think creatively and be active, which are very important skills that I will use throughout my life.
Nowadays, it is especially important for kids to have sufficient recess time, considering that kids are spending less and less time playing outside or face to face and more time on devices. At recess, there are no devices, so the kids have to be creative and play with each other, which helps to ensure that this generation will develop the same good social skills and creative skills that I was able to gain through my time at recess.
As a student no longer in elementary school, I must admit that I miss the 30 to 40 minutes we would have outside. I believe that a decent amount of time to play and have free time is necessary for younger children, as it allows them to use their brains in a way totally unrelated to school. Students will learn skills from making up games and playing outside that they will be unable to grasp in the classroom.
A 50 minute recess time will allow for more than just thinking skills. Studies have shown that setting aside time for free play will bring motivation to complete homework, higher test scores, and increased productivity in the school place. As the article states, “Teachers have already seen encouraging results, reporting fewer disciplinary actions, enhanced test scores and improvement in children’s overall health.” This statement shows how recess correlates with important aspects of a child’s education. For these reasons, I believe that every elementary school should, indeed, have a time set aside for recess each day.
In the high school I currently attend, we have about 30 minutes to eat our lunches between our 90 minute classes. Just one year ago, we had a full 60 minutes for lunch, but the time has since been shortened. I have noticed a difference in my work ethic, as I now come home and will do anything to avoid schoolwork and studying. While we may not need “recess,” I believe that setting aside time to relax in the school day is vital for students of all ages.
Recess is needed. When elementary kids hear that bell ring they get so excited and run to their favorite activity outside. As a kid, when I was in elementary school my friends and I would run straight to the tall monkey bars and fall off into the sand. I know it sounds crazy, but everyone did it.
"With so little time for schoolyard play, she worried they were losing the ability to navigate personal relationships. “It was hard for them to adjust to only one recess,” she said in an interview." After sitting in class for almost 4-6 hours kids have all this energy that they need to burn/let out so they can focus not only in school but outside of school.
In my opinion I think that if we had recess in high school students academic level would reach a new level and also be able to make new relationships with people. At Hoggard we used to have "smart lunch" but they took that away this year. Smart lunch was my favorite part of the day because I could get a break from all the stress in my classes and get to talk to all my friends.
I do think children need recess because we have to remember that they are still kids and they need a break from school work to play and hang out with their friends. Recess was very important for my schooling because I always looked forward towards recess and that gave me something to work for in school. I mean I didn’t really learn any life lessons or anything, but I know it helped me because I made friends through playing like kickball, handball, basketball, etc. I honestly think I don't really need recess as much anymore, all I need is a like a lunch break where I can play and hang out. I believe school districts should require every elementary school to have recess or else the kids will have all this built up energy and won't know what to do with it. The ideal amount of recess a kid should get a day is 1 hour. I believe this is enough time for kids to have a good day and not have all that built up energy.
In elementary school my favorite part of the day was recess. This was the time of day I would get to see all my friends in one place and we all got to play together at one time. This free outside time allows children's brain to relax from school pressures. School begins at the young age of five and if we did not allow recess then kids would grow up to fast and as stated in the original article,
"reporting fewer disciplinary actions, enhanced test scores and improvement in children’s overall health."
Currently my english two class in school is reading Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. This is an amazing book with such breath taking description of scenes. An example of these scenes would be when Jean Valjean tells young five year old Cosette to play with a doll and she is unsure how to play. When you take away a child's free/play time then you are taking away their creativity and inspiration later in life. It has been said that if you are a child with a wide imagination that you will be more creative when you get older because of your experience and thoughts.
Children should be have recess to improve their creativity, safety, test scores, and keeps them active. All of these are such great examples to why children should have recess.
Every afternoon as soon as the recess bell would sound my friends and I would sprint to reach the swings before the other kids. We would play on them until our hands had callus and we would stand and swing, jump from them, and pretend we were flying as we shut our eyes and felt the wind. Some of my fondest memories from elementary school are from my time I spent with my friends coming up with so many games to play during recess. Our entertainment came from our creativity on the playground and every day when it was time to go inside we would always wish for five more minutes. Children nowadays are under even more stress now then when I was in elementary school, so I do think it is important to extend their recess.
For children to want to learn and feel passion for learning they need to be creative so their imaginations can run wild. “Creativity in children involves the ability to make things up and generate ideas on their own.(Russ)” So recess is essential for children to do well and be creative so if they extend recess I believe it will double their creative spirits and generate new ideas within them.
Every elementary school kid needs recess. Kids by nature have so much more energy than adults, and it is hard for them to sit still for so long. As a child with a lot of energy, I would always look forward to recess because it gave me the opportunity to run around like a crazy person for half an hour and then come back in and do more work.
The article says, “reporting fewer disciplinary actions, enhanced test scores and improvement in children’s overall health.” I agree with this and think this is a cool statistic. It makes sense that these kids would have better test scores because they no longer feel like they have tons of energy, and if they expelled some of their energy, they would be able to concentrate better. They would also be healthier because they have the ability to run around and they can make themselves have less energy, which means they would focus more.
I personally believe that if we had recess now in high school, people would get better test scores and they would be more focused because teens also need time to decompress from their days and just time for themselves. I feel like that would be beneficial for all high schoolers.
I believe young children should have access to recess and play time. Recess provides a healthy time length of stimulating physical activity and opportunity to relax the young and restless mind.
Children should have an outlet to let out their pent up energy without disrupting class. Young kids can use recess time to run around and exercise, which they might not have access to at home. Having time to play with other children also exposes young children to positive social behavioral skills. Imagination and creativity spark when you give children the opportunity to play fairy princesses or ninjas. Recess is a simple step towards forming friendships and interacting with others.
Recess also provides time for the young mind to rest after a long day of school work. Children often lose focus after rigorous hours of school and a 30 minute or so break allows them to regain their attentiveness and increase their mood.
If only recess lasted forever we would all be happier and healthier.
During my elementary and middle school years, every kid would say that recess was their favorite "subject" and to this day I bet kids are still saying the same thing. At school, we are having to spend hours upon hours sitting in a chair getting lectured and as we all know, kids in the 21st century are started to have a small amount of attention span in their brains. During my recess days when I was young we would play on the monkey bars or jumping rope to get all our energy out and even when I got older just walking around the parking lot and talking was a major stress relief. When reading the article I was suprised that when Ms. Dathan moved her children that their school only had twenty minutes to play outside. In my opinion that is not even close to being enough time.
It was no surprise to hear that when Ms. Dathan was trying to make a bill to extend the recess time to 50 minutes because apparently when the kids did not get enough time to release their energy. In the article, it states, "They found it difficult to focus on homework. They were restless and sometimes cranky after school, which she attributed to pent-up energy," and getting kid to do their homework when they are young is hard enough and this would just add frustration. In order to keep a kids' attention throughout the whole day, there is no doubt that a kid should get a long period of time to get their energy out.
During my years of elementary school and middle school, every kid would have said that recess was their favorite "subject." We would all get a group game going and start messing around running everywhere just to get our energy out. Even when I was in middle school just walking in big circles around the parking lot where we had recess and talking to my friends was a stress relief. Us kids are sitting there for hours upon hours getting lectured and our brains need a little bit of time to relax. But as soon as they yelled for us to come in, it seemed as if the time went by too fast.
After reading the article and reading that Ms. Dathan's kids only got 20 minutes to play outside, my immediate thought was, that is definitely not enough. Luckily, she was able to work on a bill that stated that kids should be given 50 minutes for recess. To be honest there was no doubt in my mind that the parents would agree because it also stated in the article that, "They were restless and sometimes cranky after school, which she attributed to pent-up energy," and it is let alone hard for a parent to get a kid to do their homework but with the added restlessness would drive them crazy. Kids brains also have a very limited attention span so giving them the ability to run free for a little bit is much needed.
For younger kids, recess is an important activity that helps children release energy and focus. After long periods of time studying, most kids will be dying for a break to help them have some fun, loosen up, and get their minds straight. Without a doubt, that break should be more than 20 minutes.
As Holston writes in the article, there are a number of benefits to allowing children to have longer recess. It gives them a time to get some of their energy out, making them ready to learn when in the classroom. The lack of defined boundaries helps stimulate creativity, which is very important in today's world. Lastly, it gives kids time to interact with one another. In a world full of screens, this may be some of the only face-to-face playing that these children will experience.
As a kid, I remember dying to get out and play. Whether it be football, basketball, tag, or any number of activities, that was always my favorite time of day, and 20 minutes is not enough time to enjoy that. In order to achieve the full potential of recess and allow the kids to exercise, be creative, and play with one another, this time must be extended.
Elementary and middle school was my first real exposure to the public learning environment. Recess is a time where kids can get their energy out, extend that period where they could relax and not worry about their schoolwork. For me, recess was the only way that I could have fun with my peers in other classes. Throughout the years, I made many friendships, mainly from two common denominators.
The first stem of my bonds would be sports. Your time on the kickball field, the basketball court, and even the 4-square arena gave you time to connect with other kids through a common passion. Using the schools sport facilities, even if it was a chalk square or post with some netting, with other students was so much more fun than playing with a few friends after school.
The other way I would find companions would be through my core classes. After 3rd grade, I was put into the AIG program. I had special classes with other gifted students and we often shared a great deal in common. We worked hard in our AIG class, but recess let our casual, childlike selves enjoy each others company.
Recess is a chunk of the day that has little productivity. However, it gives the kids something to look forward to. They will only be cooped up for so long before they can frolic. With the drive of freedom, children complete school and go back the next day.
I think that recess is essential to students, especially elementary school students. I think this because kids need some free time to be able to get outside of the classroom and to not be kept inside all the time while in school. Recess allows students to get away from learning for a little bit and to let out all cooped up energy that they need to express. Once a student is done with recess, they are usually ready to learn back in the classroom. Recess has been a thing in my school for elementary and middle school. While in elementary, most kids, including me, mostly would play games like kickball or tag on the recess yard. In middle school we have nutrition in the morning at 10:15, and about 45 minutes for lunch to eat and spend time with friends. I think that hopefully every school district would at least consider have a recess program to let the students escape the enclosement of the classroom. A good amount of time for recess should normally be about 15-20 minutes so the students are not out of the class for too long, but they still have some time to play and spend time with their friends.
As a kid, you would always look forward to recess consisting of running around and talking to your friends. I believe this time of day helped kids release energy that was being produced from sitting in a classroom for hours. Honestly, if I did not have recess in Elementary school I would not have survived the day. After reading this article I was amazed by how the less time you provide to kids to play the worse they perform in school.
As you grow up sitting in a classroom becomes more bearable but as a kid, all you want to do is run and play. I was lucky to be provided a recess in middle school because it always would give students something to look forward to. In high school after our hour-long lunch was taken away, all students look forward to is a 25-minute lunch. As you grow older recess becomes a fun memory but as a kid, it is a necessary time of day for them to succeed in school. I believe all elementary schools should provide 50 minutes or longer for recess if they want their students to thrive in their environment.
I think young children need a sufficient recess. Not only does it pressure them to use their imagination and social skills, but it also forces them to be active. When i was kid i would fidget in my chair for hours during lessons as i watched the clock countdown to recess time. During recess I would come up with imaginary situations with my friends where we were goddesses or secret spies. I would olay tag and olay active games with my classmates. Recess taught me to love using my imagination and even exercising.
It's been proven that recess for younger kids have beneficially impacted them as they grew up. Recess is show to have foster more athletic, healthier kids. It also brought up kids that had a better time concentrating and using their imagination. As Ms Dathan states in the article “Creativity does get stifled. You need to give kids an opportunity to learn social skills. It’s good for overall happiness. And playtime builds relationships.” just imagine a world without recess. Kids would be unhappy and unmotivated to try. It would not be so great.
It depends on the grade level/age of the student. All the way up to 5th grade, recess is almost essential to keep kids focused. They are young, and kids of that age have lots of energy that they need to get out of their systems from sitting in the classroom for hours. As kids get older, this need diminishes as they can control themselves better and their bodies slowly get used to less recess until high school where it is completely wrong. As kids get older, I feel like they would rather talk than play as well. To keep a 1st grader focused through the entire day without a break to play is unheard of.
The example in the story is a prime example of how the younger students need a break to run and be free. The kids were not only restless, but moody as well. This mindset and attitude does not promote good studying or learning. The legislation passed is a good step to making sure kids get the most out of their education. The amount of time given, 50 minutes, might be a bit excessive. I feel like closer to 30 or 40 minutes might be a better step.
I think that recess should be required in grades K-8 because at that age you have so much energy and if you just have to sit still for hours you cant fully focus on what you need to get done. In the article Lucy Dathan said that after she moved schools and her kid's recess time was cut short she noticed changes in their mood, they were cranky, restless, and had a hard time focusing. This is just one prime example of why having recess is needed for kids to be successful.
I remember as a child, I would go through the day preferring to stand next to my than to sit in my chair because of the amount of energy that I had gathered up inside of me. I was so tired of staying in one spot for hours. Then the bell rang. I would rush outside and play all different kinds of games with my friends. I learned to use my imagination and improvise. Then the next bell would ring, and I was sent back to my desk. This repeated almost everyday, recess was the highlight of my school day.
Studies have shown time and time again exercise increases both your mental and physical health. I believe that it is crucial for students to have time to grow and learn in a different way than what school can teach, and to release stress and tension through recreational activities. Just as Holson writes "playtime fosters the creativity that we need to solve crazy world problems", Through suppressing the time given to students to spend outdoors, society is limiting the potential of students. I can work and learn much more efficiently once I have exercised, and I think that it would be hurting students to revoke recess time to try to cram in more information in a school day.
Elementary school would not be the same without recess. I remember when I was a kid, recess is what kept me going throughout the day. Knowing that I would get to go play soon, release my energy, and have a little fun outdoors, made my day so much better. I believe it is more healthy for students at such a young age to have recess, but I also believe that kids of all ages deserve this time as well.
I do not think 20 minutes of recess is enough time. Ms. Dathan's kids, along with other kids, should be given at least 30-40 minutes per day to play outside. Even though recess gives students a little free time, it is ridiculous to say that it serves any other purpose besides a break in the school day for the students. In the article, Holsen states that recess helps global warming or other issues we need to face as a planet. Yes, recess helps kids release their energy and have a little bit of fun throughout the day, but there is no real learning purpose to it.
Personally I think that recess should be offered to students at all grade levels because it provides a time in the day where you can just let go and have a little freedom to yourself. If I was in elementary school right now, I would want more than 20 minutes to play outside.
I believe that kids do need more recces because some kids need time away from the class to refresh themselves or get all of their energy out. Some kids are hyperactive and need to a bit more time to release all of their energy. When you are in a class for a long you tend to get bored or you become very energetic because you have not done any outdoor activities. I am not a very athletic person myself but I think it would be nice to have more lunchtime or recess to have time to have a nice conversation with friends and such. It would be nice to have longer breaks to release energy and talk it out.
I think that kids should have more recess because they can get their mind off of school if their stress and the can be with their friends. They will also have more time to eat if its longer.
I do think that as a young child you do need a break from your work to get your energy out to be able to remain focused for the rest of the day. I know during recess you are able to refocus yourself for the day keeping on task easier, it also boosts your mood for the day.
I think in your day recess is the one time you look forward to and wait for, it is the one important thing that you use to get you through the day, so yes I do think it is very important for kids to have in school.
I do not have recess anymore in high school but I also don't think that it is necessary because the kids are able to make it through the day with the only break being lunch. I do think a break is important but you don't have to have recess.
I think it should be required to give kids recess because they need a way to prepare for class and focus in the next classes and get a break for the day.
I believe that kids do need more recess because at our school when we switch periods we have recess after and it's only 10 minutes so by the time we drop off our things to our next class we already wasted half the time. At the same time i feel it should not be extended because then school time would be extended and take time away from the rest of the day but also it's not changing the stress because we still have to do the same amount of work for the length of time.
Research shows that the more kids get a break from school, the more focused they will be while learning. I think that children do need recess because it allows them to refocus and gather themselves before they have to go back to learning. It gives them a small break to hang out and plays for a little. I believe that all grade levels should have time to hang out with friends, be themselves, and not be locked up in a room learning for a little while. Kids should have some free time where they can either study for a test, talk to friends who don't have classes with you, and so much more. During the break, kids learn how to share the playground, talk out and makeup with friends, and work with their imagination. I'm sure all of these things involve problem-solving, creativity, definitely curiosity. I believe that all places should have recess, as I say, again and again, kids need time to relax their brains and not be overworked. They will focus better in school and understand the lesson if they get time to unravel. I think that the right amount of recess time is 30 minutes, it allows you to be with friends, get their minds off of school and just be a kid.
I one hundred percent agree with this article about recess. I believe that recess is a time for us to relax ourselves before getting back to our studies. In the data it shows that giving elementary kids two recesses showed a better behavior and test scores. Recess lets kids talk, play and relax with friends so that they don’t fidget in class when they are learning or doing work. I agree with Ms. Dathan because I never heard any parents or teachers complaining about having recess (or in this case nutrition for my school). It lets us unwind and socialize with friends and eat a quick snack to get our energy up.
Recess was very important for me and I considered it as escape from school. As a middle schooler, We have at least 20 minutes of recess and the we got straight to lunch. Although we are middle schoolers and we don’t play as much at the little kids, I would like some more time for recess. I think 25 minutes of recess is an ideal time because it is not to short or to long. If recess was to short, children would be energetic after recess in class. If recess was to long, children would be tired out and may fall asleep in class. Lastly, I think states should require recess because school might seem like a prison to kids who don’t enjoy some of their subjects.
Recess is a necessity for elementary school kids. And I think it is good to lengthen recess for students. If students have no way of releasing their energy, they could turn it into aggression or be too distracted to pay attention in school. There are also many other reasons why recess is a must in the school day.
One parent, Ms. Dathan described her children’s transition from preschool to elementary school, and the less recess time that her children had in elementary school. She said that her children became restless and cranky after school due to the less recess time. They even had trouble with their homework. So recess can even help students with their studies and getting their work done.
When I was in elementary school, I made most of my friends through recess. Ms. Dathan states that recess gives “the opportunity to learn social skills” to her kids and also help foster their creativity. One way that recess fostered my creativity in elementary school was creating new games to play as opposed to the usual “tag” and hide and seek once they got repetitive.
Early studies about longer recesses have even shown improvements in students academic success. In Arizona, Ms. Dathan observed an elementary school that had two recesses a day. The results showed that students received fewer disciplinary actions, better test scores, and improved health in the students.
For little kids, Recess is an absolute necessity. I believe that it is very important for a kids development. When a kid starts school for the first time it a huge stress to them. A kids first opinion on school can have a permanent affect on their opinion on them. That is very important because a positive mindset about school compared to a negative mindset makes an immeasurable difference.
In the article Laura M. Holson describes a story how three kids moved from California to Connecticut. At the Connecticut school the recess time they had was half compared to the school in California, and the kids change in behavior was noticeable. It states that the kids were more energetic and cranky after school and they had less motivation to do homework.
This part of the article stands out to me because I had the same feelings as a kid at school. As a little kid waking up I was excited to go to learn to play with my friends at recess. That excitement over thinking of recess carried over to the excitement to learn more things. Recess in a way can motivate a kid to learn in their most critical stages of development. Another importance of recess for kids at school is helping calm the crazy amounts of energy all kids have. Every student can agree as a little kid it was so hard to focus in school the days we had indoor recess because of how much energy we had. That's just another example and more proof that recess has a positive effect on kids learning.
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I think that kids need recess to be able to have a break from sitting in the class all day long. To sit in a class for even hours straight would not be fun for the kids. They are also able to interact with other kids and run around. Recess for me meant i was able to take a break from school and let off steam. I was able to run around and be a kid instead of being trapped inside a classroom. Important life skills you learn at recess are being able to interact with other kids and be social. We still have some sort of recess during the day. I think that high school and middle school students should have some sort of recess and take a break from class. As a middle or high school student you are in class for two hours sometimes. So to have a break during the day is a good way to let off steam or just to have a break.
Recess is a beneficial aspect of a child's day in school. Younger kids have massive amounts of energy which, if not let out, can cause kids to struggle with focusing in class. When kids have pent up energy and can't focus in class they will cause disruptions in class, putting stress on the students and the teacher.
Recess is important. It lets you rest your mind when your stressed and sometimes you need to let out some energy,it helps with socializing.you get to know your friends better. that feeling when you know you don’t have to do anything and get to play outside after doing work in class is amazing. Then when you let out some energy you feel like you just started the day and you do better in whatever you were doing.
I do think kids need recess because it can help kids to focus for longer periods throughout the day. I think recess had a positive impact on my school life because after recess I would be more tired and willing to do school work.\I think that there is a connection between undirected play and creativity because after a student is able to go outside and use all of the energy that they have built up while they were inside, they can get more creative and focus more. Recess does help kids with they curiosity and their problem solving skills because when they are outside they are able to figure out their problems by themselves because there isn’t someone specific (like a teacher) directing them and telling them what needs to be done. They are able to figure it out themselves. I do think that all states and schools should require recess. I think this because parents say that their kids come back happier when they kids are able to go out to recess. It also has a positive impact on sed student’s attitude and how they learn for the rest of the day. I think the main reason that that is the case is because they (kids) are able to release all of their energy and come back well rested and ready to focus. I think that there should be at least an hour total of undirected play for all students.
Yes, elementary and middle school students should recess. Recess can be good for students because being in a classroom all day would cause them to lose focus. Also, recess gives kids time to interact with others students and have fun instead of working all day long.
I do believe that recess should be mandatory for every elementary school and middle school. Having a recess is a good way for us to go out and socialize and possible exercise from being in class for several hours. Kids need a way to interact and have fun outside instead of being on devices.
I don't even think this is a question. I know of no kid ever that will be better able to focus and happier without recess. I know for a fact that if I didn't have a recess as a kid, I would have had no ability to focus.
Recess is not only essential for learning, but is also huge for socializing and building relationships. This is when people escape the confides of the classroom and are thrown into a social hive. They are forced to meet people and learn quintessential socializing skills. For that reason, recess is essential for elementary school children.
I also feel as though there would be some benefit of having a free period like recess for kids in middle and high school. Although we have adapted to a life of sitting, we could still greatly benefit from time out of the classroom. At my school, the only free time we are given is a 25 min period for lunch. That minuscule amount of time is our only equivalent to a recess, and it's not nearly enough.
Even if its all fun and games, children do need to be allowed time to let out all the energy they always have. 15-minute recesses are not effective and reduces the amount of recesses allowed as children get into higher grades and receive more work is a double edged sword. Children cannot focus when they are antsy and there are many scientific studies to validate the claim that EVERYBODY, not just children, need breaks from working every now and then, or else they might perform less well at work. Children should have recess at least twice a day, for at least 20 minutes, to be able to let out all there energy and wildness, and be prepared, relaxed and hopefully more focused for schoolwork.
In the article "Sates Consider Longer School Recess, and the Adults Aren't Complaining", Holsen writes about the importance of recess implemented into young children's lives during school and everyday life. I agree with her statement, having grown up in a school with at least half an hour of recess. I was gratefully allowed to experience first hand the benefits that allow children to strive better in class, socially and creatively.
In today's society, we are very work oriented and competitive against others through work ethic and our work drives. I believe this is implemented at a young age, through the monotonous school work that lacks any creativity, and it starts as early as kindergarten. We are taught the basics and facts, and while this is very beneficial for our future, we are devoid of any aspect of originality or creativity within the classroom. One way this was taught was through recess, which allowed time for young children to get out their energy and express their imagination.
In the article Sandra Russ, a professor in the department of psychological sciences, states. "Creativity in children involves the ability to make things up and generate ideas on their own." This is limited within the classroom, which is why recess is important for children growing up in schools. It also gives them the time to recharge from sitting at a desk for hours at a time, making both their work and attention better during class time.
Children need recess. It's a need that should be fulfilled in plenty daily. In addition, a 20-minute "recess" is not a recess; I believe 30 minutes or more of "undirected play for students" is vital to their education. As I'm sure most everyone can attest too, children have boundless energy. To not let them express and release that energy leads to finding "it difficult to focus on homework," being "restless and sometimes cranky after school," and "losing the ability to navigate personal relationships" (Holson).
Personally, my opinion is that all schools should implement some sort of break for students, regardless of the grade. Until this year, my school implemented something called "smart lunch". The gist of Smart Lunch is this: students have one hour of free time. They can choose to go to a club meeting, meet with a teacher, or have lunch. I've had conversations with students this year about not having that creativity that Sandra Russ was talking about in the passage. And as with Ms. Dathan, I noticed a palpable mood change in the entire school. Without the possible time of creative expression, our student population has become less vibrant, and quite monotonous.
It's not just elementary kids you need recess. It's all of us.
Of course kids need recess. Its incredibly inhuman to think children can sit through 7 hours of work and only get 30 minutes to eat. They're kids. They need to play and get their energy out. They're not gonna be able to put their all into their work if they are forced to sit for 7 hours straight, and longer recesses will get everything out of a kids system and allow them to socialize, making a much better environment and work ethic.
I have always believed, that the amount of energy we put into our work, will determine how much we succeed. I personally think that if we put more energy into our work, we are more likely to succeed. Finding energy during the school day can be hard, considering so much of our time is taken sitting in a classroom. That is why, i think it is important for students to take breaks by the hour.
Whether it is getting up to stretch, or taking a bathrooms break, students deserve five minutes for themselves every hour, considering we devote so much time to school. In my eyes, this is a win for everyone because, the student, gets to rejuvenate there energy, so the teacher can get everyone's divided attention. Take testing for examples, according to a PNAS article, "20- to 30-minute break improves average test performance by 1.7% of an SD (95% CI, 1.2–2.2%)," . This piece of information concludes that breaks, can only help to improve test scores, by 1.7%.
"Ms. Dathan said a shift in her children’s mood was palpable ... They were restless and sometimes cranky after school, which she attributed to pent-up energy,", this quote from, " Do Kids Need Recess, " shows that the lack of energy that has been carried on throughout the day even effects how well students succeed at home. This is why, it is so important for children to constantly renew the energy that is being lost in sitting in a classroom. It will only help benefit them in a classroom, and at home.
I believe that children absolutely need recess. It allows them to make friends, play games, and create valuable experiences. In essence, it allows children to develop socially during their most critical stage. Furthermore, recess helps to relieve the, “restless[ness]... attributed to pent-up energy” (Holson). The Surgeon General recommends that younger children receive at least an hour of high to moderate activity each day, and so it can be seen that recess acts as a valuable tool in both the mental and physical growth of children.
However, too much of a good thing can be bad. It is simply ridiculous and naive to suggest that recess, while incredibly useful in the elementary education, can serve to address any higher purpose, “like global warming, or other issues we need to face as a planet” (Holson). Recess is time away from learning necessary educational material which the school systems provide. It is the duty of the school systems to provide a balanced and proper education. While children should be allowed recess, the majority of the time should be dedicated to academics within the classroom.
With all that being said, I think that a lot of teachers approve of longer recess times to simply cut out some instructional time. It is very similar to when a parent tells their child to go, “play outside” when they do not want to deal with them; the education of the American youth is an important thing and should not be jeopardized by the sloth of adults.
Kids absolutely need recess. In elementary schools, the mind of a child is consumed by just playing. No child could sit through seven hours straight of just learning. They need the small break in between to be a kid. Without recess, kids will not sit still. They already do not sit still with recess, so imagine if they did not have recess to let some of their energy pour out. It is almost cruel to keep a child still for that long. Recess calms students down so they can be brought back inside and be taught while being able to focus. I remember in elementary school that recess was my favorite time of the day every single day. I got to play with my friends and be a kid as well as get fresh air. It was my time to let all my energy run loose. Without recess, kids will have pent up energy and will not be able to focus on the class discussions and the class lessons.
I think kids should be able to have recess because all day they are building up energy. If they don’t have a break, it is impossible for them to retain information. Kids need extra time, and it gives them built in time to exercise and explore sports. Schools have been challenging kids with the curriculum, and the 8 hours of learning new information would be difficult if recess didn’t exist. Because school is stress, recess is necessary for schools. Not only does it allow kids to explore sports, but it also gives them time to make new friendships. Although recess takes extra time, it is better off in the long run as it can result in better test scores. All in all, recess is more beneficial to the kids than an extra math or science lesson would be.
After spending 3-4 hours learning about different subjects, I could definitely use a break to help me refocus and efficiently learn the material. Recess was just that. I could remember feeling energetic after playing a game of four-square, kickball, or swinging on the swings. However, when I was learning many complex subjects in a time span of 6-7 hours, I wouldn’t be able to concentrate and felt tired and antsy when I was in my seat. Children should have recess because it allows them to relax and have fun, and it will allow them to increase their concentration.
Ms. Daithan describes the shift in her children’s behavior when their recess time went from approximately 40 minutes to 20. “They were restless and sometimes cranky after school, which she attributed to pent-up energy,” the article states. As a high schooler, who only receives a 30 minute lunch as a break, I would often leave school feeling fatigued and having painful headaches, and I wouldn’t even learn the information. In addition, I gain the taught information a lot better when I study it in a 60-30 ratio: 60 minutes of studying, 30 relaxing and taking a break.
I think it would be better for myself and many others if we had recess. We would gain information more efficiently and we would feel more energetic for athletics, extra-curriculars, and even homework assignments. This can increase overall performance and success, which everyone would definitely like!
I think kids need recess because they can’t sit still. If kids can’t play, they will be louder in class and cause more trouble. Teachers hate when kids talk in class because it disrupts them from their lessons. After they play at recess, they are more focused in class after getting tired out. Teachers will have a better time teaching if kids are quieter, and they will be able to have have fun with the kids. The longer the recess is, the more the kids get their energy out. Recess should last more than 40 minutes to give the kids time to play, and the kids should get available equipment for them to get exercise. I remember in elementary school when we only got 20 minutes of recess, and I thought it felt so much shorter. When I got back to the classroom, I would talk with a bunch of people in my class because I never let my energy out fully. Recess is really about letting energy out so that the kids can focus better in school. Also, the interaction part is great for kids to meet each other. Their attention span will last longer for them to get work done, and they make new friends from playing games or talking at recess.
Rebecca Paterkiewicz, Jason Kroin & Natalie Reed
Children should be allowed recess in school because it provides them with good social skills and improves academic scores. Teachers saw that their students were restless in class and wouldn’t behave, but having extra time to run around calmed them down. Recess also gets rid of negative feelings because students are having fun with their friends. Also, recess helps kids develop their social skills, and this will make them a better person in the future. This will lead children to become more involved in sports, and have a healthy lifestyle. Ms.Dathen, who was elected to the Connecticut legislature, agreed to support a state bill that requires schools to provide at least 50 minutes of physical activity a day. She believes that the creativity of these toddlers will be increased to help solve worldwide issues, such as global warming, etc. Due to these encouraging results, other schools are looking into increasing their recess time. In conclusion, schools should allow more than 20 minutes of recess a day.
All schools should require recess because kids can get exercise and socialize. Kids should have recess because they always have to sit in the classroom all day, but at recess they get to exercise and become healthier. Although kids get hurt, recess is a place where kids also socialize and make new friends. Kids shouldn’t have to be trapped in a room all day and need free time to help refocus on school. Also during recess you can learn how to deal with a bully because sometimes bullying occurs at recess. Recess allows kids to have fresh air for 20-30 minutes, and helps kids get through each school day. During recess you can get good exercise, relaxing is also an option for those who want a mental break from class. This is why we think schools should have recess.
@Brandon
I agree that kids should have recess, but could you elaborate on why you think that recess would help with kids with bullying.
At my elementary and middle school, recess was the best 45 minutes of each day. It was time to exercise, physically and mentally. It also gave us an opportunity to spend time outside without any technology, which in our modern world is very important. Recess is essential to a child’s development.
The Big C Project shows just why recess is important. Creativity is established at a young age, and recess is a good opportunity for kids to exercise and grow their creativity. When I was in elementary and middle school, recess was an opportunity to express my creativity and problem-solve with my friends. It also gives children an opportunity to exercise, which can be difficult for students to do at home because they also have homework and other activities to complete, which can take up all their free time.
Recess is important, and should be available to all elementary and middle school students. It is important that every day they have time to exercise, express their creativity, and just be a kid.
Recess should be required in younger education to create more creativity and curiosity. Students then are exercising when they have recess. They may not know that they are intentionally learning during recess, but they are.
@Samantha Crawford I agree with you. This is short and to the point. I think recess is a great time for kids to be kids and not have to sit through class.
I personally think that students in all grades should have recess. Yes, as we get older maybe we may use our recess time differently than when we were younger but we still need it. When I was in elementary recess it helped a lot with my socializing. Socializing can be done anywhere at almost anytime, it is a key part of our life. Every day my motivation to come to school isn't just for academic purposes but it is to also meet and hang out with my friends, and in elementary school, recess was the time to do it. Every student needs recess and should decide themselves on how to use it during the day. But recess won't just help kids, it can also help teachers. Everybody needs a break at some point in the day, teachers and students both need it for their benefit. The only downside about recess I can think of is cutting out more time in classes for recess.
I think kids should have recess because it would be good for them to figure out how to solve problems with their friends on their own using creativity. It also helps them make friends without any supervision from the teacher. Also recess is important because it gives them a lot of exercise to get them stronger in life mentally and physically. Recess can also take out any negative feelings in your mind because you are having fun with your friends instead of being in class. For me it helps me get more lose so that way my mind is more fresh and I can focus in my classes. If you are having a tough subject like math for you next class longer recess can get your mind all cleared up to concentrate more on the subject. I think a good amount of time for kids to have recess would be about 25 to 30 minutes of recess. When I was younger I used to be able to play on the playground before I got into class when school started, but only when I got to school early. I could not focus any better since I could not play around on the playground anymore. Then one year the school made the playground off limits to everyone before school started. I don't agree with that decision. Recess is good for kids because they can learn how to socialize and work out problem with other things including each other. Recess is also good for kids because it can exercise both sides of the brain. That will make the kids less board while the teacher is talking about the subject that you are doing in class.
I believe that recess is essential to a child's development. A kid can't learn the social skills they need in a way they would learn math or history, it's something they need to experience themselves. For me, recess was a time to take a break from the classroom and breathe. I could talk to my friends and interact with others in a free environment (to a certain extend of course). I could also get in exercise by running around in the field or swinging on the monkey bars.
Now that I'm in middle school, we don't really have recess anymore. I think that recess should extend farther than just K-5 because your brain isn't fully developed till your 20's, so why should we be treated any differently?
I agree with Robert Bilder because children should be allowed time to act and think freely without the instruction of a teacher. Undirected play also doesn't require a certain outcome, so the possibilities are only limited to one's imagination. During recess, kids have plenty of opportunities to make decisions for themselves.
For these reasons, I do believe that all schools should require recess because it goes hand-in-hand with certain aspects of development. However, recess shouldn't be too long because there should be a balance of structured and unstructured activities.
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@Sophia A
I totally agree with you because kids need time to get their energy out. The more they get their energy out, the more they pay attention in school. Also, kids will make new friends at recess. The interaction part is important, and so is the part where the kids get to exercise. They possibly can have an easier time learning, making new friends, and getting exercise.
Yes, I do believe that children need recess. Recess allows us to release all the energy we have built up in our 1-2 hour classes. Without recess, we would be restless and not pay attention to what is going on in class. Recess is very important in my schooling. During recess, I use that time to study for tests if I have a test next period or I use it to just talk to my friends and have fun. Some important skills and life lessons I have learned or developed through recess is how to be more social and how to make friends. I think the recess is for everyone. I do still have recess. I do agree. I do think that there is a connection between daily undirected play and creativity. I do think that recess can help children develop curiosity and creativity and problem-solving. I think that all states and school districts should require recess because it helps students study better which is the reason for going to school, to get a better education. I think the ideal amount of time for recess should be around 30 minutes.
I believe children deserve the right to have recess. It can be quite uncomfortable just sitting in a chair having to learn things that you might be bored of for several hours straight. Our minds and the children's minds are so focused on what we are learning about that, it can be mentally draining. I feel like this is the perfect time for kids to let out their energy and activeness to do what they feel comfortable doing, since they can’t be as free in class. Physical activity can drastically change our moods. When I was in elementary school, I really enjoyed recess because, we could play games on the playground and talk as much as we want to our friends. Now, that I’m in middle school, we only have recess once a day. Nutrition is quite boring since we don’t have as much space to hangout. Since we are older, there are teenagers, including me that don’t really play that much on the playground or run around. All I do during recess is just hang out with my friends, walk around, and just have good conversations. I just think there are different perspectives from kids and young teens because, since we have to go through so many subjects and classes each day, that we get so tired and most of our energy can be taken away towards the end of the day for lunch. Children still have a whole lot of energy in them, mostly because they’re so small and much younger than us. Recess is also can be very influential for children, including curiosity, imagination, or even inspiration.
Children most definitely need to have recess. I was lucky to have recess all throughout elementary and middle school, and it was one of the best parts of my childhood. When I was in elementary school, my friends and I would meet up every day at recess, and climb these monkey bar-like things. The lowest was yellow, the middle height was red, and the highest was blue. It was almost like an age hierarchy, with the oldest kids getting to sit on the highest bar, and the younger sitting on the lowest. In first and second grade, we looked up to the kids that sat on the highest bar, and we felt so cool when we were finally old enough and big enough to do the same. We would always talk and laugh, and it became my favorite tradition in elementary school. During seventh and eighth grade, my friends and I were really into football and played it every day. It was a great midday release, and a chance to relax and not have to think about school. We would pick new sides each time and It really brought us together working as a team. After recess, we would always talk about who made the best catches, throws, interceptions, and of course, lightly tease whoever made the worst. I wouldn't trade those
great memories for anything. In general, I completely agree with the article that more recess is a good thing. Recess introduced me to some of my closest friends at the time, got us good exercise, and stimulated our brains to help us succeed in our classes following it.
I believe that all districts should require recess. Recess is one of the very few times in the day kids are allowed to take a break from learning new information. On another note, I think that all states and the districts inside them should require a good amount of time for recess because not only do the students need a break, but they also need a way to express themselves and have fun.
I believe having recess is a part of school where students can just take a break and have fun. I think that taking a break from school by playing outside is a great idea. I think it gives children a break from school. Recess can give them Recess can give them time to clear their heads from any stress they could be thinking about. It also gives their brains some relax time. Recess also gives time for kids to get to know their peers and gain friendships. I think not having recess can affect the education of a child. For example, if a child has a lot of energy and has had no recess, this could maybe cause them to be disruptive. I have learned to get to know or talk to other people, besides the people I usually talk to, in my grade. This made me a little more comfortable talking to my peers. Having around 50 minutes of free play would be great, so kids could have a brain break and rest a little from class. Though recess shouldn’t be too long so the child’s learning won’t be spent all on playing. Having recess or nutrition is important for students.
I think recess is a opportunity for kids to make friends,get active, and most importantly de-stress. As you get older the more stress is put on your body,having something to do that relieve you of that is a necessity, Mrs.Dathan said that once her kids came back from having little to no recess at all they seemed unfocused, moody, and restless. When i was in secondary i loved recess, if you asked me my favorite class i probably would have said lunch or recess because it was a way for me to fool around and not worry about school. I think having a break in between classes would be great for secondary children and even high schoolers like me, i would love if we had a break or even a longer lunch- at my school lunch is only twenty five minutes, which is crazy. Recess stimulates the parts of your brain that control wonder and creativity, i believe without that you aren't human- you cant express emotions without creativity. I believe all schools should allow a break or “recess: so everyone can de-stress and have time to use parts of the brain they aren't using in class.
I believe that children need recess because if children didn't have recess, they would be overwhelmed and they would have so much energy build up inside them, they won't pay attention in class, be disrespectful and be obviously bored. Recess is technically important in our school because well we develop more communication skills to talk to our friends and eat our nutritional snacks. Our school still has recess but it's technically not like that instead of playing we just go eat a snack but from students, perspective recess should be mandatory for all high schools and middle schools, for many reasons like students won't be overwhelmed and be more into stuff. I strongly believe that states and school districts should require recess because you don't want students to work constantly without a treat if a student doesn't get their treat then they'll act differently, they'll be tired and anxious. I think recess should be at least 25 minutes or 30 minutes but this is what I agree but more people would agree with me or not but I strongly believe that recess should be mandatory in every school.
I have a firm belief that children do need recess in order to have a better school life in general. This is because they need to have a way for their energy to be released and, while I myself am pretty relaxed, most kids have a ton if they have 7 hours of school work to do. They need time for their brain to relax and for them to have a way to communicate with their friends. This would allow them to release any stress as well as being able to build and reinforce friendships. This would be required for anyone to be a good person, as this time would be able to help them develop people skills. It is important to develop people skills in order to function better as a part of society, and if everyone is able to develop people skills, then society as a whole functions better. Also, recess time allows time for them to take a break. This break increases test scores and behavior, as shown by studies. Therefore, I can conclude that if we as a nation want to perform better and have smarter citizens who care more, then we have to start at a young age. This is where we provide recess time. Recess should be legally required to be provided all the way up through high school, where most dropouts are. I believe that if high school had recess, then there would be higher test scores in school, and also more commitment. This would result in more graduation rates, and therefore a smarter society. I think that at least 5 minutes of free play time for every hour of school time should be required.
Recess is just as important as a normal class. Everybody needs to get outside an exercise, and this implements the importance of exercise to young children. Throughout my elementary years, I remember recess being my favorite part of the day, and it helped me learn about the importance of being physically active.
As Ms. Dathan says,"They were restless and sometimes cranky after school, which she attributed to pent-up energy." I remember when I'd be hyper and wilder if I wasn't given the chance to go outside and move. I see it in my little brother now, who is going through elementary school, and how there is a very clear difference between him when he gets to go outside, versus when he doesn't get to go outside.
Everybody from an adult worker, to a preschooler, can get tired or cranky from sitting in front of a desk all day. So to expect young kids to be able to sit there with little to no time at recess is more of an invitation for them to act in ways they wouldn't act if they did have a good amount of time for recess.
For me, recess is a must for younger children. As a kid recess for me was a way to release all my built up energy. I remember about 40 students would make a plan and schedule worked out so that we could all play tag. We thought about meet up spots rules who was in charge. All of these things taught me things like critical thinking and working in a group. I think all states in all schools should add recess to their schedule, especially after a long time where kids have been sitting down. Recess is essential to get kid’s cooped up energies out. The ideal amount of recess in my opinion should be proportional to the amount of school time a person has. For example if a kid has school until 2 p.m, the recess time should be around 35 minutes. If a kid has school until 4 p.m a kid should have a 50 minute recess. It is a win or lose because some potential downsides to mandating recess can be the loss of valuable time to work on subjects in class related. Another would be that the kids come back from recess all jittery and talkative. Overall, I believe recess any any time of break would be good and should be mandatory.
Maybe I’m biased because I still am a kid, but I know that when I was younger recess played a major role in my school day. Not only did it provide something for me to look forward to, but, as a younger kid, it gave me time to meet and interact with others outside of the classroom. There was one year where I didn’t get to have recess everyday, and I distinctly remember being in a worse mood on the days where my class had to walk by all the other classes during recess. On those days, we didn’t get time to get our energy out and play. We didn’t get time to take a break from learning so we could return to the classroom more focused.
For high school students like myself, I still think there should be a required break for students, aside from the usual 30 minute lunch. Even if students aren’t playing outside or making new friends, this time could be used for doing homework, tutoring, or even just catching up with friends. This way, after this break, students will go back to class feeling more focused and prepared because they’ve had time to take a break from sitting in a classroom all day.
In the article, the announcement of students receiving a longer required break wasn’t questioned, and I think this reaction would be the same for students and parents everywhere. If staff members want the best for their kids, including the best results from classes, they’ll make the right decision and include a longer break in the school day.
I believe that children need recess because they need a break from learning or to free themselves playing with their friends. Recess was important to me because I would always look forward to go outside and go on the swings or play tag with my friends. I was always happy being outside and taking a break from learning because it would stress me out. In recess, we learn to share and be respectful to each other. I don't have recess anymore since i'm in middle school but we do have time to play outside when it's lunch. Another recess I consider is nutrition, where we eat our snacks and talk to our friends. Our nutrition is 10 minutes long, but I think it should be longer because some of us don't finish what were eating. I think not just elementary students, but us as well, and high school students, should have a break from learning. After my break, I would feel better to learn because I feel ready. I do agree with Robert Bilder because your recess involves something in your learning or creativity. Yes, I think all schools or districts should have a recess because we get to interact with our friends and have a break from learning instead of being stuck inside a classroom the whole day. The ideal amount of time for recess should be 25-30 minutes and too much recess would be an 1 hour.
I believe recess should be apart of all schools. When I say this, I don't mean streotypical recess where kids run around and play sports, I mean a break where kids can let loose and hangout with their friends. For example, my high school used to have a lunch called SMART lunch. In SMART lunch, we had an hour to eat, get tutored, do extra work, or just hangout with friends. All of my peers believe that this was an amazing way to have a "recess".
Ms. Dathan claims that she saw a negative shift in her students attitudes when they did not have recess compared to when they did. She took charge of that and made it law that every school gave kids a minimum of 50 minutes of recess.
Kids are under lots of pressure to perform well academically during school, we are also expected to give it our best effort. But, how can we do that when we are mentally drained halfway through the day. In my opinion, it is outrageous for faculty and staff to believe that 30 minutes of "free time" that we have to also use to eat our food is acceptable and long enough.
Recess promotes activity and interest in sports. It gives kids an opportunity to socialize and take a break from the internet and their cellphones that each year parents come up with a surprisingly young age. It encourages joining sports teams and choosing a healthier lifestyle.
I think children need recess because it can help them get their energy out. After being in a classroom all day, children all ages need to have a break. For middle schoolers and high schoolers, there needs to be a longer nutrition, and more time in between classes. It is hard for all kids to focus after doing school work especially when you are using electronics. Kids should also always be able to let their mind have a break as well as their bodies. Middle school and high school students are constantly being overworked with lots of homework on top of the long classes. So, a break such as recess can benefit all ages and grades.
Yes, I do believe that students should have recess and longer ones too. I think recess should be a school requirement. I believe this because it’s something that lets kids get their energy out. As a student myself I hate to be cooped up all day without any long periods of free time during the school day. School is very long and not the most fun thing ever, you never get to do your own thing besides at recess. I think it’s also important because you get to talk to your friends, in class you’re not allowed to. You can also build problem-solving skills in the recess yard because there are no teachers. I personally think that there should be a lot longer recesses. For nutrition, the students in middle school get ten minutes and most of them drop off their backpacks at their next class(who wants to carry their super heavy backpack). That usually leaves about only seven or six minutes left. Would if there’s a long line in the bathroom, that leaves three minutes left. You want to eat don’t you, well you better hurry because the bells about to ring. Students need a lot more time at recess and at lunch. I don’t want to choose between eating and going to the bathroom. Ten or twenty minutes or more time wouldn’t kill anyone. So please give us more time!
Yes, I strongly believe that kids or students of all age should be able to have some sort of recess. Or even a break to lay off a bit from hours of sitting in a classroom. Not only does recess allow kids to run, play, and chat with their friends, but it teaches them communication skills and how to get along with others. I can think of multiple situations in which there had been a small argument on the playground and us kids resolved it ourselves by either talking it out or compromising. These are skills that we should learn at a young age so as we get older, we know how to talk and communicate with others.
I myself still have a "recess" which is ten minutes of nutrition (a snack break in the school quad) and about forty minutes of lunch. Our lunch could be considered as a recess though since we do get to spend the first half of it on the elementary playground. I do like the fact that middle schoolers in my school still get to have a playground as it adds more years of play time. I believe that ALL states and ALL schools should require at least a twenty-minute recess or break from all the stressful work inside the classroom. All students should have the opportunity to express themselves freely at school. Freedom is a kid's best friend, and they should be able to have their daily bit of it, especially in school.
I really enjoyed reading this article because I was able to go back to my elementary school days and rememeber being able to have 50 minutes to almost an hour to play outside. When hearing how kids are now limited to now only 20 minutes per day made me extremely upset. Kids these days are being pushed to work beyond there limits to succeed in school. I feel like it's very important to have 50 mins of recess because we have 6 house of school in a day. Sparing just an hour to get some vitamin D and take a breather from working could overall be healthier for the children in general. Especially when they return to class they would be willing to pay attention since they got there fill of play-time.I understand that parents believe that kids these days will define "play" as siting on the sidewalk and playing on a device For example, There are trade-offs, of course, to replacing an outdoor playground with a digital one. “There is good and bad,” he said. “We now have a community all over the world. But there is a loss of face-to-face interactions.” Instead of worrying about this problem we should limit there device usage or get rid of it completely. To be blunt, Education is extremely important but so is socialization skills and physical skills that all come from recess. So we shouldn't get rid of it!
Recess is something that every child needs. Recess is a period of the day where kids can release all they're pent up energy as well as develop key social skills with his or her fellow classmates. I remember as a kindergartener, making my first friends at recess. I remember my parents asking how my day was at school and I would only tell them about recess because that was the most fun and memorable part of my day as a kid. In the article “States Consider Longer School Recess…”, the writer Laura Holson says how kids require recess because it is a way for the kids to release their energy in a positive way as well as develop key social skills. The article even states how kids can be cranky and restless after school because of a shortened recess. I remember as a kid being in held in from recess because it was raining outside, I also remember how I would feel irritable because of my want to run around and play.
I think that every school should be required to have at least 45-60 minutes of recess to allow the children to release their energy in a positive way. This is even more important in the higher grades because as students move on in school their stresses in and out of school increase.
Recess is something everyone needs. It can be anything from play time to a relaxation session. The point is that recess is something that will benefit all students.
Adults and teachers all over the world are arguing if a recess is necessary for kids or is it just a waste of time. Some school has even added more time to the kid's recess. Other schools have reduced the amount of time they give the kids recess. As a student, I believe that kids my age and younger do deserve recess or a break at least. Like any human being, we all need a break and we all need to breathe a little bit of fresh air once in a while. Sitting in the classroom for long periods of time can cause a lack of focus and can cause distractions in our brains. There are small amounts of stress mountains on top of us every class and going to recess or nutrition lets us relax and socialize with our friends. Kids should also have recess because we as kids have friends and all we want is to socialize with them and express our personal problems with people we trust and love. Recess was very important to me because it gave me time to tell friends I trusted personal problems out of school. They helped me and I stopped stressing out about it. Since then I spend my time during recess talking to my friends about their problems just like they did to me. I believe that all districts around the world should give kids at least a 30 minutes break. A recess can help kids not only figure out arguments by themselves but to have a nice little break so they can refresh their minds and come back to class with more energy to learn.
Yes, I think kids need recess because it gives them a break from all of the learning and the school work that they do. Now, as middle schoolers, we only get one recess and nutrition. Nutrition is only 10 minutes and recess is only 15 minutes, which isn’t very long and some people barely even have enough time to eat their snacks. I think all grades should be able to have recess because it allows you to think about other things than just school work. Some people in middle school and high school may object to recess because they are older and their views on recess may have changed, but I still think it’s important for them to get a break for at least 15 to 20 minutes because we’re at school for 7 hours a day and working all day without taking a break is bad for you. Yes, I do think that undirected play and creativity come hand in hand because when children play together it helps them to develop their social skills and it helps them with exploring their imaginations and creativity etc. I do think that all states should require at least one to two recesses so that kids can be able to clear their brains of anything after working for a long period of time. I think the ideal amount of time for recesses would be about 25 to 30 minutes. I think too much time for recess would be about 40 to 50 minutes. I do think that there are potential drawbacks to establishing recesses because if your recess is too long then that allows the potential risk of kids getting into trouble easier.
When you're a child, you have many thoughts and imaginative resources. For some children, recess is definitely necessary and increases your mood for the day, or according to teachers, enhances their learning abilities. For other children, it doesn't really matter, and they could have a 10 minute break for the day. Personally, I do enjoy fertile and talking to my friends. In my opinion, it really just depends on the child.
Every person deserves their own recess. We all need some time to regroup from school and prepare our mindset for the rest of the day. I only have a 35 minute lunch and it flies by, so I think having a longer time to socialize and eat lunch is very important. Previously, I had lunch that lasted an hour so I was able to enjoy my lunch without paying attention to the time and I was also able to talk to all my friends and relax for a little while. I feel like by not having this crucial time during my 7 hour school day, I am more stressed throughout the day because I have barely any time to just take a break and breathe. Every grade needs a recess.
Lucy Dathan talks about when her kids changed schools, there was something different about their daily routine. "But something was amiss: Recess was limited to a 20-minute break after lunch." This is just like how my middle school was. We had 20 minutes for lunch, 20 minutes for recess, and it was horrible. I had to finish my lunch at recess because it went by so fast. But in elementary school, I can't remember how much time for recess we had, but it was much longer than 20 minutes. I think that a longer recess is more beneficial to everyone, because kids that age need to get their energy out and they can't concentrate for that long without a break. It will help them focus better by coming back inside with a fresh mindset ready to continue learning. Recess is every kid's favorite time of day and that shouldn't be taken away from them.
I believe that kids need recess. The reason I say this is because recess is a period of time in which the student can get all their energy out. Elementary, middle, and high school all ask kids to sit indoors and learn, but how much of that can they take? When I was younger I was very energetic and recess was my way of getting everything out before having to sit down and pay attention to whatever my teacher is saying. That was in Elementary and now I'm in Middle School. People grow up and as that happens we learn to have a longer attention span, but even if that's the case getting out and doing something is just as important to a High School student as it is to an Elementary student. Even in Middle School I still have "recess" but I believe that it's important to keep that up throughout all of the years that I and everyone are in a school. We are asked to read a quote by Robert Bilder and after reading I agree with him. I also believe that there is a connection between undirected play and creativity because if nobody is telling you what to do and how to do it you find something to do on your own. All of this helps children tap into their creativity but also build other necessary skills they need to work with others and do well in the world. I also believe that all states and school districts should require recess because it's a mental break from your classes. In my opinion, 40 to 50 minutes of recess is the perfect amount of time that should be allotted to kids.
I believe kids do need recess. Recess for me when I was younger as I recall it was a blast. I got to hangout run around,play on the playground, handball court, field, and just get all of my energy out of me. Recess does help kids to improve their communication skills, meet new people, being able to put themselves out there, and becoming social. My reasonings are us kids that go to school have to sit in a chair for the 7 hours we go to school or more depending on the time you start and the time you finish. I start at 7:40 and end at 2:35 so I'm in a chair for 7 hours or so. In those 7 hours, I have recess or nutrition for 10 minutes! Those 10 minutes are not enough because I have to leave my backpack in my Spanish class which takes 3 minutes, then I'm going to the bathroom, takes another 3 minutes since its always packed, and then I end up with only 4 minutes which is not enough for me to eat my food peacefully, and not rush. If we have more recess I that would help us lot because we would be able to be up and play have some time to stretch out and get the school work stress out of us. I wouldn't want to stay more time after school just to add another 10 minutes into our recess cause that's like nothing
I do think that children need recess, they need to have time out of the class to run around and play. Recess was important to my schooling because after learning all these new things I got time to go outside and let off steam. I spent my recess time running around to playground with my friends. Some important skills I learned was communication with all the other kids. My school does still have recess, we have it before we eat lunch. I think that students of all ages should have recess because we need time to clear our minds before the next class. I do think that there is a connection between daily undirected play and creativity because no one is telling you what to do, you can do anything that you think of. I do think that recess can help children develop curiosity, creativity, and problem solving because of the games that they playing and kids they talk to. I think that all states should require recess because kids and even teachers should have a break from what they are learning and doing. I think the ideal recess time is 20 to 25 minutes. Too much recess would be 30 minutes because it takes too much time away from the kids learning. There is a potential downside to recess because after a while kids could stop using their brains to make games.
I believe recess is very necessary to a child’s childhood. This thirty to forty five minutes of fun helps get some of the stored up energy they have out of their systems. Also it allows them to develope communication and cooperation skills without the supervision of a teacher. I personally have nothing but good memories of recess. I had fun with my class mates and made friends from other classes that without this shared time I may have never met.
Recess for children should be regarded as important as math, it’s CRUCIAL for student’s lives. Recess is a time where kids relax and play. Children not being to play, is like a hummingbird not being able to use it’s wings. I know that when I was a kid, recess was my favorite time of day. When asked what my favorite school subject was I’d say recess. Thinking back to my days of recess, there not much I remember other than running around like a mad man, or talking to my imaginary friends. Recess was something that I remember fondly, I don’t think there will be any negative impacts to longer recesses. So if something is positive, and as the articles states, results in fewer disciplinary actions, enhanced test scores and improvement in children’s health, why hasn’t recess time been extended yet?
States should require at least 30 minutes of freedom during school for ALL grades, preschool through high school. It's assumed that the older a students get, the less time they need for breaks, but that's not true. As students get older, stress multiplies, any free time for students is welcomed with open arms. As a student, I am allowed 25 minutes of lunch, that is not nearly enough time to eat my food, much less enjoy time with my friends.
Extended periods of recess have had positive results, so what's the problem? Recess is a HUGE part of any childhood and serves as a well needed break for older students. Everybody will benefit from extended recess times.
I think children need recess to let all of there energy out, school is a lot for younger kids to handle, they need a way to run and let out all of their energy. I feel recess is important to schooling, I think this because if children have too much energy they might be squirmy and to energetic in class. I don't have recess anymore, I have 15-minute nutrition and a 15-minute lunch. I don't think recess is necessary for middle schoolers and high schoolers due to the fact that they don't have as much energy as elementary students. I think all countries should require recess, this lets kids relax or let out their energy for a short period of time, doing this lets kids perform better in class. I feel like the ideal time for recess is 25 to 30 minutes, too short of a recess will not give kids enough time to do anything, but too long of a recess will eventually get kids bored and they won't do anything. I feel if kids get a good balance of recess they will be able to perform better in school.
Recess is something that is necessary for developing children, and I believe that recess shouldn't be denied from students, but the amount of time should shift between the grades. In the article, it includes stories about children becoming cranky or worse in their conditions if their recess is significantly shorter than previous experiences. I think that recess is very important in school, as it teaches kids social skills as well as other lessons, including their general behavior. In my schooling experience, I haven't necessarily seen any change or significant lessons taught because of recess, but I believe that it varies depending on the kid. For me, in middle school, recess does exist, and for about 20 minutes each day, unless you count idling in the lunch area as physical recess, then it would be rounded up to less than an hour. I think that all levels until high school should have an organized recess time in their school, but I'm not inherently sure about high schools. I think there is a slight correlation between undirected time playing and creativity, but I haven't noticed any examples of that in my time, although I do think it as a possibility. I believe that the ideal amount of time in recess varies on the grade level, but I think that the amount of time should get lesser and lesser depending on the grade level. Overall, I do believe that recess is important to children's growth, but I also believe that time in class working is arguably more important than recess is.
I think that all kids from elementary to at least middle school should have at least 30 minutes or more of recess or just a time to take a break and do what they want. I believe that recess gives the kids time to socialize and find people who are interested in what they are. Playing sports like basketball or soccer at recess lets kids exercise and talk to people who also play. Recess gives the kids a chance to take a break and when they come back to class, they'll be ready to learn.
Personally, I can recall all the good times I spent during recess. I made new friends, played fun games, and simply did whatever I pleased. Overall, I believe recess is a necessity because of it's ability to help social skills and give children the independent attitude they need. In fact, most of the friends I have today are because of playing with them during recess. On another note, I think that all states and the districts inside them should require a good amount of time for recess because not only do the students need a break, but they also need a way to express themselves and have fun. All day in class they're using their left side of the brain. The only time at school they can exercise their right side of the brain is at recess, which is sad. Recess can give students the freedom and amusement they lack. Although many think just 15 or even 20 minutes is enough time to provide kids their recess time, I think the opposite. Kids should have at least 45 or up to 55 minutes of undirected play in order for them to be able to enjoy school and create the person they'll grow up to be. Even I, as a 13 year old still enjoy going out to spend time with my friends and finally just be silly! For school, recess truly is a special thing that shouldn't ever be taken away from students.
NY Times Recess Article
Students need recess because students need time to run, stretch and socialize with each other. Recess is really important because when we go out to the yard and have recess, we talk to each other and socialize. Socializing is important to use in the future because we would know how to talk to people and know how we should talk to people in the appropriate times. In my school, we have only ten minutes to have a snake and talk to each other. At lunch, we have around 30 minutes to eat and talk to each other. I think that middle schools and highschools should have time like recess because all of us have been sitting for three hours straight and we need time to stretch, release some energy and play sports with each other. Yes, I agree with Robert Bilder because, in elementary school, kids need time to express themselves and play with their imagination because some ideas they get question them and they begin to ask themselves questions they try to answer themselves. I believe that students all around the globe should have recess because recess helps students relax and express themselves. During these times they could make friends and have fun with each other. They can socialize and have fun. In middle school and up, have a long period of time learning makes a student tired and sleepy. So having time to play sports and running around helps them wake up and create their own energy to use to help them learn and succeed in their classes.
I do think kids need recess because it is important to be able to move around and not be trapped in a classroom all day. To me, recess was very important because that was when I would be able to stop being a student and start being a kid. I was able to talk to my friends from different classes and play games. I do not have recess anymore because it is just for elementary, but I do think it would be nice to have some form of a recess. I think recess would be able to help us relax, and in Robert Bilder's quote, we would be able to retain curiosity. Recess can help kids develop differently than without recess, and I think adding or requiring recess would help kids during school as well. The ideal amount of recess could be from 15-30 minutes because I personally think an hour is too long. Having a much longer recess can make kids bored from not knowing what to do, or strive too far from actual school life and being a student.
I believe kids, teenagers, and even adults need free time. People need time where they can choose whatever they want to do between classes. When I had recess, I learned communication skills, made new friends, and was relieved of stress. I remember how much I loved chasing my friends around the school yard and being able to laugh without someone shushing me. Now that I’m older, there is no recess. Everything is structured and I feel I have much more pressure in school. When I read Robert Bilder’s quote, I felt he really understood the need for freedom at school. It’s so important that people learn to be social. It gives kids a head start on the social skills they’ll need for future jobs. I believe all schools in the US should require recess and lunch everyday. There should be 25 minutes for recess, and 50 minutes for lunch. Only getting a few minutes to play and eat your lunch isn’t much better than getting no free time at all.
I believe children in school should have & continue to have recess, because recess not only allows kids to meet new people and develop new social skills, but it also allows them to take a break from their school day. I believe recess, nutrition, and break all give kids a sense of relief just to relax and not worry about the amount of homework they have ,or the test that they tomorrow. So I think that recess is perfect especially if you get really anxious, or for some reason have bad anxiety with school in general it would really help relieve stress to be able to handle all of it mentally. In addition I think recess allows people to just have a second to just be able to clear your mind, and hang out with your friends.
I think that kids should have recesses each day. Recess is a time where you can relax and not doing anything. At our school, we have time before lunch which is like 20 minutes. We then have between 15-20 minutes to eat lunch. Recess shouldn’t just be for elementary kids. The higher you can in grades, the tougher class is and the more you want to have a break. Recess can help develop develop curiosity and creativity because they can make a game or look at something new outside. I think recess should be for 45 minutes so you can get a long enough break and be ready to go back to class. With the break comes, they don't have to think about class only if they want to.
My personal opinion on this is that children do need recess. I think that they need recess is because after a long period of sitting still in class, children need a break to let all their energy out. When I'm in class, after a while of just sitting and focusing on school work, I notice I begin to tap my foot or wiggle around more because I need to move around. Elementary children are even more energetic so they should definitely get a longer period of time for recess. A pro about longer recess is that after they come back into the classroom, their bodies can be tired of playing and then they would be ready to sit down for a longer period of time without acting crazy again. In my schooling, recess is fairly important. How I spend my recesses is running around and just doing whatever I want that day like kicking the ball, doing cartwheels on the grass, playing four square, etc. Through recess, I got to socialize with my friends. This is important because being social and knowing how to handle social situations is a very important thing to know in life. We still do have recess but I think it would be better if we got a longer recess and more than one. We get to stand in the quad eating our snacks with friends at Nutrition. I think that recess and unstructured time should be for middle school and high school students too because we still have energy and this time could be used t socialize.
I believe that all schools should give their students a recess. Recess is a time where you can relax and get all of your energy out. Then you can focus and relax in your class. Young kids also learn things from recess. How to deal with a bully, social skills, and manners are all gained from recess. People of all ages need a break so they don't get burnt out. It increases productivity and allows people to socialize. When children are working endlessly and don't get time to use their energy, they can become cranky and agitated causing issues. That extra focus allows them to be better students possibly getting more work done and behaving better. So I do believe that all students should get a recess with enough time to relax and get all of their pent up energy out.
Honestly, I don’t really have any memories of recess, just maybe sitting down and talking, reading a book, or going on the bars. I would say that recess in general is not that required, but maybe giving us more nutrition time would be great. We get like five minutes to walk to the cafeteria, and then five minutes to eat. Almost the second you sit down, the bell rings. Maybe somedays it would be a great break, but I think teachers already give us enough of a break in class to just work. Not really to rest but have time to eat my food. For others, there might be a connection between daily undirected play and creativity, but for me being in class stimulates that more. Some students think it as better to be in a classroom in order to stimulate their curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving, such as myself but others are quite the opposite. Even though I don’t consider recess a time to rest, I think that all schools should require it. Some people just really need it and others really need the time to eat. As I said before, it takes about five minutes to switch periods and five minutes to eat isn’t much better. Fifteen should be enough so that we don’t get totally distracted from schooling, but enough to eat. Recess is different for every person, but I still think it’s something we require.
I believe that children need recess because it’s necessary to take time off from learning and just take a break to do whatever they want to do. Recess was really important to me because I was allowed to play outside with my friends, talk about everything and anything, and just have a break from being inside the classroom all day. However, I would not say that I learned or developed life lessons while being at recess. I don’t have a recess anymore because I’m in middle school, but I think we and highschool students woulds have some form of recess because we’re just as important as the elementary kids and we need time off of class to do what we want, too. I do agree with Robert Bilder on what he said because I do believe that there is a connection between undirected play and creativity, and it can also help children develop curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving. I strongly agree with the fact that all states would require recess because like we have been discussing, it’s a time for young and older students to get their mind off of all their work and have a break from class. What I think the ideal amount of time should be for recess is around 25 minutes because within that time the students will have had a nice long break to talk to their friends, etc. I think 30 minutes and above would be too much because then the kids might complain that recess is too long and there’s nothing to do and then the parents might complain that the students are not in class long enough.
Children do need recess. I believe that they need recess because recess gives children time to do whatever they want, without planning, which helps their imagination grow. Recess also is the only social time that children get with their friends everyday, which I believe needs to be longer. Recess is very important to school because without recess, kids would become to built up, and at some point they would be so talkative and careless that they wouldn’t even pay attention to their teachers. At recess I usually play catch with my friends, and if I get tired or bored, I will eat my lunch early. An important skill that I have learned from recess is social interaction because at recess you can hang out and talk with anyone you want. I do have recess and I think that all people should have recess because it gives them time to recuperate between classes. I do agree with Robert Bilder’s quote. I agree with it because with unstructured time, children can do whatever they want, which makes them happier, and when they are happier, they tend to pay more attention in class. I do think that children learn life skills from recess. I think all states and school should require recess because recess is necessary for any child, big or small. I think the ideal amount of time for recess is 40 minutes. I think 1 hour of recess would be to much. Potential downsides to mandating recess would be that students would not be as joyful and students would be more talkative in the classroom.
I think that kids need recess because when you're in class for long periods of time you want to get up and just take a break from what you're doing and during school you are all ways told to do things. but when you have a break you get to choose what you want to do.
Yes, children do need recess. Children need recess because they need a break from all the studies and tests. Recess is important because it helps all the kids calm down and at least have a bit of fun during school. When children do not get some free time and all they get is studies, studies, studies, it makes things stressful. They start overthinking that their minds cannot process so much information all in one class period. I agree with Robert Bilder, there is a connection between daily undirected play and creativity. I think that all states should require recess because it well let their minds calm down from all the information they just processed in their classes. Even for students in high school, I think they should still give them some free time to talk with their friends and hangout for a little bit of time.
Recess is probably every kid's favorite part of the day in their school careers. Even now in middle-school everyone is eager to go to a lunch break or a snack break. So from a student's perspective, I strongly agree that all kids from middle to high school need recess. As observed throughout the day, I feel like recess is important to not only my school but everyone's because everyone needs a break after working constantly in class without a break. The way that students mainly spend their time during recess is doing something they like such as reading a book or playing sports with their classmates. There also can be many skills and life lessons that students can learn during recess even if it's from the simplest things like having to share with friends or to not argue over losing a game. In middle school, there is still a small bit or recess like before eating lunch where there is only a 15 minute play time. These should be implemented for longer and pretty much in every state or district because this is important to the student school day so they are able to let off steam and take a much-needed break from academics. This way students can focus better in class after they are able to take a break. This would also allow the student to pay attention in class rather than just wait and mess around in class until their small recess or until the end of the school day.
I do think that kids should have recess. I think that it's important for kids to have some time every day to get outside and run around a little bit. Some kids don't play any sports or do anything after school. So, recess is like a second P.E. where you can be active for a little while. It can also influence kids into a sport that they have never considered playing. If they find a basketball or football somewhere and play around with it, it could be their new sport. I think that recess is super important in schooling. It allows kids to get out of a classroom for a little bit and have some fun. I think that recess isn't just for elementary kids. Kids in high school are obviously not gonna run around and pay tag but they can still talk and hang out. I personally think that recess should be required everywhere in every state. Recess is just something that allows kids to stop worrying about so much school and it just lets them just relax and have fun.
Yes I think children need recess because then what is the point of school when there is no fun at all. Recess was very important to use in my school and I spend that time talking with my friends and swinging with the swings. You would need to be active and talk to others and make new friends. Yes I still have recess. I think recess is for every students. Yes I agree that there is a connection between daily undirected play and creativity. I think recess does help children develop curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving. I think all states and school districts should require recess because there will be no fun and boring without it. I think the amount of time of recess is about 10-15 minutes and 20-30 minutes would be too much. There would be teachers coming out to watch so then you won’t do bad things or get hurt.
In this article we debate the necessity of recess at school. I believe recess is a great way to make friends, have some free time, eat, and play with your friends. It can also relieve you for a few minutes of stressful time in the classroom. I think having this time is essential for a stress free time at school. I would spend this time, having a snack, talking with friends, and maybe even use it to ask questions about the lessons. With this free time I have learned problem solving, creativity, and that its okay to have fun. At our school we currently do not have a recess however, we do have a 10 minute break called nutrition. I do not believe recess is only for kids in elementary upper graders need time to relax and take a break before there next classes.. After reading Robert Bilder's quote, I believe there is a connection between unstructured play and creativity. The free time given to us would let us chose what we would like to do, instead of always being told, it will allow us to find out what we like to do and do more of it. I think that al school districts should make recess and mandatory part of the school day. I believe they should make this time 20-30 minutes each day, anything over I believe would be to long. Potential downsides is they would have to keep track of all of these students, some who probably wander off around they school, also they can not keep tract of what everyone does. This leaves time for kids to ditch school, smoke, or get in fights.
I believe that students should be able to have a recess where they are able to let out some built up energy. I am in middle school right now and our nutrition is about ten minutes if you include dropping of your stuff at your next period. In this time you are not aloud to run, or do any activities, just sit or stand in the confined area to eat your snack. I don't think this is enough time for any student of any age to eat their snack, let alone burn of some energy. I remember when I was in elementary school I would be able sit more still in my seat, and pay more attention to teacher after I had recess. Nowadays after my nutrition I feel a little jumpy and excited, lucky for me I have P.E. after nutrition I could only imagine what my behavior would be inside a classroom. I think that giving children the option of what they would like to do for a period of time would be good for their mind not just their body. I believe that the quote from Robert Bilder is true, and that it is valuable to give children the option, where they can solve problems with no predictable answer. I also agree that there is a connection with undirected play and creativity, because when you give children a amount of time to do something that is not being told to them, they are able to express themselves freely, without being told not for reason that would be enforced if they were in a classroom.
Recess is some of the kids best parts of their day. They just can't wait for that bell to ring so they can leave their class that they have been sitting in for 2 to 3 hours. In middle school kids only get 10 minutes for nutrition and there's a lot that can happen in ten minutes. They would drop their stuff off at their next class and by the time they get to the quad area, they would have 2 to 3 minutes to talk with their friends. The ideal time for recess should be around 18 to 20 minutes and for nutrition, they should have 15 to 18 minutes. These kids might be sitting uncomfortably in their chair for 2 hours and they need to stretch. What teachers should do is let their kids run the track if you have one just for 10 to 15 minutes so your students can prepare for their 2-hour long class. Kids always want to talk to their friends. Sometimes friends won’t have the same class so the only time they have is at recess and sometimes their teachers won’t let them go to recess because of their poor behavior. It is unfair for kids to have such a short amount of time playing. Even for middle school, they only have 10 minutes to talk with their friends and to eat. Middle School should have recess because they are sometimes wild in the classroom and it’s because they have built up all that energy for 3 hours. They are waiting for lunch so they can run around and have fun for a longer time.
I trust that all regions ought to require break. Recess is one of the not many occasions in the day kids are permitted to enjoy a reprieve from adapting new data. In the wake of a difficult day, school work can get somewhat anxious. It is likewise a path for them to associate with their friends and construct more grounded connections. In addition to the fact that this benefits understudies rationally, yet it additionally keeps them physically sound.
Recess is defined as having fun in school, it means you get to play with your friends and this is when you lose your craziness that was inside for the entire day. The most important things for me in Elementary was recess because you got to play and have fun, unlike your studies. There were some important skills and life lesson that I learned through my experience with recess. One of them was when a group of people would make fun of me, and I learned that day that I would always need to stand up fore me. I do think that there is a connection between play and creativity, during that time of play you are free to do whatever and this sums up creativity. We need both playfulness and mind in order to made the definition of creativity. Recess come in handy in many way such as problem solving. Every state and district should require recess because as I have stated before this is about the only time you get free play and have have fun which is the opposite of what school is, this is how many students feel. The ideal amount of time for recess would be 15 minutes and for there to be to much time would be about a hour. The downsides would be that the students would always be playful, so you have to cut their time short but still give them some time to relax before going to class again. We should and need to have recess in order to be functional students with the mind rested and at the same time also sharp.
Recess is not only important in promoting creative thought and curiosity, but also in enhancing learning ability. People of all ages need a break to continue maximum productivity. It is hard to sit through hours of a ponderous concept (not only ponderous, but any concept) without being able to take a physical and mental break. A physical break is needed to prevent restlessness and a mental break is needed to refocus the mind and digest information. Recess also promotes creativity because it gives children a free space in which they may express their thoughts and relax. All sorts of essential aspects of a productive and empathetic human are learned during recess. Problem solving, relationship building, and empathy are all skills that the playground helps construct.
Yes children needs recess because it is a break time from school you get to see your friends But i loved recess i looked forward to it. I thought it was the best, having 30 minutes to have a break from work it was amazing.
I 100% agree that kids need recess. If I was still a kid, in elementary to middle school, and we didn't have recess, I would have already gone crazy or got kicked out. I think it is more needed now than ever, because nowadays every kid has a phone and probably never gets much exercise. I also think that recess should always be outside, if weather permits.
I was home schooled until 5th grade. This made me fall behind in communication skills, but I still did great in class. Back then I didn't know what happened to me like I do now. It was very difficult to understand other kids' emotions. I still can't tell when someone is being sarcastic which has led to some harsh words. Now I have the chance to learn what I missed, but the best chance to do so is during a 10 to 15 minute recess. With so little time to learn important personal skills, I may never learn.
I believe that all districts should require recess. Recess is one of the very few times in the day kids are allowed to take a break from learning new information. After a long day, school work can get a bit restless. It is also a way for them to socialize with their peers and build stronger relationships. Not only does this benefit students mentally, but it also helps to keep them physically healthy.
I think that children do need recess because without it they have no time to talk to friends or to develop social skills. To me recess was not a necessity but I would say it was important. I spent my recess time talking to friends, although I wouldn’t say that I've developed any important skills or life lessons. No I do not have recess, but I think that middle schools and high schools should have it so people have time to interact during school. I think that there might be a connection between creativity and daily undirected play. I also think that recess can help children with problem solving, creativity, and curiosity. I think that all schools and districts should require recess because it helps with children's skills for later on in life. I think that the ideal time for recess is 20 minutes and I think that is what it should be.
I think that children need recess because it helps them to be free, and make friends. Recess was kind of important because at our school because me and my friends would use it to talk and engage in activities. Usually I spent this time learning new things and talking with my friends and meeting new ones too. During recess I did learn some life lessons like learning to share and allow others to join you in activities. I also still do have recess just one, unlike in elementary where I used to have 2. I still think you should still have 1 recess at least of 20 minutes even at high school level. I agree with Robert Bilder because you do get time to have some freedom, and to learn new things. In conclusion I think all states and school districts should require recess to be mandatory, and I think the ideal time is 20 minutes were it's not to much time but still allows us to learn new things and engage in new activities.
I think it’s important for kids to have recess because it gives them a break from learning and helps them with life skills. I spend my recess eating a snack and hanging out with my friends. We have a form of a recess. We have to be in the lunch area and it’s only ten minutes. I usually have to eat something quick because I have to drop off my backpack at my next class. There are important life skills that come with a recess. For example, you can make friends which is your social skill. Another example is solving world problems. A world problem can be pollution or too much waste. I think elementary, middle school, and high school should all have a form of recess because it will give them a break and it can improve their mood. I believe that all states should require at least thirty minutes of recess for all ages. I think elementary should have one to two breaks that are at least thirty minutes. For middle school and high school, I believe they should get one break that’s thirty minutes. In the article, a mom was saying that ever since her kids went to their new school they’ve been cranky after school. They don’t get enough recess.
Do kids need recess? I think us students do, I believe that it gives us a break from learning so we can remember things we learned perviously. In my opinion I think recess is good for our minds and bodies because if we have class for to long we can get tired and in some cases fall asleep during class. recess gives you a time to talk to you friends and use you social skilled and learn how to make friends. As a middle schooler I miss recess because we get to exercise and stretch our legs. I think recess should be available to everyone however I think its more important for elementary or little kids to have recess because they might not be use to going to school for 8 hours and learning for a long period of time like middle schoolers and high schoolers are.
I think all states and school district should have at least 35 minutes but, they should require more than that. Kids need to be able to express themselves and be outdoors instead of being in a classroom doing nothing.
Yes kids need recess because i believe you were at one point a kid am i right so you may know kids want to play and not learn i think if we were not be forced to learn something pointless then yes give something else to get energy out kids are smaller and have to much energy.Just 10-15 minuets twice a day will be plenty for kids im not saying two hours but a little break from something that they dont want but that is my opinion.
I honestly think kids should have recess. kids being in a school building doing nothing but school work can drive a kid crazy and not only the kid the teacher as well. Recess gives the kids a time to go crazy and let all of their energy out and they are able to visit with their friends.
Personally, from me being a student, I feel like kids so need recess. I need a break from just doing work. If we didn't have recess it would just be constant work and I doubt any kid would want that at all.
I believe that children need recess to take a break from doing school work and have time to be outdoors playing. I had always looked forward to recesses because I had some freedom to play and be with my friends. When it's time for recess I would meet with my friends and we just hangout and talk and sometimes play games. During recess we have to learn to share and be respectful to others. From what I know now middle schools have recess as well only when it is time for lunch. We also have nutrition but it is very short and sometimes I don't even have time to finish or eat my snack. In my opinion I believe all schools no matter what grade should have some type break or recess because school can be stressful and students should have the right to take breaks during the day. I believe that students learn to embrace their curiosity and creativity during recess. Lunch is typically 30 - 40 minutes long and I believe that's a long enough time to have lunch and free time.
I believe that us students deserve more recess because we are spending too much time in class and we need to spend time outside in the fresh air. Recess really gets me focused because after working hard we need a break and then we feel refreshed and ready to work harder. Recess taught me that when all goes wrong take a break, have fun and then get back to work. I strongly agree with Robert Bilder. yes there is connection with creativity and play because after exploring recess and taking a break you see more things and it can relate to a math problem you might have and then the subject gets easier. Yes every school should require recess because its like not giving lunch or snack to a student, the student will not be energized or excited to go to school. The ideal amount of time for recess should be 30 minutes too much would be 1 hour.
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i think we need more recess. i think that because people like me that are active like to to active things and when i am sitting on a chair all day i cant pay attention. if we had more recess it will help me get me energy out and it would help me focus more in class. we also don't get to talk to our friends as much in class because we are always working. during lunch we can talk to friends. i also get hungry during class because i don't have much time to eat
Do children need recess? I do believe that children need recess. Children need to go outside and interact with their friends or classmates I wouldn't want to sit in a class all day and not play outside. Without recess, the kids will be tired and lazy all day. I'd spend my time at recess eating my snack and hanging out with my friends after I'm all done eating. I learned that kids are happier playing outside than doing work stuck inside of a classroom. I think we still do have recess it's called lunch recess. Recess isn't just for elementary school it could be for middle and high school. I would say ask the kids if they want recess or not if I had been asked if I want recess or not I would definitely say yes I want to run and play outside with a couple of my classmates and not have a cranky attitude at the end of the day. The ideal amount would have to be at least 25 minutes if they didn't do their hw they can finish it at recess.
I think recess should be apart of every kids day because it gives kids tools that they need to function in life. Recess also gives kids the proper exercise they need to stay in shape. Recess also may give a kid a new interest like basketball or football which will keep them outside and keeps them in shape.
In my Opinion I do believe children DO need more recess because we do spend so much time cooped up in a classroom and for the older students, we don't have that much time of recess especially when it is time to eat a snack because when we are heading out of the classroom, some teachers will most likely say "I will excuse you" when it lasts for about 5 minutes and we need 2 minutes to walk to our classroom and to go eat and our time for eating is halfway over. I do believe that there was important lessons that I learned while playing recess and those lessons were for me to finally learn by myself, how to play respectful with other kids and find new activities. If I didn't have recess I would be disrespectful to other kids around me. I also learned to try new things while playing. I have lunch recess which only lasts about 15 minutes. I strongly agree that every grade should have recess or unstructured time because we are there to learn but we aren't there to keep sitting in an uncomfortable chair and letting us be tired from learning so much where we can't have the ability to learn anything. I think all states and school districts should require recess because for a teacher, they might not understand how hard it is for us to keep learning when we're so drained. The ideal amount I think is 20 minutes. The amount that could be too much might be 40 minutes just to play. People might take the advantage of recess and break rules that the school has.
I believe students do need recess. I believe this because students are in classes for almost an hour. That hour all we do is listen, learn, get homework, and be bored the rest of the period. Although I think it is good we get an education, we also need a break when we are stressed. Recess wasn't that important to the teachers because they just wanted to take and break from teaching and let the kids run around and let out all of there energy. I spent that time talking to my friends because if you were to talk in class, you would get in trouble. I think there are important skills and life lessons at recess like sharing and including others. We do still have recess. I think recess should be for everyone just to get out your energy and be free. I do agree with Robert Bilder because we need freedom.
I think that schools should give students more time in recess. students need to be active and recess is a good way to keep them active during the day especially elementary students. To much time in the class could cause stress not just to kids but people in Middle School and in High School. This is also a good way to keep kids off of their phone and do some exercise and be able to interact with other kids and be able to make friends. A small break like lunch or nutrition is not enough to relax someone from all of the hours spent in class. Students should be able to go out and stay active or relax for more than 20 or 10 minutes.
I do think children and even middle and high schoolers need recess because it gives them a chance to communicate better with other people and help them in the future. If recess was to be cancelled kids would sit all day and could get bored and could possibly not be successful in school. recess is really important because then you can make more friends which would make you motivated to go to school and be successful. In my opinion if we were to have a little more recess kids would develop their communication skills faster.
I believe that children of all ages should have the opportunity to have more recess and time to be kids. Childhoods are essential for the wellbeing of a kid; if there is no time to be a kid, then they look back on their childhood and see that they wished that they had more time to be relentlessly immature. When children are cooped up in classrooms all day with no way to let their excess energy roam free, they can become agitated and unwilling to focus on their work. Uncoordinated time to relax and have fun is essential for those who just need a break for the scheduled days of repetitive school. They just need a break to essentially break free from all programmed activities. With more outdoor activity, there is more discipline and order within the classroom. There are going to be less punishments handed out and more students being on task and getting their work done. So yes, I believe that students should get more recess time to unwind from the work of school and to let loose and just have no worry in their day.
You know I've actually taken this into thought and did some research on it. I found that some researchers have found that some kids have done better in school with more physical activity. The trick to it is, is that when you have school your body stresses. Causing you to perform worse. And some students have way too much stress on themselves leading them down a really bad path to doing worse in school and eventually having trouble mentally. I still feel like kids should have school but if the kids could have an hour or two of physical activity I feel like kids could have a much better learning experience. Kids would exceed the normal standards in school. And even help them at school with their homework.
I believe that students should have a longer recess. But it shouldn’t get to a point where it is distracting. Maybe a maximum of 30 minutes for a recess and maximum of an hour for lunch. (these being separate times of the day.) This would give kids to relax for a bit so they can get some physical activity in or even studying. But going back to giving them a limited time, if they get too much time then they would start getting off track of their classes. This could change how they focus in class. Too much would make them focus less and too little would also make their focus worse.
I believe that children do need recess because they need somewhere to get all of their reckless energy out. When I used to have recess, I would usually play castle tag on the playground or go on the swings when they were open. Recess was a time where we got a break from all of the math, science, social studies, and language arts. We enjoyed it because sometimes all of the academics was too much for our little minds. At recess, we have time to play and be at ease with our friends. I wouldn’t really say that there are any huge life lessons in recess, but it is a good time for children to get their energy out. Sitting in a classroom for a long period of time can make children antsy and recess helps to get that energy out of them. Our school has nutrition instead of recess now. At lunch there is a time before we eat to play, but my friends and I just sit, talk, and eat our lunches. I think that as students get older they grow out of recess, but I still think that physical activity is important for students. I think that creativity is connected to recess play time because children make up games to play and pretend to do things at a younger age. Especially today, students are so busy with school and after school activities that they don’t have time to go out and play. Schools should require recess, especially for elementary kids, because it is good for students to go out into the fresh air and play.
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Yes, I really do believe that recess should be a required part of the school day because during the school day all we're doing is sitting down and working for hours on end. We need a way to release and take a break from learning for a huge amount of time. To me personally, my recess was really important to me because I had something to look forward to so I tried to get my work done quicker and the way that I spent my recess time was I would just walk around talking to friends about random stuff every day, It helped me relax and during class it helped me complete my work faster and more efficiently. I do agree with the article quote, Undirected play can lead to creativity because when you are not doing anything that you are forced to do your mind tends to wander so tyou can just sit there and imagine things for a long time. I believe that every school should have recess because it is a way to wind down after hours of work because then you could go back to your work and work on it efficiently. In my opinion, the amount of time for recess I would like would be 40-50 minutes because that would be enough time to wind down and regain your energy.
I believe that kids do need recess because elementary kids are cooped up in a classroom for hours, and recess lets their mind take a little break. For middle school kids, they barely have enough time to get to recess/nutrition. Recess also lets the kids intaeract with one another. Not only does recess let the kids take a break from learning, and let them be social, the kids also get to run and get their blood flowing. They can't do that sitting in a classroom all day long. Recess has lots of benefits to a young child's life, and education.
Without recess, kids become restless, and learning time is squandered. With recess, kids become excited, and learning time is squandered. Unless nobody wants to play with you.
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I think having a recess should definitely be apart of a child or a schools everyday routine. Kids need a way to be able to interact and have fun with their friends at school. Kids definitely have a lot of energy throughout the day and they need a chance to be able to use that energy. Kids will not enjoy school and will not be able to enjoy school without recess. Kids deserve the chance to enjoy themselves for however long recess is. Now, one concern I have is how much time should students get when they are having recess or a break. To much recess can knock the kids out and they will not be able to learn in school. But, to little of time can screw up the students learning.
I think its very important that all grades from preschool to 12th grade has a long enough break in between classes. At my school McPherson Magnet school the middle schools nutrition or recess is only 10 minutes long. Walking from my 3rd period to the recess area is almost half the time sense I drop my stuff off at the next class. A five minute break is not long enough i believe but that's my opinion.
Personally, I feel that kids should get more time in their recess's because it has been scientifically proven that if you get more exercise you will learn more, and be more efficient in your work if you do some sort of exercise. I also think that if you do a little bit of running it will let your minds be free and not worry about what assignments you have later in the day. It is also a good way to be on task when you go back to class.
I have seen that the times for recess have changed since we were in kindergarten. I am in 8th grade and I believe that middle school students should have more time for nutrition or recess because we are under more stress than younger students. My schools time for nutrition is only ten minutes. There is barely enough time to get out a snack. Snack isn't fun anymore. It's just a bunch of zombies walking around complaining about stress. Maybe if we had a little less stress and a bit more freedom we wouldn't be zombies.
I believe that recess should be a mandatory thing throughout elementary to middle school. In earlier grades, I personally believe you should get at least 55 minutes of physical activity so you can do something more than being stuck in a classroom all day. In middle school as well I believe you should have time to be out on the yard to an extent. It should be at least 30 minutes of recess and then lunch. Physical activity in school has to become more of a necessity.
I believe that recess is completely necessary to a daily school routine. Recess gives students chance to forget about Algebra, Vocab, and just, enjoy themselves. I know for myself, on block days, when the periods are doubled, I have so much pent up energy I am essentially bouncing off the walls when I get out of class. Most students, are growing, quite a lot, and I feel like a chance to go and move and relax from all of the schoolwork is necessary. School can be stressful, at the moment, in my school, we get around an hour of time to just be outside, depending on how quick you actually get the the playground, and it is the most relieving thing, you can sit and talk with your friends, and forget about all of these equations, and tests, and vocab, and just enjoy yourself. I think personally, students should be allowed an hour, is an ideal amount of time to just, enjoy themselves, schools have such strict rules on prohibiting talking and messing around during class, but for some people, they never get to go to a friends house, so they just see there friends when they are supposed to be quiet and learning. I think that with the institution of such new and confusing topics, it makes it hard to find enjoyment, and instead, you're stuck studying for a test that, if you mess up on it, you will find yourself working even harder and getting less of a break at home as well, I believe recess is completely necessary.
Children need recess because it allows them to stretch their legs, let out pent up energy, have fun during the day and spend time socializing with other kids. I think recess was very important for my schooling, as I spent a lot of time making up games and stories to play with my friends. I learned a lot about helping others when they needed it. I also learned storytelling skills. I played a lot of games where I would come up with a setting and situation, and my friends and I would act it out. This helps me a lot now that I am in the arts, using my body and my words to tell stories. I learned this from playing at recess.
We have a short period of recess before lunch, and we have 10 minutes of nutrition earlier in the day. I think that schools going up to high school should allow unstructured time, especially as stress and work levels increase as you proceed in school. I agree with the quote provided and I know for a fact that recess allowed me to develop creativity and problem-solving skills. All states and school districts should require recess because it would result in healthier, happier kids. I think the ideal time for recess would be around 45-50 minutes, and that anything over 75 minutes is too much. The only downside that comes to mind is that students would be more reluctant to return to class after the recess is over.
I believe that children do need recess. I think that recess is important because you need to have time to just relax and not worry about your classes. If you had to stay in a class all day long it would get tiring and kids won't pay attention as much. But, if you go outside and hangout and talk to your friends chances are you will have a more productive class and you would pay attention more. You have more energy. I have a 10 minute nutrition but its more like 5 minutes or less because you have to drop our backpack off and walk to the recess yard. I think that all grades should have recess because it is important. Recess can teach you more communication and social skills. Overall recess is a good thing to have. I also believe that recess can help with creativity. For the kids who have lots of energy like me should be able to have time to go outside, if you are sitting in a chair all day and have too much energy it starts to get really boring and tiring, like I said earlier if you are stuck somewhere for too long you will start to not care about it as much because you don't have interest in it. I think that students should have at least a 30 minute recess. And at max an hour. I believe that for the students who then dislike recess should be able to go into an open classroom and work on school work.
I think that kids should have more recess time. My first reason is that kids need to be outside because when they go home, they could be sitting on there phones, xboxes, t.vs all day. Having a longer recess will allow them to be outside for longer periods of time which is good for the kids. My second reason is that kids have to sit on hard plastic chairs for long periods of time, and sitting is one of the worst things you could do for your body. Moving and running around is good for kids, makes them active, and also discover things they wouldn’t in a classroom. My last reason is that kids need to be social. You always hear teachers say, stop taking or be quiet. Kids should follow these rules, but after so long they can only take so much. Recess allows kids to be free and develop social skills they will need when they get older. Only having 20 mins out of 6 hours of free play is not enough, especially for the kids who are energetic and love to be outdoors.
I also think that middle schoolers should have at least 50 mins of recess because I myself work really hard and that can sometimes be stressful. There is nothing better than getting out of class and being able to relax and hang out with your friends. Also a lot of work now is on a device. Staring at a screen for 6 hours is unhealthy, students need to get fresh air and be outside experiencing the world around them, not being trapped inside. Sometimes you wonder why kids don’t like going to school.
I have seen that the times for recess have changed since we were in kindergarten. I am in 8th grade and I believe that middle school students should have more time for nutrition or recess because we are under more stress than younger students. My schools time for nutrition is only ten minutes. There is barely enough time to get out a snack. Snack isn't fun anymore. It's just a bunch of zombies walking around complaining about stress. Maybe if we had a little less stress and a bit more freedom we wouldn't be zombies!
I do believe that children need recess because they need some free time out of class, they need to take a break from learning all day. Recess in my school is somewhat important because we only really have one recess. How I spend my recess time is by hanging out with my friends and eating my food. I think there are some important skills and life lessons from having recess as it teaches you to socialize with other people, getting your exercise in from running or playing a game, and it teaches you how to have fun and let loose. Yes in my school we have recess still. I think that everyone should have recess or just free time out of class. I do agree with his quote and yes there is a connection between undirected play and creativity. A recess can help kids develop curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving. Yes, they should require recess or free time. I think the ideal time for recess is like 20-30 minutes. I think an hour is too much time and some potential downsides are like if they forget what they learned in class.
I do believe recess should be apart of a child’s daily routine at school reasons being that this a fantastic way for kids to be off their phones and out of their chairs to get excerise and interact with other students. If recess was cancelled the kids would be stuck in a chair all day while their bodies are wanting to play because they have been siting down and their bodies haven’t been moving. Also not having recess would take away the chance for them to learn social and communication skills which they would probably need in the near future. Recess will overall effect the kids in a way that will set them up for the future.
We’ve all been there, sitting at your desk with your feet tapping some strange rhythm, eyes fixates on the clock as you will the hands to move faster so your favorite part of the day can begin: recess. As soon as the bell rings, everyone runs to the door and pours outside like a raging river, everyone headings to the playground to claim a swing, a ball, a jump rope. You play and laugh for nearly an hour before heading back inside, your energy spent.
With a shorter recess, or no recess at all, kids are forced to sit in a classroom for the better part of the day. Children are restless creatures that are programmed to play because they’re still developing. Their playing is their way of learning social skills. Recess is their time to have fun, make friends, and use their imagination. Without this time, kids become more sullen, like Ms. Dathan’s kids.
Laura M. Holson writes about Ms. Dathan’s observations, saying, “They found it difficult to focus on homework. They were restless and cranky after school... “ Recess gives children the time they need to be more productive. It gives both students and teachers a break, allows kids to refresh their minds, and contributes to a student’s overall health. Recess has a positive impact on students which can and will help them succeed later in life.
I believe that recess should be mandatory for elementary and middle schools in every state. Students are expected to sit in classrooms all day with only a small break for lunch and the few minutes in between class. Recess gives them the chance to regroup and be with friends and ultimately take a mental break from the learning going on inside the school walls.
I think it is more important for elementary and middle school students because they are younger and often times struggle with how long they can focus on one thing. They need a time where they can go and be kids and play and give their brains a rest before refocusing and finishing the day strong.
In high school, we are allowed longer lunches and often times have free periods or times where we do not have classes. During that time is when we regroup and have the chance to take a break.
By giving students a recess, or a break, you are increasing the amount of information they are retaining and the length of their attention span. In the end, it will result in higher test grades and ultimately increases social skills by having this set time to interact.
I clearly remember when I had recess and would play on the swings or monkey bars with my friends or even take part in a game of kickball. Recess was always something I looked forward to and helped me get through my day.
I think recess should be required for all schools in all states. Students should not have to sit in a classroom for seven hours straight with no break. Students often dread school because they have nothing to look forward to. Often you are prohibited in the classroom to talk about anything unrelated to school. Your brain needs a break, and kids need some time to use their energy. Sitting in the classroom for hours is hard for students, and towards the end of the day, children begin to lack focus. If schools required fifty minutes of recess daily, I think there will be an increase in grades for the classes near the end of the day. Students are so drained by the end of the day which enables them to give their full attention to their school work. Some students may hate the classes they are in, so a recess would be the only thing they can enjoy in school. Students can learn greater life lessons outside of the classroom from their own curiosity.
Now I feel like I remember more from recess as a child, then I do from in the classroom. I learned new games, how to work out problems, and learn social skills. It helps you branch out of your set classroom and meet other people in the school.
I believe kids need recess because kids need to use some energy and move around. They need time to relax their brains and to instead use their muscles and move around. If they don't they would be restless for the rest of the day and they are going to be hyperactive. Ms. Dathan talked about how it was difficult for their kids to focus on their work after not having a lot of time to play which shows that kids aren't able to focus after a short recess and would much prefer to have a longer recess so they can move around more. It would get the kids outside more and will allow them to use all of their energy they have built up over sitting in the same spot for a long time. Also, no one is objecting the law. No one is protesting or asking why it exists which shows that the law is good and people understand that kids need a lot of time to use their energy so they are able to focus better when they aren't as restless.
I believe that we need recess and that all school districts require recess because if we stay bottled up all day, then kids will be restless as mentioned in the article. Kids deserve to have a little free time during a school day in between all the work they do. It will improve their ability to work and the quality of it.
I think all schools should require recess because all students, especially younger students need to exercise. Students need a break from learning or else they won't be able to focus.