The AAP Released New Guidelines On Recess

My oldest started middle school this year, and while it has been a wonderful transition from elementary school, there’s something she still really misses — recess. In her school, they do reward the kids with a lot of “walk-and-talks” which lets them go outside at the end of the day on Fridays to hang with friends, but it’s only every few weeks or so. Nothing like the recess she fondly remembers (and misses!).

But even the recess my kids have is nothing compared to my own memories of recess. I remember the time stretching forever — the entire grade level all mixed in so we could see our friends in other classes. I remember recess being so long that the teachers used it as a break, too — they’d sit in chairs with Diet Cokes and pull out their hats and sunglasses and it all felt like a mini vacation in the middle of the day.

Recess has changed a lot since the ‘50s and the ‘70s and the ‘90s, but one thing has stayed the same — the importance of it. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently updated their recess guidelines (the previous iteration was from 2013), making it absolutely clear that not only is recess fundamentally beneficial for kids in regards to physical health, but it also helps them manage stress, positively impacts their teaching-learning environment, and brings incredible social and cognitive benefits.

Honestly, it’s a nonnegotiable.

How long should recess be?

The AAP notes in their new policy statement that recess duration can vary from school district to school district in the U.S., with some having “less than 10 minutes” and some having up to “60 minutes per day or more.”

Based on peer-reviewed studies, “multiple breaks with a minimum of 20 minutes every day” is best for kids to receive the full “cognitive, physical, and social benefits of recess.”

The AAP notes that, at minimum, recess should occur “often enough and long enough” with a variety of play options for kids so that they can feel fully focused when they return to the classroom.

“The academic value of recess can be reinforced by including recess time as instructional minutes,” AAP’s policy states.

And while the AAP doesn’t mention it, I think it’s worth mentioning — teachers benefit from a longer recess, too. When I was a kid, I remember teachers getting to enjoy recess as an actual break. Now, my own elementary schooler says one teacher watches all of the kids play because the other teachers have work to do, planning to finish, or are in meetings. What happened to letting the teachers sit outside and enjoy the brain break, too?

Why does recess matter?

We all know there are benefits to recess, but the AAP recess guidelines reiterate them. There are three core benefits to recess: social and emotional benefits, physical benefits, and cognitive/academic benefits.

Emotional Benefits

• Recess offers peer-to-peer engagement
• Playing with others gives them emotional self-control, perseverance, cooperation, communication, conflict resolution, and leadership
• Research has proven that social competence helps protect kids against victimization, substance use, and poor mental health outcomes

Physical Benefits

• Recess offers an easy way for kids to have more moderate-to-vigorous physical activity
• Allows kids the opportunity to be active “for the sheer joy of it,” which can promote a higher chance of staying physically active as an adult
• Physically active play has “positive impacts on cognitive processing and development of executive functions”

Cognitive/Academic Benefits

• Recess can provide the right conditions for kids to experience “wakeful rest” that briefly Frees their brain from cognitive activity so their neurons can be reactivated
• Physically active play can aid memory retention, promote information processing, and help with executive function
• Recess lowers stress and restores their attention and concentration, which makes it easier for kids to focus and retain learning when they go back to class

What type of recess should kids have?

The AAP is clear that there should be a good mix of safe, but “risky” play. Things for kids to climb and balance on, things that require speed, and “rough-and-tumble” play like sports.

“Risky play demands heightened attention, self-regulation, creative problem-solving, and a recognition of personal boundaries, all of which are fundamental to a child’s evolving independence. Providing opportunities for children to confront or create uncertainty, unpredictability, and even potential hazard as part of their play experiences should be viewed as an inherent purpose of play,” the statement reads.

Of course, this requires there to be well-trained recess monitors who know what risks to look out for to keep all the kids safe, but the bottom line is that kids should be able to play. Just play.

Because that’s another thing the AAP points out — kids should have autonomy over play. During recess, adults shouldn’t be controlling the type of play or how the kids play — they deserve free (safe) reign to play however they want during this time.

This new recess policy from the AAP reaffirms their 2013 statement: “Recess is a necessary break in the day for optimizing a child’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development. In essence, recess should be considered a child’s personal time, and it should not be withheld for academic or punitive reasons.”

The AAP followed this up by recommending that attention be paid to the “location and design of play spaces,” as well as training staff. “School and district policies should emphasize the crucial role of recess breaks for the whole child and protect the time allocated for recess to ensure all students’ right to a safe, quality recess experience every day.”

That means no more taking away recess for bad behavior or bad grades, no more skipping recess for more instruction time, and no policing the kids on how to spend their recess. Basically — let the kids outside and let them do their thing. Everyone will be better off.