Want kids to listen more, fidget less? Try more recess

http://www.today.com/parents/want-kids-listen-more-fidget-less-try-more-recess-school-t65536

A. Pawlowski
Jan. 8, 2016

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The youngest kids at this school now enjoy two 15-minute breaks in the morning and two in the afternoon for a total of one hour of recess a day. That's three times longer and three more breaks than they used to get.

The children always go outside to play games or use the swings and slides, even if it's drizzly or cold.

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Some five months into the experiment, McBride's fears have been alleviated. Her students are less fidgety and more focused, she said. They listen more attentively, follow directions and try to solve problems on their own instead of coming to the teacher to fix everything. There are fewer discipline issues.

"We're seeing really good results," she noted.

Parents are seeing them, too. Amy Longspaugh noticed her 6-year-old daughter Maribel, who is in McBride's class, has become more independent and writes with more detail and creativity. Maribel has also made more friends as the kids mingle outside.

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The American Academy of Pediatrics agrees, calling recess "a crucial and necessary component of a child's development." Studies show it offers important cognitive, social, emotional, and physical benefits, yet many schools are cutting down on breaks to squeeze in more lessons, which may be counterproductive, it warns.

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They key is "unstructured play," which Rhea described as kids being allowed to run, play and make up their own games while teachers mostly stay on the sidelines to make sure everyone is safe.

The breaks should take place outdoors because fresh air, natural light and vivid colors all have a big impact on the brain and its function, she added.

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