Difficulty: Summiteer (Level 3)
Recess is more than just a fun time for kids in school. It is important for their health and helps them do better in class.
A leading group of American doctors specialising in children has shared a new message. It’s their first guidance in 13 years about free playtime at school and why it’s important to keep it.
The new statement from the American Academy of Paediatrics comes after many years of shorter recess times and more problems with children’s health.
The new advice says that kids need breaks after focusing hard on learning so their brains can keep and remember the information. Researchers also say recess gives kids a chance to navigate relationships and build confidence, which is just as important for older kids as younger ones.
Paediatricians also stressed the importance of physical activity in preventing obesity, a condition that now affects about one in five US children and teens.
Given these benefits, they recommend that recess be protected and never withheld for academic or punitive reasons, as sometimes happens in schools.
