Today I’m going to direct you off this site (so you know I must really think it’s a good cause) to an interview I gave that published on msnbc.com this week. The reporter got my city and website wrong but she got the important stuff right: Kids need MORE TIME TO PLAY!
I will add one thing she and I talked about but she didn’t have space for:
If I could wave my magic wand (why yes, I do – don’t you have one?), I would add more gym back to the school curriculum over more recess. Recess is great but it’s too gender weighted. After about 2nd grade the girls tend to sit and socialize rather than get up and play. In gym class girls AND boys have to move and hone skills. Sure, they complain about it (that is an important part of the ritual I think) but they DO it.
Here is the link:
All school, no play? Kids’ Learning Suffers Without Recess, Experts Say
4 thoughts on “Why recess helps behavior”
You brought up a very valid point and one I’ve not heard before – gym over recess. I certainly remember getting to “that age” when I looked forward to the social time recess gave us. On the other hand, I have a school-age boy who comes home smelling like he’s worked outside all day thanks to being active in recess.
When girls start to internalize the idea that they should sit and talk during recess, then that time starts to serve a different (though important) purpose!
Great article. I think recess is very important for kids. I posted this on both my Facebook pages.
Thank you very much for sharing this with your friends and fans. Kids gotta move!
Comments are closed.