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u.S. organizations In a 2013 policy statement, the AAP asserts that recess
is a crucial and necessary component of a child’s development and as such
should not be withheld for punitive or academic reasons. The AAP stresses
that minimizing or eliminating recess may be counterproductive to academic
Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Educating the Student Body: Taking Physical Activity and Physical Education to School
276
Educating the Student Body
achievement, as mounting evidence suggests that recess promotes physical
health, social development, and cognitive performance (AAP, 2013).
Through three sponsored research studies, the Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation (RWJF) further supports the need for recess in schools. Recess
Rules: Why the Undervalued Playtime May Be America’s Best Investment
for Healthy Kids in Healthy Schools (RWJF, 2007) states that recess rep-
resents an unparalleled chance to increase physical activity among a large
number of children in the United States, as well as an underutilized oppor-
tunity to improve the overall learning environment in the nation’s schools.
For a second study conducted by RWJF (2010), The State of Play, 1,951
elementary school principals participated in a Gallup survey devoted to
the subject of recess. The survey sample was provided by the National
Association of Elementary School Principals, and it reflects a balance of
urban, suburban, and rural schools and schools of different income levels,
as defined by the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price
lunches. The results show that principals overwhelmingly believe that recess
has a positive impact not only on the development of students’ social skills
but also on achievement and learning in the classroom. When asked what
would improve recess at their schools, they highlighted an increase in the
number of staff to monitor recess, better equipment, and playground man-
agement training, in that order.
According to a third RWJF and Active Living Research study, School
Policies on Physical Education and Physical Activity (Ward, 2011):
•
“Whole-school programs that provide opportunities for physical
activity across the school day—through recess, in-class breaks, and
after-school events—increase children’s physical activity levels.”
•
“Schools that provide ample time for supervised recess and access
to equipment, as well as those that make low-cost modifications to
improve play spaces, have more physically active students.”
•
“Activity breaks during classes not only increase physical activity
but also help children focus better on academic tasks and enhance
academic achievement.”
Other national organizations and studies further support the need for
recess in elementary schools:
•
The National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State
Departments of Education takes the position that “recess is an
essential component of education and that preschool and elementary
school children must have the opportunity to participate in regular
periods of active play with peers” (National Association of Early
Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education, 2001, p. 1).
Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Educating the Student Body: Taking Physical Activity and Physical Education to School
Approaches to Physical Activity in Schools
277
•
The National Association for the Education of Young Children
(2001) believes that unstructured play is a developmentally appro-
priate outlet for reducing stress in children, improves children’s
attentiveness, and decreases restlessness.
•
Through a position statement, Recess in Elementary Schools, the
National Association for Sport and Physical Education, Council on
Physical Education for Children, asserts:
Recess also provides the opportunity for students to develop and
improve social skills. During recess, students learn to resolve conflicts,
solve problems, negotiate, and work with others without adult inter-
vention. Cognitive abilities may also be enhanced by recess. Studies
have found that students who do not participate in recess may have
difficulty concentrating on specific tasks in the classroom, are restless
and may be easily distracted. In addition, recess serves as a developmen-
tally appropriate strategy for reducing stress. Contemporary society
introduces significant pressure and stress for many students because of
academic demands, family issues, and peer pressures. (NASPE, 2001)
•
The National Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and the Cartoon
Network launched “Rescuing Recess” in 2006 to help sustain and
revitalize the importance of recess in schools across the country. The
goal of the campaign is to recognize unstructured break time as an
essential element of the school day and to connect educators, par-
ents, and children as advocates for bringing back or retaining recess.
A 2006 nationwide survey of PTA leaders found that parents and
teachers also think taking a break is a vital part of a child’s school
day (National Parent Teacher Association, 2006).
Barriers to Recess
The evidence supporting the cognitive, health, and social benefits of
recess could become a thesis on its own merits. Despite these benefits,
however, few states have specific policies requiring recess, and those that
do have such policies often defer to local school districts to allow individual
schools to determine whether students will have a recess period.
Policies requiring increased activity at school each day have the poten-
tial to affect large numbers of children and are an effective strategy for
promoting regular physical activity. However, external and internal bar-
riers to policy implementation need to be considered (Amis et al., 2012).
Competing time demands, shorter school days, lack of teacher participa-
tion, and lack of adequate facilities have all been cited as barriers to pro-
viding recess (Evenson et al., 2009). Further, weak policies suggesting or
recommending changes have shown little or no effect on changing behavior
Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Educating the Student Body: Taking Physical Activity and Physical Education to School
278
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