The Importance of Recess Periods for Elementary School Students

Recess for elementary school children is often an overlooked yet critical part of a child's education. It is often forgotten about or treated as unimportant. There is a trend in many schools eliminating recess and replacing it with increased academics and testing. The fact is that recess is more important than most people realize.

To begin with, recess allows that time of day where a child can unwind and expend some of their extra energy. Children cannot, in most cases, focus all day long. They need a little bit of time to exercise in order to remain productive. The result seen upon returning to the classroom is better focus and management of their skills.

Other just as important results of recess are social and health related in nature. The ability for children to exercise, share, follow rules, use their imagination, resolve conflicts, solve problems and communicate with their peers is enhanced by recess. Exercise is important when a child is sitting all day long. During this unstructured time of physical activity, it is important for elementary school children to learn to share, follow the rules and settle their conflicts with self discipline when they are not being told to do so directly by their teacher. Instead, since they are often at recess being supervised but not instructed, children need to realize that these social components of negotiation are requirements they should choose to act on for the betterment of society and community. The importance of imaginative play, making up games and rules and problem solving is a trait more valuable than is given credit.

These social skills become more and more important as the child grows older. Their society transitions from the playground to the workplace, neighborhood or town. Practicing these skills at an early age and refining them as a child grows will become beneficial in adulthood.