persuasive essay why recess should be longer

Student calls for longer recess: “We act now or never!”

• May 13, 2012
• From the Playground
• Guest Blogger

Young advocate in the making gives three great reasons to lengthen school recess in persuasive essay.

We all support daily recess, but it takes changemakers to bring a long, healthy recess to all schools. San Francisco fourth grader DJ Chinn may just be one of those changemakers. A youth leader already, he wrote his persuasive essay assignment on extending recess minutes. Please read and follow his lead!

Recess   It is essential that recess is longer. If not, students won’t be able to focus in class, get enough exercise to be healthy, or interact with other kids and make friends. Therefore, recess must be longer.   If students have longer recess they will burn off energy and can focus more in class. Also, students need time to clear their minds and absorb what they learned. Recess gives students something to look forward to so they will work harder in class.   As you probably already know, recess is a chance to get exercise and receive Vitamin D from the sun. If students don’t get exercise they won’t be healthy.   Students need to be healthy to do well in school. Students need recess to interact with each other and make friends. If they have even longer recess they will make even more friends. If students have friends in school and in class they won’t get bored in school.   These reasons Focus, Exercise, and Student Interaction demonstrate why recess absolutely has to be longer. The time to act is now, because if we don’t act now, when? When will we make longer recess so children will be happier and healthier? Obviously, we act now or never!

We’re giving his persuasive essay an A!

Are you an educator?  Start with recess to transform your school day! 

Are you an educator?  Transform the school day with recess games!    Download our Game Guide!

More Updates

March 19, 2024

Research Shows Girls at Playworks Schools Get More Physical Activity ›

If you ask a group of students what their favorite part of the school day was, many answers will include something that happened at recess. That’s because the playground is…

March 11, 2024

AmeriCorps Week 2024 ›

This week, we are spotlighting our Playworks AmeriCorps Coaches and saying #AmeriThanks! During #AmeriCorpsWeek, we are giving our best Appreciation Claps to our 74 AmeriCorps Members completing their service year…

January 24, 2024

Indoor Recess Transition Plan ›

From snow and cold to rain, smog, and everything in between, weather can throw a wrench in your outdoor recess plans. When inclement weather strikes, transitioning to indoor play can…

Home — Essay Samples — Education — School Curriculums — The Importance of Recess Time: A Persuasive Analysis

The Importance of Recess Time: a Persuasive Analysis

• Categories: School Curriculums

About this sample

Words: 550 |

Published: Sep 5, 2023

Words: 550 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Table of contents

Physical health and well-being, cognitive development and creativity, social skills and emotional growth, enhanced academic performance.

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Dr Jacklynne

Verified writer

• Expert in: Education

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

1 pages / 590 words

1 pages / 649 words

1 pages / 351 words

7 pages / 3203 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on School Curriculums

Dewey, John. Democracy and Education: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Education. Free Press, 1997.

Educational curricula play a crucial role in shaping the learning experiences of students and their academic achievement. This essay critically analyzes the Grade 3 Reveal Math Curriculum, examining its effectiveness, alignment [...]

This essay I’m writing is about values, values-infused curriculum, values education programme and ways in which values can be infused in a school curriculum. Values are our beliefs, the way we act, the way we think, our [...]

When one thinks of the curriculum it can be looked at from a school, subject, co-curricular or the experienced curriculum which Michael Littledyke (1996) refers to as the learning students actually receive as a result of the [...]

John Dewey was arguably the most prominent educational thinker of the 20th century. His principles set off a series of changes that have impacted what is globally considered best practices in education today. He was of the view [...]

. What are some important steps in interpreting data from high-stakes assessments? After obtaining data and determining information such as which types of accommodations were used, how many alternative assessments were [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

• Our Mission

Longer Recess, Stronger Child Development

With an hour-long recess, elementary schools can help children develop through increased creative play, authentic SEL, and adequate physical regulation.

"Here they come," the teacher tells me with a weary smile. The children are on their way back from recess. Excited voices echo from down the hallway. I've decided to volunteer at my daughter's elementary school for the afternoon. Eager to see her smiling face, I intently watch the door as the children enter. Their energy as they trickle into the classroom is almost palpable. Even though the children are told to quickly take a seat, it takes a solid ten minutes for them to settle in. There are reminders to put away jackets, trips to the bathroom, pencils being sharpened, children talking to other children, brief episodes of giggling, and a few rowdy demonstrations of affection between some boys.

Later, the teacher confides in me, "I don't understand it. I think the children have more energy after they've had recess! Sometimes I wonder if recess is even worth it."

Shortfalls of a Short Recess

Many teachers report that the period after recess is the absolute hardest transition time of the day. The children are often so wound up that it's hard bring their focus back to their lessons. Some teachers confess to using special techniques to calm and re-focus the children, such as dimming the lights or playing soothing music as they reenter the classroom. While these are great coping strategies to help manage the chaos, preventing episodes of amplified activity from occurring in the first place may prove to be the most beneficial. To do that, we need to allow for a longer recess session. May I boldly suggest at least an hour?

An adequate amount of recess time (or lack thereof) can directly affect children's ability to pay attention, self-regulate, socialize intelligently, and master complex learning skills. We can try to squeeze in short movement breaks here and there, but it won't have the same effects -- or, for that matter, even the same potential. Small movement breaks will always fall short of a good old-fashioned lengthy recess time. Here are three reasons why:

1. Creative Play:  Recess sessions that last at least an hour have the potential to foster creative play. Many early childhood centers stress the importance of " large blocks of time (45-60 minutes) " for play throughout the day to help children develop "problem-solving skills that require persistence and engagement."  Observations through our summer camp program consistently demonstrate that it takes an average of 45 minutes of free play before children dive deep into more complex and evolved play schemes. It takes time for children to figure out who they're going to play with, what they're going to play, what everyone's role will be, and finally to execute their plan. If recess lasts only 15-20 minutes, the children are just figuring out who they'll play with and what they'll do before the bell rings and recess is over. Many times, this allows for few (if any) imaginative play opportunities.

2. Social-Emotional Development: In recent years, children have exhibited more trouble reading social cues, demonstrating empathy, and effectively socializing with their peers. Schools have created special "social skills groups" to help combat this problem. However, these adult-directed gatherings that emphasize role-playing are limited in their applicability. Children learn social skills best through real-life scenarios and play opportunities with their peers. They quickly learn that whining doesn't work with friends and that they don't always get what they want. To learn effective social skills , children need plenty of opportunities to freely engage with other children. Recess, if long enough, offers an ideal environment to practice these skills.

3. Physical Regulation: Children require longer than 20 minutes of active free play in order to regulate their bodies and prepare for learning (PDF). In fact, when you first let children outdoors, their initial movement experiences will actually increase their activity levels. According to Eric Jensen's book Teaching With the Brain in Mind , "A short recess arouses students and may leave them 'hyper' and less able to concentrate." Children benefit from an extended recess session (approximately an hour in length), because it gives their bodies time to regulate the movement and bring their activity level back down again.

A Call to Active Play

Let's face it: the current 20-minute recess sessions are not long enough. A mere 20 minutes won't allow children to dive deep into their imaginary worlds or create elaborate play schemes. This is not enough time for children to practice effective social skills -- something that's lacking in this age of technology. And a short recess won't let children regulate their bodies to prepare them for higher-level learning experiences.

If we just made our recess sessions a little longer, we would likely see significant changes in child behavior, attention, and even creativity. The Swanson Primary School in Auckland, New Zealand is a perfect example of giving children more time and freedom at recess, and of the many benefits they saw as a result. We can do the same. All we need to do is make recess a priority once again.

Why We Need to Rethink Recess

• Posted October 17, 2019
• By Jill Anderson

Sociologist Rebecca London knows that recess is an afterthought at many schools. Too often, it's just "a blank space in the middle of the day," she says, or a way to get some physical exercise for kids. She thinks it's time that educators rethink how to use that time to better support young students. In this episode of the Harvard EdCast, London shares ideas from her new book, Rethinking Recess , how to create a more inclusive recess, and why taking away recess — especially as punishment — is a bad idea for kids.

Jill Anderson: I am Jill Anderson. This is the Harvard EdCast. Rebecca London is a sociologist who studies recess. She knows recess is an afterthought in many schools day. Too often, it's just seen as a break or a way to get some physical exercise for kids. She wants to see us rethink how to use that time to better support young students. In recent years, there's been news about states mandating recess. So I asked her what the current state of recess is across the country.

Rebecca London: Well, recess is a really interesting space in the school day because it's a time when there could be a lot of academic and social and emotional physical growth happening, but there isn't necessarily all that happening. It's often a blank space in the middle of the day. It's a break. And so people think, "Well, I don't have to pay attention to it." But really, what we know is you do have to pay attention to it because it's a time when children can experience a lot of growth. It's also a time when they can experience boredom or bullying. It can result in disciplinary incidents that go to the principal's office. So generally, I'm interested in those kinds of spaces in children's lives, where it's this confluence of developmental opportunities with some attention to them can be a really amazing time to build all kinds of developmental skills.

Jill Anderson: We've been hearing a lot about recess around the country and in different ways. And can you provide like a snapshot of what elementary school recess looks like across America today?

Rebecca London: So elementary school recess is actually not available everywhere across the US today. We know that in urban schools and schools serving low-income populations and schools serving predominantly children of color, there isn't always recess. Sometimes the children don't get any time to run outside in the unstructured opportunity for play after their lunch or before their lunch. And even when they do, it's often less time than their peers in other schools get. In some schools, they've really paid attention to what happens during that time. And there's activities, there's equipment, there are caring adults who are helping the children or connecting with them. And in other schools, there hasn't been that attention to recess.

And so sometimes there's a little bit of equipment, sometimes not, and then sometimes there's opportunities for activities and games, sometimes not. Children are often left up to their own devices to figure out what to do with that time. Sometimes the adults are really caring and providing support and maybe turning a jump rope or refereeing a soccer game or a basketball game and sometimes not. Sometimes they're looking at their phones or connecting with their friends and not engaging with children. So right now, I would say we're in a place where we're paying a lot of attention to recess. There's actually a fair amount of state legislation happening. The CDC has guidelines out on what a healthy recess should look like. The American Academy of Pediatrics has guidelines out on what a healthy recess should look like. This is our moment to capitalize on all of that and just scheduling the minutes in the day isn't enough to ensure that children are experiencing a safe and healthy and inclusive recess.

Jill Anderson: We know play is good for kids, and that has been proven time and time again. But at the same time, it's interesting how we focus so much on improving all these aspects of education, but it seems like we've ignored recess a little bit.

Rebecca London: Well, and while we haven't ignored recess, we're focusing on it as an opportunity for physical activity. That's how states are framing it in their legislation. It's an opportunity to get those 60 crucial minutes per day of physical activity that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends. But what's really interesting is play is the way that children learn. We know that from very young age on play is how they learn. So right now, for instance, a lot of schools are using curriculum on social and emotional learning, SEL, that's very big right now. And this curriculum is offered in classrooms with classroom teachers.

But the chance for children to practice those skills, to think about self-regulation, what am I going to do if I lose this game? To think about collaboration and sharing, to think about conflict resolution, how am I going to resolve a conflict? The ball is in, the ball is out. Their chance to practice these skills, the only unstructured time during the school day is recess. And so if we're not offering them an opportunity with meaningful engagement in play amd in an inclusive safe environment to practice these skills, these curricula aren't going to have the opportunity to take hold in the same way.

Jill Anderson: So in your research, you talk about organized recess and high-quality recess. So what is high-quality, organized recess look like?

Rebecca London: So there's this debate in the literature about structured versus unstructured play. So structured play is more like a physical education class. There's an adult who's leading a class, all the kids are participating in the same activity. They don't really have any choice. Unstructured play is we're putting you out there on the play yard. Maybe there's equipment, maybe there's not. And kids have free reign to design whatever games and activities they want to play. And some schools I think that works well. And the schools that I've been to, low-income urban schools around the country, there needs to be something of a hybrid. So organized recess is an opportunity for there to be a lot of free choice, different kinds of games available, but organized in a way so that everybody has a chance to play, everybody can be included, and everyone has a chance to have fun.

So the ways that schools can do that are first of all to identify the games that kids like to play, they want to be playing, and find a place on their play yard outside or inside if it's going to be an indoor recess where those games can happen in separate spaces so that there's not jump rope running through the basketball game, there's not soccer tag games running through the soccer game. So every game has its own space. And then the second step is to identify a set of common rules to the games so that children they know how to play, they understand when they're out or when they're in. We don't have to spend a lot of time arguing about whether that rule is part of the game or not part of the game. We all are operating under the same set of rules.

One of the schools that I visited was trying to do this, establishing a common set of rules with the game four square. I don't know if you're familiar with four square. There is markings for four different squares on the ground and then kids play with the ball and they bounce the ball from square to square. There's four people standing in the square. And there's a million different ways to play this game. There's different rules. They can double bounce, they can single bounce. Sometimes at this particular school, the person who was in the King spot or the Queen spot, the number one spot got to make the rules for the rest of the game. So the rule changed every single time a kid rotated into that spot. And the child in charge always made the rules to their best advantage. And so if you weren't a kid who could play by those rules, you never got a chance to play.

And so the school decided, you know what? We're not going to have that anymore. We're going to allow anybody to play. We're going to establish a common set of rules and that's how it's going to go. And there was a rebellion at the school. Those kids, the parents especially, you're ruining recess for my kids. And so the school decided to try a hybrid and they said, "Okay, we'll keep one four square court with the old school rules, and we'll have another four square court with the new school rules, and we'll see which one the students like better." Well, by the end of the school year, everybody liked the new court rules, the new school rules better because they were fair, everybody had a chance to play and the old school rules kind of dwindled. So it took a little while to get used to having this common set of rules for the game. But after a little while, the kids got to see how beneficial that was for them and then they had more of an opportunity to play.

Okay, so the organized recess is about finding spots for the games and coming up with a common set of rules for the games. And then the next piece is about what the adults are doing. And it's about adults supporting children's play at recess. So know not all adults who are out there monitoring recess want to throw on their tennis shoes and run around and play basketball with kids and that's fine. But they could help kids to resolve conflicts when they arise as they do when children play. There's always going to be a conflict, is the ball in, is the ball out? Help them to resolve those conflicts. They can be a positive supporter of play. They can cheer for kids, they can remind them to play fair, they can remind them to pass the ball, they can do inactive ways of supporting play, like turning a jump rope. I've seen a lot of adults standing on play yards, turning jump ropes and getting to know the kids that way.

So it's about positive engagement, pro-social engagement with the children, not just being there to make sure that they're safe and yelling at them if they're running on the blacktop as they're not supposed to do in most schools, but to really be a positive supportive of play. Get to know the kids that way. Those are the three key ways to organize recess. In the book, I talk about a lot of different steps, other ways that you can centralize the equipment disbursement, and that's a role that kids can actually play at their own recess so that teachers aren't responsible for monitoring equipment, equipment doesn't get lost as much. If there's a centralized checkout available, then students have an opportunity for leadership if they're the ones who are running that checkout. So there's a lot of other things that go into it as well.

Jill Anderson: Right, do you see organized recess affecting school climate at other times of the day like when the kids are not in recess?

Rebecca London: Well, that's what we hear and there was a randomized controlled trial done on this. By organizing recess, what we find is that children are more engaged. And when they're more engaged in play, there's less opportunity for all of the negative things that can come out of recess. So one of the things that we hear from teachers is that after recess, that time when they go to pick their students up after they've had recess is their most stressful time of day because they know that their students are going to come back into the classroom feeling unsatisfied and potentially upset about what happened during their recess time if they felt excluded or they had an argument with someone or their game didn't go the way they wanted it to or it never really even got started.

And so by having an increased level of engagement in play at recess, teachers tell us students are coming back feeling much more satisfied, much more ready to learn. They can settle their classes in a much shorter period of time, whereas it might have taken them 8 or 9 minutes, 10 minutes to settle their classes down after recess. Before organized recess came in, after, it might take them just a minute or two to get their kids... get them a drink of water and get them settled and ready to learn. So they're actually gaining time in their classroom learning by having an organized recess. And that affects their stress levels. So we know school climate is not just about children, but it's about how adults are feeling in their school. And if everyone's feeling a little bit less stressed, there's not a line out the principal's door for disciplinary incidents that refer from recess. Teachers aren't spending as much time resolving conflicts from their students outside of recess. That does build school climate definitely.

Jill Anderson: I thought it was so interesting some of the information about discipline and particularly how often teachers will withhold recess as an activity. Can you talk a little bit more about why that isn't a good idea?

Rebecca London: Withholding recess either because students haven't behaved appropriately or because they're missing schoolwork is a very common practice in elementary schools. And when I talked to teachers about it, they tell me that it's really the thing that kids care about the most. And so they use it as a way of getting kids to behave and finish up their work. The problem is that by withholding recess, not only are you withholding a break, and we know that breaks are important, even adults take breaks. Everybody takes breaks. You need a moment to reset and recharge, and that's an important part of the school day. But beyond that, it's often the same children who have recess withheld over and over again.

What we hear is that it's not just a random kid every day, but it's often the same children who have behavioral problems day after day and have recess withheld. And what we know about that is that when we're removing children from an important developmental setting as recess is, because it helps them to build those social and emotional skills, those skills that they need for self regulation and conflict resolution and cooperation and sharing, by withholding that opportunity to practice those skills, we're actually holding children back. And especially for withholding that opportunity day after day after day, what we're teaching children is that they don't belong. They don't belong at recess, they don't belong with their peers. In the book, I talk about this as a step ladder into the school to prison pipeline. When you tell children from a very early age that they don't belong, they begin to believe that about themselves, and then they begin to act as if they don't belong.

Jill Anderson: What would be a better way to handle a situation like that? I mean, for teachers, they're looking forward to that break themselves to send kids to recess.

Rebecca London: Yeah, it's often when they take their lunch. So they have to have that break. There's a lot of different ways to incentivize children to behave and do their work. One is to incentivize with recess. So instead of saying, "I'm going to withhold this recess that you already have scheduled," say, "If you all get your work done and you're all behaving well, you can have an additional recess. I'll take you out for 10 more minutes."

Jill Anderson: Oh, yeah.

Rebecca London: So to use recess, but as an incentive as opposed to as a punishment, there's all kinds of ideas about how to get students to behave in class and how to make reparations for the misbehaviors so they can write a letter, an apology letter, instead of having the recess withheld. They can be incentivized by getting to choose the book that we read that day, or there's a lot of different ways that you can turn behavior around positively. And you know what's interesting is that states are beginning to legislate this. By my count, there are at least nine states right now that do not allow recess to be withheld...

Jill Anderson: Interesting.

Rebecca London:  ... as a punishment or for missed schoolwork.

Jill Anderson: Do they mandate that recess has to happen because I was looking into this, there's quite a few states that do have that mandate in place, but they don't mandate necessarily a certain amount of time? Am I understanding that right?

Rebecca London: Yeah, that's right. The data that I relied on is from a survey that was conducted by the CDC with SHAPE America. SHAPE America's the physical education professional association. And they found that there were nine states that said that recess is on the books and their state regs that recess cannot be withheld for punishment or from missed schoolwork. Not all of those states mandate recess.

Rebecca London: There are currently about 12 or 13 states that require recess for... usually, it's a minimum of 20 minutes per day. And for me, I feel like 20 minutes is the absolute minimum. More would be better probably. And like in Finland, the students get 15 minutes of recess for every hour of instruction. I think we're a little bit far away from that here in the US. But if there could be two recesses in the day, maybe one in the morning and one at lunch, or one at lunch and one in the afternoon depending on the bell schedule to allow students just to have that time to take a break and reset, what we know from the research is that this does not detract from student learning.

Jill Anderson: To change to an organized recess, is that an easy thing to do or is it hard to do? Does it require a lot of training and things to make that happen or even hiring additional people?

Rebecca London: It requires a commitment. It may not take a lot of money, but it requires a commitment on the part of somebody who has some decision-making authority. I was at one school in an East Coast urban center and it was actually the school nurse who took on recess at that school. So that person decided we really need to do something better than what we've got going on. That person wrote some grants connected with the leadership at the school and really was able to make a change in how recess went. So it doesn't have to be the principal. I've been to a lot of schools where it's the counselor, or a behavioral specialist, or even the PE teacher, or even a really committed recess monitor. Somebody who's already at recess who says, "We could be doing this better." And there are all kinds of training opportunities that are available to work with adults who are out at recess. It's not a huge change that needs to happen, but there's a lot of commitment because there's a lot of legwork that has to happen. But once it's in place, it pretty much runs itself.

Jill Anderson: For so many of us we’re familiar with old school recess, where it was just you kind of ran around and did whatever, it was very free, and I wonder if you get a lot of pushback or people just don't understand. They feel like this is imposing more restrictions on kids.

Rebecca London: And you know what I would say to that, if your school has a recess that is totally unregulated and it's going well, then great, stick with it. If that's what your students like and they can organize themselves and come up with games to play without beating each other up and without people feeling excluded and feeling bad during recess, then that's a recess that's working. But there's a lot of recesses that aren't like that, and they need some help figuring out how to make things better. I've been to school where children are engaged in physical fights on the ground where adults don't know how to encourage play, where kids are standing in line for the entire 15 minutes that they're outside waiting to go back into their class because they don't feel safe. I've been to places where it's just not working and they're looking to make a change, and this is a change that we know works.

Jill Anderson: Rebecca London is an assistant professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She is the author of the book, Rethinking Recess: Creating Safe and Inclusive Playtime for All Children in School. I'm Jill Anderson. This is the Harvard EdCast produced by the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Thanks for listening.

An education podcast that keeps the focus simple: what makes a difference for learners, educators, parents, and communities

Related Articles

Improving Mental Health Through Independent Play

Psychologist Peter Gray discusses how encouraging independent play fosters resilient, self-reliant, and mentally fit young people

Managing the Summer Enrichment Craze

The Global Teacher of the Year

Jump to navigation

• Inside Writing
• Teacher's Guides
• Student Models
• Writing Topics
• Minilessons
• Shopping Cart
• Inside Grammar
• Grammar Adventures
• CCSS Correlations
• Infographics

Get a free Grammar Adventure! Choose a single Adventure and add coupon code ADVENTURE during checkout. (All-Adventure licenses aren’t included.)

Sign up or login to use the bookmarking feature.

More Recess, Please

Assessment model print, okay persuasive letter.

Title: More Recess, Please

Level: Grade 4, Grade 5

Mode: Persuasive Writing

Form: Persuasive Letter

Completed Rubric: More Recess, Please Rubric

Blank Rubric: Argument Rubric

View related assessment models:

Student Model

Dear Mrs. Knight,

Do you remember fivth grade? Well, I do because I am in fivth grade. Well, if you do I bet you recall rules you hated, like how short the recess is. Well, read on to find out why I think recess should be longer.

First the rule I detest is how little the recess is. Recess should be longer about 40 to 55 minutes, because we need more exercise, and if you expand the recess time limit we can exercise by running, basketball and other sports or ways to get more in shape or healthier.

Second of all longer recess can be excellent for if you play football, baseball or kickball or any other long games like that, I bet you never finish them. You probably do half of the game one recess, and the other part in another recess. Unless the friends you played with live close to you that really never happens. Another reason is if we have longer recess time we can have fewer ties and that would be way cool. Teachers and probably all grown-ups like children to have ties because they do not want anyone to cry or wine. Well, if you think we like ties we do not!

Third of all recess is an outstanding time to refresh yourself. Recess is the best at refreshing you, because you can run like a dog trying to catch a cat or you can relax and get away from all those tests. Books, words, and mot of all headaches or brain freezes (when you can not think). Recess is marvels at getting away from the funky, stuffy and muggy smell in your school!! Last of all I hope you will change the rule of recess. Matthew. A. Walega

Teacher Support:

Click to find out more about this resource.

Standards Correlations:

The State Standards provide a way to evaluate your students' performance.

• LAFS.4.RL.1.1
• 110.6.b.8.A
• LAFS.4.RL.1.2
• 110.6.b.12.C
• 110.6.b.11.B
• LAFS.4.W.1.1
• 110.7.b.8.A
• 110.7.b.7.C
• LAFS.5.RL.1.1
• LAFS.5.RL.1.2
• 110.7.b.11.A
• 110.7.b.11.B
• 110.7.b.12.C
• LAFS.5.W.1.1

© 2024 Thoughtful Learning. Copying is permitted.

k12.thoughtfullearning.com

Is Recess Important for Kids or a Waste of Time? Here’s What the Research Says

E lementary school students in Florida are now guaranteed 20 minutes of recess each day — something many kids lacked before a new state law took effect during the summer.

Florida’s law and similar recent proposals in several other states are the latest examples of the running debate over the value of recess for young children. In recent years, more parents have begun fighting a trend of reduced recess time and are calling on schools to give children a chance to play .

Last year, Rhode Island enacted a similar law requiring 20 minutes of consecutive recess for elementary-school kids. The Board of Education in Atlanta, where recess was once eliminated , is now considering a rule that would prohibit teachers from withholding recess from students for disciplinary purposes, months after state lawmakers failed to pass a bill that would have mandated 30 minutes of daily recess in schools across the state, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported. And in Arizona, a bill that aimed to expand recess time to 50 minutes passed in the House but met opposition in the Senate this year.

Florida’s law was the culmination of a long campaign by parents in the state. One of those parents, Angela Browning, founder of Recess for All Florida Students, said her kids started coming home from school in tears a few years ago, complaining that the day had been too long and that they’d had no time to play with friends. At the time, they were getting 10 minutes of recess twice a week, she said. This year, with 20 minutes of recess each day, their response has been different.

“I cannot even begin to explain to you how much adding recess back into their day— how much of an effect that had on my kids,” she said. “When we have these young children and we can’t find time to give them a 20-minute break a day, we’ve lost our way.”

Not everyone agrees. Last year, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie vetoed a similar bill that would have required 20 minutes of daily recess for students across the state. “That was a stupid bill and I vetoed it,” he said at the time.

Here’s what you need to know:

The debate over recess

In the past 20 years, an increased emphasis on standardized testing as a metric for student achievement has led leaders in some states and school districts to cut into recess in favor of more in-class instruction. In 2007, the Center on Education Policy at George Washington University found that 62% of school districts had increased the amount of time spent on English language arts or math in elementary schools since 2001, while 44% of school districts had cut down on time spent on other subjects. The survey showed that 20% of school districts had reduced recess time. According to the 2016 Shape of the Nation report , just 16% of states require elementary schools to provide daily recess.

The debate over standardized testing grew with the enactment of No Child Left Behind in 2002 and, more recently, with the adoption of Common Core State Standards. Students today take an average of 112 mandated standardized tests between pre-kindergarten and 12th grade, according to an analysis by the Council of the Great City Schools in 2015.

Many health and education experts argue that recess is a necessary activity for child development, and parents have begun to advocate for more recess time.

“Some devalue recess because they assume it to be — as they assume play in young children to be — a waste of time, time that could be otherwise more efficiently spent,” Anthony Pellegrini, former professor of educational psychology at the University of Minnesota, wrote in a 2008 paper . “There is no theory or empirical evidence to support this point of view. The counter-argument, that recess is good, is backed by a large body of theory and empirical research.”

What the research says

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that children participate in 60 minutes of “moderate to vigorous activity per day,” and suggested that recess be part of that. “Recess is a necessary break in the day for optimizing a child’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development,” the AAP wrote in a 2013 policy statement . “In essence, recess should be considered a child’s personal time, and it should not be withheld for academic or punitive reasons.”

Experts argue that physical education and recess should both be part of a child’s schedule. In 2001, the Council on Physical Education for Children and the National Association for Sport and Physical Education recommended that physical education classes not become a replacement for the unstructured playtime of recess.

“Quality physical education along with daily recess are necessary components of the school curriculum that enable students to develop physical competence, health-related fitness, self responsibility, and enjoyment of physical activity so that they can be physically active for a lifetime,” the groups wrote in a position paper about elementary school recess in 2001.

A 2009 study found that 8- and 9-year-old children who had at least one daily recess period of more than 15 minutes had better classroom behavior. The study also found that black students and students from low-income families were more likely to be given no recess or minimal recess. That report reinforced the results of a 1998 study , which found that when 43 fourth-grade students were given recess, they worked more or fidgeted less than when they were not given recess.

When recess is eliminated or reduced, it is often because a school is allocating more time to subjects covered on standardized tests, aiming to improve student achievement. But a 2010 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found positive associations between recess and academic performance. “There is substantial evidence that physical activity can help improve academic achievement, including grades and standardized test scores,” the report said.

Another study , from 2016, found that young boys who spent more time sitting and less time playing didn’t progress as quickly in reading and math.

Studies also show that recess can improve student nutrition when held before lunchtime. A 2014 study published in Preventive Medicine found that holding recess before lunch increased students’ fruit and vegetable consumption by 54%.

More Must-Reads From TIME

• Biden’s Campaign Is In Trouble. Will the Turnaround Plan Work?
• Why We're Spending So Much Money Now
• The Financial Influencers Women Actually Want to Listen To
• Breaker Sunny Choi Is Heading to Paris
• The UAE Is on a Mission to Become an AI Power
• Why TV Can’t Stop Making Silly Shows About Lady Journalists
• The Case for Wearing Shoes in the House
• Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time

Write to Katie Reilly at [email protected]

You May Also Like

Essay on Recess Should Be Longer

Students are often asked to write an essay on Recess Should Be Longer in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Recess Should Be Longer

Importance of recess.

Recess is an important part of school. It’s a break from class where students can relax and play. It helps kids clear their minds and get ready for more learning. If recess is longer, it can help students even more.

Physical Health

When kids have a longer recess, they can play more. This means they can get more exercise. Exercise keeps our bodies strong and healthy. It also helps us feel good. So, a longer recess can help keep kids healthy.

Mental Health

Recess is not just good for the body, it’s also good for the mind. When kids play, they feel happy. This can help reduce stress. A longer recess can give kids more time to relax and feel good.

Social Skills

During recess, kids can talk and play with their friends. This helps them learn how to get along with others. If recess is longer, kids have more time to build these important social skills.

Academic Performance

A longer recess can also help with school work. After a good break, kids can focus better. This can help them do better in class. So, a longer recess can help improve students’ grades.

In conclusion, a longer recess can be very helpful for students. It can help them stay healthy, feel good, get along with others, and do well in school.

250 Words Essay on Recess Should Be Longer

Why recess time matters.

Recess is a favorite part of the day for most kids. It’s a time to play, eat, and take a break from lessons. But, is the current recess time enough? Many believe that recess should be longer.

The Need for Play

Playtime is not just fun, it’s also important for our brains. When we play, our brains get a break from learning. This helps us to focus better when we get back to class. Plus, playtime helps us to learn social skills. We learn how to share, work as a team, and solve problems. These skills are just as important as math or reading.

Exercise and Health

Recess is also a time for exercise. Kids need to move around to stay healthy. Sitting in class all day is not good for our bodies. We need time to run, jump, and play. This keeps our bodies strong and healthy. Plus, exercise helps to clear our minds and makes us feel happier.

Learning and Focus

Longer recess can also help us to learn better. After a break, we can focus more on our lessons. This means we can understand and remember more. Teachers also get a break during recess. This means they can rest and prepare for the next lessons.

In conclusion, longer recess is good for both our bodies and minds. It gives us time to play, exercise, and prepare for learning. So, let’s make recess longer and make school a more fun and healthy place for all of us.

500 Words Essay on Recess Should Be Longer

Introduction.

Recess is a cherished part of the school day for students. It’s a chance for kids to play, chat, eat and take a break from the busy day of learning. This essay will talk about why recess should be longer.

Firstly, kids need time to play. Play is not just fun, but it’s also important for a child’s growth. It helps kids learn how to solve problems, work as a team, and be creative. If recess is longer, kids will have more time to play and learn these important skills.

Health Benefits

Secondly, a longer recess can help kids stay healthy. When kids play, they move around a lot. This movement, or physical activity, is good for their bodies. It can help kids stay at a healthy weight and keep their hearts strong. If recess is longer, kids will have more time to be active.

Improving Focus

Thirdly, a longer recess can help kids focus better in class. After sitting for a long time, it can be hard for kids to pay attention. A break can help refresh their minds. When kids come back from a longer recess, they might be able to focus better on their lessons.

Lastly, a longer recess can help kids learn social skills. During recess, kids talk to each other. They learn how to make friends, solve arguments and work together. These are important skills that kids need to learn. A longer recess can give kids more time to learn these skills.

In conclusion, a longer recess can be good for kids. It can help them learn, stay healthy, focus better in class, and learn social skills. While it’s important to have time for lessons, it’s also important to have time for recess. By making recess longer, schools can help kids grow in many ways.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Reconstruction Success Or Failure
• Essay on Recreational Activities
• Essay on Recycling Should Be Mandatory

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

One Comment

*This Headings are helping me to understand more clearly then without heading* “Keep it up”

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Mar 25, 2022

10 Reasons Kids Should Have Longer Recess at School

Experts say that there’s more to learning than just books. While academics are important and help shape the minds of our children, it has been found that there are some important life skills that can mostly only be learned through free play and interactions with other kids. 

Recess is a time of the school day that kids look forward to the most. When you’re a kid, playtime never seems long enough - something we’ve all been familiar with in the past from when we were kids. Recess sees kids playing many games that often mimic real-life scenarios. These kinds of creative games allow them to learn how to communicate, negotiate, resolve disagreements and solve problems. Recess is a great time for kids to express themselves.

Should Canadian schools have more recess breaks?

A small school in rural Alberta doubled the number of recess breaks in order to increase student concentration as well as academic grades. The Bruderheim School, which has 130 students from kindergarten to Grade 6, opted for four recess breaks instead of two from September 2018 onward. Students do not spend more than an hour sitting in classrooms throughout the day. Principal Paul McKay is of the opinion that with more recess breaks, students are more self-regulated and are more ready to learn. 

McKay implemented this system after being inspired by the Finnish education system, where every 45 minutes of classroom time is followed by a 15 minute recess. He came up with the idea after reading a book written by well-known Finnish educator, Pasi Sahlberg . 

Other schools, especially those part of the LiiNK Project in Texas, have also adopted this model inspired by Finland to increase recess and physical activity.

The Importance of Long Recess

An extension for recess is necessary and should become mandatory if we want our future generations to acquire positive life skills and successful self-expression.

1. Frees The Mind

Kids spend a lot of time doing scheduled activities at school and at home where they’re expected to adhere to rules. And although children benefit from a schedule, they also need free time to explore their own ideas and process information. Kids tend to have a ton of energy, and it’s important to schedule downtime into their day to dissipate that energy. Recess and lunch are mostly the only time that kids actually get to free their minds.

2. Nurtures Creativity

Recess is a great time to nurture creativity as children get an opportunity to make their own decisions about what and how to play. This allows children to share ideas with one another, often leading to the creation of new games and ideas. They get a chance “to be whoever they want to be” during recess.

3. Helps Them Learn Better

Academic programs in schools can be rigorous for students, and keeping up with a set curriculum leaves little or no time to devote to recess. Children may learn better if they are given an adequate break. Regular breaks help them stay focused when they are on the task.

Recess helps kids relax. Physical activity releases endorphins in the brain that helps kids reduce anxiety. They can take a break from a difficult lesson and revisit the concept after clearing their minds on the playground. Often a child becomes frustrated with a lesson and needs a break before revisiting it - recess is a great time of day for this kind of reflection. Kids may have better clarity of mind after recess, allowing them to focus better. 

4. Life Skills

Kids need to develop soft skills other than those taught in the academic realm. They need free time to converse normally with other kids, be that fun conversations as well as a few arguments. This helps them learn about real-life situations, and enhances the problem-solving skills they will need to get through their adult years. Recess needs to be longer so that there is ample time for students to deal with different types of situations.

5. Bonding with Friends and Teachers

Teachers barely have time to interact with students in between lessons. Recess gives students and teachers time to interact and communicate out of the classroom. Recess also provides an opportunity for kids to get to know each other, especially those in large classes where it’s increasingly difficult to talk to each student separately.

Time spent in the classroom with classmates is not enough to build relationships. Children need time to have full-length conversations that are not interrupted. More extended recess generally allows time for kids to build this bond. Bonding is an important element of child development. They need to bond with people other than their friends, teachers and parents. Relationship building is a big part of life and teaches kids to trust each other and to care for others. 

6. Better Behaviour

Early morning recess is a great outlet for the day’s first burst of energy for children. This practice should continue into elementary school years too. Today’s generation spends excessive amounts of time on punishments when many behavioural issues could be solved merely by allowing an extended recess. The extra free time, physical activity and social time automatically gives students the opportunity to get things out of their system before settling in for their next class.

7. More Patient Teachers

Teachers often get worn out from working with large numbers of kids, recess allows them to take a break as well, giving their minds some rest while still keeping an eye on their class. A strong trait of a teacher is their incredible patience in dealing with children. Teachers are able to show more kindness and patience when they get a break from the classroom during recess as well. Once class time resumes after recess, teachers and students both feel much calmer.

8. Physical Health

Obesity rates in children are alarming in today’s generation. Poor diet, minimal exercise and increased stress levels are all contributing to weight gain and other chronic health issues. Sitting for long hours in the classroom also contributes to this problem. The only time kids actually get to move freely is during recess.

Recess has a different meaning for kids, they run around, jump and simply just have fun. They are likely to burn more calories while they play. This can be helpful for the general physical health of children as well as contributing to reducing obesity. When it comes to physical health, teachers can help students by organizing relay races, obstacle courses, or a short exercise routine during recess. This is something we do at Recess Guardians with over 600 schools.  And in order to be able to do this, schools need to make recess longer.

9. Mental Health

Long hours in the classroom can take a toll on the mental health of children. Children often take home large amounts of homework, even after a long day of learning at school, leading them to feel quite stressed. A longer recess, however, could easily add enough movement to help minimize mental discomfort. 

Recess plays a catalytic role in improving mental health by providing physical activities, time with friends and a mental break. Chemicals like endorphins released during exercise help the mind resist anxiety and depression. The social aspect of recess helps kids develop a healthy support system. Vitamin D from the sun is necessary for the body and the mind to perform properly. Students need a decent break at school to perform well and stay mentally healthy.

10. More Enjoyment of The School Day

Recess is one of the only times where kids can catch up with their peers. Just sit and talk to them. Recess is more than just an exercise time. It is their social outlet where they spend a large part of this time building relationships.

School is more difficult for some children than others. And for kids that have a hard time academically, this break can bring some much-needed fun and enjoyment. Challenging times are much easier to handle when they are able to have a little fun during recess. 

Recent Posts

Why Winning and Losing is Important for Children

Unstructured Play Is Critical For Kids

Less Play Is Keeping Kids From Turning Into Confident Adults

We use cookies on our website to support technical features that enhance your user experience, and to help us improve our website. By continuing to use this website, you accept our privacy policy .

• Student Login
• No-Cost Professional Certificates
• COVID-19 Response
• Call Us: 888-549-6755
• 888-559-6763
• Search site Search our site Search Now Close
• Request Info

Skip to Content (Press Enter)

The Importance of Recess: Why Schools Need More Playtime

By Ashley Brooks on 06/20/2018

Your kids run and jump alongside you as you walk them home from the bus stop after another successful day of school. “What was your favorite part of the day today?” you ask. Both the kids shout, “Recess!”

You’re hardly surprised at their answer. You remember recess fondly from your own elementary school days. Jumping rope, swinging from the monkey bars, playing kickball and simply enjoying the outdoors was the highlight of your school day, too. But many children today aren’t given the opportunity to explore the full joys of recess.

School districts across the United States are cutting recess to make more time for structured classroom learning. On the surface, this may seem like a good idea. What’s wrong with giving kids more time to learn? But cutting recess and playtime may actually do more harm than good. Worse yet, only eight states currently require recess , which has some parents and educators worried that recess could disappear completely.

Don’t underestimate the importance of recess in your classroom. Read on to find out why play is vital to learning and what you can do to keep recess and playtime a part of your early childhood program.

The decline of recess

Recess time has been in decline for many children—in fact, one 2007 George Washington University study found that 20 percent of schools have reduced recess time. 1 So why would school districts across the country begin taking away recess time? The likely driving force behind these cuts to children’s unstructured playtime is rooted in U.S. educational policy.

America’s education policy

The rapid decrease in recess began the same year the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was passed. The law aimed to make America’s education system more internationally competitive by introducing achievement goals for schools, gauged by standardized tests in reading and math. If schools missed their achievement goals, they could be subject to a series of penalties, including loss of funding.

Fast-forward to 2011 when states began reviewing and adopting the Common Core State Standards . The goal was to standardize student achievement in math, literacy and language arts—and it bases student achievement on a series of mandatory tests. Much like the NCLB, Common Core relies on standardized test scores to gauge student performance—and those scores can influence school funding.

Teaching to the test

Between NCLBA and Common Core, it’s no surprise that teachers have felt the pressure to make sure students perform well on standardized tests. When educators are facing pay cuts, loss of funding to their school and perhaps even the loss of their jobs, it’s no wonder they started questioning if recess was a waste of time.

This pressure to cram even more learning into the school day is especially felt by underperforming, low-income schools that are already strapped for funding. The students in these schools are often so far below grade-level standards that the achievement bar set by Common Core feels unattainably high, and the gap between high-performing and underperforming schools hasn’t shrunk. While clearly nationwide educational standards are a well-intentioned idea, the implementation of these policies has left a lot to be desired—and the loss of recess time in favor of study time has become an unintended consequence.

The hidden benefits of recess

It may seem counterintuitive to send kids out to play when they’re falling below state standards, but recess advocates argue that getting outside for unstructured play may be more beneficial than keeping kids in the classroom all day.

“When schools choose to cut recess, they should consider the benefits they are cutting also and evaluate if the reasons for cutting recess outweigh these benefits,” says Marie Conti, head of The Wetherill School and member of the American Montessori Society board of directors. These are just some of the benefits that highlight the importance of recess.

Physical activity may improve brain function

“Freedom to move, run and play, especially outdoors, has a tremendous impact on children’s abilities to focus and control themselves throughout the day,” Conti says. Maria Montessori , a pioneer of early childhood education, believed that “the mind cannot be educated without using the body,” Conti adds. “She viewed learning as an integration of thinking and moving.”

This isn’t just the belief of an influential educator—research has shown positive links between people who exercise regularly and their cognitive ability. Even if no such research existed, common sense makes a compelling case—would you feel mentally fresh sitting for hours learning a subject?

Recess promotes social skills

“Recess time gives more opportunity for socialization, teamwork and practice with conflict-resolution skills,” Conti says. Asking other kids to play, explaining the rules of a complex game and hashing out disputes are all important life lessons that kids can only learn if they’re given time to play.

Recess also offers the chance for children to strengthen their leadership and negotiation skills, and it can prevent bullying . Kids love playing—and when a conflict arises, it pushes children to practice these vital social skills so they can get back to having fun.

Recess fights childhood obesity

About one in five school-aged children has excess body fat, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) . 2 The CDC also recommends that children get at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day, but that’s tough to achieve if kids are sitting in a classroom for six to seven hours with no break for movement.

A healthy and active lifestyle is a routine that needs practice and reinforcement to make into a lifelong habit. Recess offers kids the chance to move their bodies and get closer to their 60 minutes of physical activity, thus making it less likely that they’ll struggle with obesity.

Recess reduces stress

“Outdoor recess also gives the benefit of experiencing fresh air and sunshine, both noted for increasing overall health and mood,” Conti says. Sunlight is also a key source of vitamin D, which increases learning and productivity .

The physical activity kids take part in during recess can also reduce stress levels and allow children to feel more relaxed . In an education system that continues to place higher expectations on children to perform to a certain standard, less stress is just what the doctor ordered.

How to stand up for recess

Recess doesn’t have to go extinct. You can keep the importance of play front and center in your classroom by taking small steps to encourage recess in your school or early childhood program.

If your program doesn’t allow for a longer midday recess, Conti recommends taking smaller breaks throughout the day or teaching a lesson outside so kids can still reap the benefits of the great outdoors. You can also designate an indoor space for recess so that kids don’t have to give up their free play due to bad weather.

Make the grade

Now that you understand the importance of play, you’re prepared to defend recess and create a strong learning environment for the children in your classroom.

Recess isn’t the only way to encourage learning through taking breaks. Find out how techniques like spaced learning can positively impact your ECE classroom in our article, “ What Is Spaced Learning? Reaping the Rewards of Repetition in the ECE Classroom .”

1 George Washington University, Center on Education Policy, NCLB Year 5: Choices, Changes, and Challenges: Curriculum and Instruction in the NCLB Era, [Information accessed May 21, 2018] https://www.cep-dc.org/displayDocument.cfm?DocumentID=312 2 Division of Population Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Pinterest
• Share on LinkedIn

Request More Information

Talk with an admissions advisor today. Fill out the form to receive information about:

• Program Details and Applying for Classes
• Financial Aid and FAFSA (for those who qualify)
• Customized Support Services
• Detailed Program Plan

There are some errors in the form. Please correct the errors and submit again.

Please enter your first name.

Please enter your last name.

There is an error in email. Make sure your answer has:

• An "@" symbol
• A suffix such as ".com", ".edu", etc.

There is an error in phone number. Make sure your answer has:

• 10 digits with no dashes or spaces
• No country code (e.g. "1" for USA)

There is an error in ZIP code. Make sure your answer has only 5 digits.

Please choose a School of study.

Please choose a program.

Please choose a degree.

The program you have selected is not available in your ZIP code. Please select another program or contact an Admissions Advisor (877.530.9600) for help.

The program you have selected requires a nursing license. Please select another program or contact an Admissions Advisor (877.530.9600) for help.

Rasmussen University is not enrolling students in your state at this time.

By selecting "Submit," I authorize Rasmussen University to contact me by email, phone or text message at the number provided. There is no obligation to enroll. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

About the author

Ashley Brooks

Ashley is a freelance writer for Collegis education who writes student-focused articles on behalf of Rasmussen University. She believes in the power of words and knowledge and enjoys using both to encourage others on their learning journeys

Posted in General Education

• ECE activities
• education trends
• early childhood education

Related Content

Brianna Flavin | 12.21.2023

Hope Rothenberg | 11.09.2023

Brianna Flavin | 05.11.2023

Patrick Flavin | 06.20.2022

This piece of ad content was created by Rasmussen University to support its educational programs. Rasmussen University may not prepare students for all positions featured within this content. Please visit www.rasmussen.edu/degrees for a list of programs offered. External links provided on rasmussen.edu are for reference only. Rasmussen University does not guarantee, approve, control, or specifically endorse the information or products available on websites linked to, and is not endorsed by website owners, authors and/or organizations referenced. Rasmussen University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

• International
• Schools directory
• Resources Jobs Schools directory News Search

Extra recess? Persuasive writing example with questions

Subject: English

Age range: 7-11

Resource type: Lesson (complete)

Last updated

3 December 2021

• Share through email
• Share through twitter
• Share through linkedin
• Share through facebook
• Share through pinterest

Tes paid licence How can I reuse this?

Your rating is required to reflect your happiness.

It's good to leave some feedback.

Something went wrong, please try again later.

This resource hasn't been reviewed yet

To ensure quality for our reviews, only customers who have purchased this resource can review it

Report this resource to let us know if it violates our terms and conditions. Our customer service team will review your report and will be in touch.

Not quite what you were looking for? Search by keyword to find the right resource:

Speech on “Why Recess Should Be Longer?”

You must clearly highlight the advantages of having longer recess time. Longer recess time can help the students or candidates to not only have their meal properly but also will give them the opportunity to interact in a better way.

It is also to inform how longer recess time can actually help the candidates or students to develop mentally and physically with indoor and outdoor games. It will give an opportunity to learn and grow together with other friends. 

Speech Template:

Good morning everyone and welcome to today’s event where we have gathered to share our thoughts on the changes that have to be brought into our education system. When we speak about reforming the education system or the curriculum, we often hear a lot about how the subjects should be modified or how the children in school are continuously evaluated to get the overall performance of the child, and we often tend to overlook the time given for the children for relaxing.

All of us have heard the saying “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy,” and it is not only the case for “Jack”; it is applicable to every student out there. When we fail to understand that a child or a student needs time to relax and move around apart from all the time they are confined to one place.

A student spends most of their time sitting in one place listening to the teachers and taking down notes; they become so invested in studying that they have very little movement during this time and it should be deemed necessary for the student to have some physical movement in between these long hours.

The recess time given to the students is sometimes so less that they prefer to stay in rather than hurriedly move around.

This might seem like a small problem but when this pattern of behavior continues this might lead to bigger problems. Recess time is when the students interact with each other and make friends, and this is important for the students to create a balance between their academic life and leisure, as having peer groups and other forms of leisure communication will help them maintain their interests in the academic path.

Certainly, here are 10 reasons why recess should be longer

• Physical Health Benefits
• Mental Health
• Cognitive Enhancement
• Social Skills
• Behavioral Improvements
• Better Academic Performance
• Exposure to Nature
• Physical Activity Development
• Conflict Resolution
• Creativity and Imagination

The lack of proper recess time can directly affect the student’s ability to pay attention and will also bring down their socializing skills. The social-emotional development that a child is supposed to have during their academic period is heavily influenced by recess time.

A child can only learn so much from materials, and some of the skills have to be developed by interacting in real-life scenarios and displaying empathy and effective socialization are some of the skills that a child learns on their own by interacting within the peer groups which is not controlled by an adult, that is where there is no adult supervision and a place where the child can take a decision on their own by their own better judgment.

If the recess time is long enough for the children to interact with each other, it proves to be an environment where the children can freely communicate.

Most of the time when the children are left alone for a long period of time, they tend to get into these games that include a lot of imagination and play schemes, and for the children to reach this stage recess should have enough time for this to be executed and for the children to comfortably

😍 Want To Read More, Explore 👇 This Article

Similar posts:.

• 23+ Speech on School May Ignite a Learning Revolution!
• 226+ Famous Time Quotes That Illuminate The Meaning Of Time (Images)
• 413+ Student Council Quotes That Will Inspire You To Lead and Succeed (Images)
• 487+ Daylight Quotes That Will Enlighten Your Mind! (Images)
• 261+ Happy Birthday Wishes For Students Are a Total Blast! (Images)

“Business, marketing, and blogging – these three words describe me the best. I am the founder of Burban Branding and Media, and a self-taught marketer with 10 years of experience. My passion lies in helping startups enhance their business through marketing, HR, leadership, and finance. I am on a mission to assist businesses in achieving their goals.”

Leave a Comment

• Words to pages
• Pages to words

Advocate Educational Integrity

Our service exists to help you grow as a student, and not to cheat your academic institution. We suggest you use our work as a study aid and not as finalized material. Order a personalized assignment to study from.

These kinds of ‘my essay writing' require a strong stance to be taken upon and establish arguments that would be in favor of the position taken. Also, these arguments must be backed up and our writers know exactly how such writing can be efficiently pulled off.

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Vowing the U.S. Will ‘Do Our Job,’ Johnson Searches for a Path on Ukraine

The Republican speaker, with his job on the line, has privately told people he would make sure the House moves to assist Ukraine, a step that many members of his party oppose.

By Catie Edmondson

Reporting from Capitol Hill

When Speaker Mike Johnson opened the floor for questions at a closed-door luncheon fund-raiser in New Jersey last month, Jacquie Colgan asked how, in the face of vehement opposition within his own ranks, he planned to handle aid for Ukraine.

What followed was an impassioned monologue by Mr. Johnson in which he explained why continued American aid to Kyiv was, in his view, vital — a message starkly at odds with the hard-right views that have overtaken his party. He invoked his political roots as a Reagan Republican, denounced President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia as a “madman” and conceded the issue had forced him to walk a “delicate political tightrope.”

Reminded by Ms. Colgan, a member of the American Coalition for Ukraine, a nonprofit advocacy group, of the adage that the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil was for good people to do nothing, Mr. Johnson replied that he kept a copy of the quotation framed in his office.

“That’s not going to be us,” he assured her. “We’re going to do our job.”

The exchange reflects what Mr. Johnson has privately told donors, foreign leaders and fellow members of Congress in recent weeks, according to extensive notes Ms. Colgan took during the New Jersey event and interviews with several other people who have spoken with him.

While the speaker has remained noncommittal about any one option, he has repeatedly expressed a personal desire to send aid to Ukraine — something he has voted against repeatedly in the past — and now appears to be in search of the least politically damaging way to do it.

The challenge for Mr. Johnson is that any combination of aid measures he puts to a vote will likely infuriate the growing isolationist wing of his party, which considers the issue toxic. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, Republican of Georgia, who has repeatedly said she would call a snap vote to unseat the speaker if he allowed a vote for Ukraine aid before imposing restrictive immigration measures, filed a resolution on Friday calling for his removal, saying she wanted to send him “a warning.”

Even if Ms. Greene follows through on the threat, Mr. Johnson could still hold onto his job. Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the minority leader, has said he believed “a reasonable number” of Democrats would vote to save the speaker were he to face a Republican mutiny for acting on the Senate-passed aid package, though on Friday Mr. Jeffries said that had been “an observation, not a declaration.”

In a lengthy statement on Friday after Ms. Greene had filed her resolution and the House departed Washington for its Easter recess, Mr. Johnson said that when lawmakers returned in two weeks, they would “take the necessary steps to address the supplemental funding request.”

“We have done important work discussing options with members,” he said, “and are preparing to complete our plan for action.”

Privately, Mr. Johnson has expressed an interest in linking Ukraine aid to a measure aimed at forcing the Biden administration to reverse its moratorium on liquid natural gas exports, according to three people familiar with his deliberations who were not authorized to discuss them. Mr. Johnson pressed the issue at a White House meeting last month with President Biden and congressional leaders, arguing that by prohibiting new exports of domestic energy, the administration was increasing reliance on Russian gas, effectively enriching Ukraine’s enemy.

In that meeting, according to a person familiar with the comments, Mr. Johnson raised the case of Calcasieu Pass 2, a proposed export terminal that would be situated along a shipping channel that connects the Gulf of Mexico to Lake Charles, La., and would dwarf the country’s existing export terminals . The Biden administration in January had paused a decision on whether to approve it.

He has puzzled over whether to put the aid to a vote on the House floor packaged with assistance for other U.S. allies, including Israel and Taiwan, or allow lawmakers to vote on them separately to register their support for each individual nation.

With many Republicans bent on blocking aid to Ukraine, any legislation carrying it would need to be considered using a special procedure that bypasses House rules and requires a two-thirds majority for passage, relying heavily on votes from Democrats. But a combined aid package for both Ukraine and Israel like the one that passed the Senate last month could be doomed by a coalition of right-wing Republicans opposing the money for Kyiv and left-wing Democrats opposing aid for Israel .

Mr. Johnson has pondered imposing new sanctions against Russia. And he has debated how the money should be structured — straight assistance versus a loan — and whether it should be exclusively for lethal aid, a type of assistance that is more widely supported by his conference, or also include nonmilitary assistance.

“There is a big distinction in the minds of a lot of people between lethal aid for Ukraine, and the humanitarian component,” Mr. Johnson said at a news conference at the Capitol last week.

Both he and Representative Michael McCaul, Republican of Texas and the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, have publicly floated the idea of paying for some of the aid by selling off Russian sovereign assets that have been frozen using legislation called the REPO Act .

Mr. Johnson has faced mounting international pressure to allow a vote on aid to Ukraine, fielding almost weekly visits and calls from NATO allies and pro-Ukraine activists both at his offices in Washington and Louisiana. When Prime Minister Donald Tusk of Poland visited Washington earlier this month, he had a sharp public message for the speaker.

“This is not some political skirmish that only matters here in America,” Mr. Tusk told reporters. “The absence of this positive decision of Mr. Johnson will really cost thousands of lives there — children, women. He must be aware of his personal responsibility.”

Meeting privately with Mr. Johnson in his office in the Capitol, President Andrzej Duda of Poland appealed to the Louisiana Republican’s respect for President Ronald Reagan, whose portrait hung beside the speaker during the meeting. Mr. Duda quoted Mr. Reagan extensively and praised his willingness to call out good versus evil during the Cold War, according to a person familiar with the comments who requested anonymity to describe them.

Some skeptical Ukraine backers, both on and off Capitol Hill, have fretted that Mr. Johnson’s agreeable comments have simply reflected his penchant for telling people what they want to hear. Early in Mr. Johnson’s tenure as speaker, lawmakers noticed that he had a habit of leaving listeners from warring factions with the impression he agreed with each of them.

Yet at the fund-raiser in New Jersey last month, he was fairly candid about his calculations.

Mr. Johnson told the audience that he was “working to figure out the best route forward,” Ms. Colgan recalled, adding that he said that half of House Republicans wanted to move it together as a package with Israel and Taiwan, and the other half wanted to do it on its own.

At a separate fund-raiser in Binghamton for a congressman in New York’s Hudson Valley last month, Christina Zawerucha, the executive director of the Together for Ukraine Foundation, and Anatoliy Pradun, the group’s president, who was born and raised in Ukraine, approached the speaker to press him on holding a vote.

Mr. Pradun had hoped to appeal to Mr. Johnson’s faith by telling him of the strong evangelical Christian community in Ukraine. But realizing they had little time to make their case, Ms. Zawerucha and Mr. Pradun instead gave the speaker a pin with the Ukrainian and American flags, showed him their poster advertising an upcoming interfaith vigil for Ukraine and implored him to schedule a vote on aid to Kyiv.

“He didn’t turn us away,” Ms. Zawerucha said. “He pointed at our poster and said, ‘I will take care of this. I will take care of this.’”

When Ms. Zawerucha relayed the interaction to fellow activists after the luncheon, they asked what she thought he meant.

“And at this point, I don’t know,” she said. “It’s been over a month since Speaker Johnson said he would take care of this. And a vote for Ukraine still has not been allowed on the floor.”

Julian Barnes contributed reporting.

Catie Edmondson covers Congress for The Times. More about Catie Edmondson

A Divided Congress: Latest News and Analysis

Ukraine Aid: Speaker Mike Johnson has expressed a personal desire to send aid to Ukraine despite voting against it repeatedly. Now, he appears to be in search of the least politically damaging way to do it .

Spending Bill: A  bipartisan spending package  approved by Congress ended the prospect of a government shutdown. But the legislation also represented a major defeat for ultraconservatives in the House, who immediately turned on Johnson .

A Dwindling Majority: Representative Mike Gallagher, Republican of Wisconsin, announced that he would resign from Congress months earlier than expected on April 19, bringing the already minuscule G.O.P. majority down to a lonely one vote .

An Invite for Netanyahu: Johnson said that he planned to invite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel to address Congress, moving to welcome a leader who has become a flashpoint for partisan disagreement  over the war in Gaza.

TikTok Ban: After a bill that would force TikTok’s Chinese parent company to sell the app or face a nationwide ban sailed through the House  at breakneck speed, its progress has slowed in the Senate .