Over the years, recess has not seemed to get the positive attention it deserves. It’s often the first thing that teachers and school representatives take away from a misbehaving student. For some schools, recess has been eliminated to promote more structured learning time in the classroom. If they haven’t removed it, other schools have significantly lessened the time to the point where children don’t have the chance to take a turn on the swing before heading back inside.
While schools mean well, recess is a crucial component of a child’s education and should be treated as such. It’s essential for physical well-being as well as social, cognitive, and emotional health. Keep reading for five reasons why schools should rethink recess with new outdoor playgrounds.
1. Improve Physical Fitness to Combat Sedentary Lifestyles
Recess is the one opportunity during the school day for kids to run freely and exert energy. During the majority of the day, they are told to sit quietly at their desks and only talk when asked a question or participating in group work. However, during recess, children can be themselves and play on their own accord. During this play time, they are encouraged to be physically active, and the right playground equipment can help encourage them to explore and achieve their daily activity levels.
For instance, playground climbing walls and balance beams are designed to challenge little ones as they maneuver their way up to the top or across to the other side. Spiral slides or racer slides, where children can slide side by side with their pals, increase activity levels as they run to the top to take another turn. Monkey bars and pull-up bars help with grip strength and coordination. As children swing from one bar to the next, they have to remain steady and hold tight as they release each hand.
2. Foster Social Interaction
Recess is another chance to build friendships and foster social interaction among peers. In the classroom, students aren’t always given the opportunity to chat with their friends. Besides lunchtime, they may not even be able to sit near their friends. However, during recess, students can play with whomever they want to play with and further develop their social skills.
For younger children, social skill development is important for learning how to share and communicate nicely with one another. These initial interactions can be the beginning of a long-term friendship. As children mature, they will need to learn how to compromise and express their feelings with their friends. They may also need to help stand up for their peers and offer their emotional support.
Newer playgrounds provide the space for these friendships to take off. Children must learn to navigate different social situations, such as sharing equipment and cooperating in games. This collaborative play will strengthen bonds and promote communication.
3. Develop Gross and Fine Motor Skills
Another reason to allow for ample time on an outdoor playground is for children to develop and strengthen their gross and fine motor skills. Motor skills are essential for everyday movements. Gross motor skills, such as walking, jumping, and hopping, involve the larger muscle groups such as quads and hamstrings. From swinging to climbing to sliding, gross motor skills are strengthened as children move from one activity to the next.
As the name suggests, fine motor skills require smaller movements. Grasping onto the monkey bars or building with toys in the sandbox requires dexterity. These smaller muscle groups are important for strengthening hand-eye coordination and improving spatial reasoning. Developing these skills takes time and isn’t something that children will actively want to do. However, newer playground equipment will allow them to subconsciously develop these skills through the act of play.
4. Enhance Academic Achievements and Performance Levels
Having a designated time to play can also help children in terms of their academic performance. When they return to the classroom, they may be more engaged and able to concentrate better. Because they’ve burned off excess energy, they may not fidget in their seat as much or act out in class as often. Instead, they’ll return to their desks feeling refreshed, recharged, and ready to tackle the next learning exercise.
Physical activity is also known to help with memory and attention spans. Movement is known to promote brain health by improving blood flow and delivering oxygen and nutrients to the brain. That’s why when you go to the gym or take a yoga class, you may find that a task that stumped you before can be easily done after.
Knowing the correlation between brain health and physical fitness, exercise guidelines recommend routine exercise as part of a well-rounded memory and cognitive health practice. For children, this could look like playing on the playground for 30 minutes a day during the school week. A half hour will fly by for kids who are entertained with updated playground equipment with different activity zones.
5. Promote Inclusivity for All Children
Children are often better at seeing everyone as equal. They may not realize or fully recognize that one of their peers is limited by their mobility or cognitive abilities. Celebrating these differences is part of recognizing diversity and modeling inclusive behavior.
Updated playgrounds are designed with inclusivity in mind. Ramps are built in to allow all children to access different play zones. Swings and slides are engineered to allow those with physical limitations to play as well. With these designs, all children are allowed to play together. This means that everyone feels welcome and invited to play.
Final Takeaways
Recess is much more than 30 minutes of free time. It’s a space for kids to play, while also building their strength, exploring their habits, improving their social skills, and learning about others’ needs. Schools with new outdoor playgrounds have the unique opportunity to encourage play and provide teachable moments, too.