EMS-ISD Parents for More Recess

Did you know that our elementary kids are getting on average 8-10 minutes of recess a day? The district has allotted a 20 minute time period for recess but that also includes, lining up to go out, lining up to come in, washing hands and using the bathroom before lunch. This leaves only about 10 minutes of actual free play.

The district also allows teachers to take away recess as a punishment twice a week for not finishing work or being too rowdy in the classroom. Here are several studies showing the importance of unstructured play time for our children and how taking away recess doesn’t work:

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/131/1/183

http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/01/03/460254858/turns-out-monkey-bars-and-kickball-are-good-for-the-brain

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/recess-makes-kids-smarter

http://news.stanford.edu/news/2015/february/recess-benefits-school-021115.html