Next school year, students in California will have more time to play each day. A new law will require public schools in the state to give kids in kindergarten through eighth grade at least 30 minutes of recess on regular school days. California joins other states with similar laws, including Illinois and Washington.
People in favor of daily recess say it’s a good way for kids to reach healthy exercise goals. Health experts recommend that kids get at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day. Also, studies have shown that unstructured free time, like recess, can help kids make new friends.
“Recess has many benefits,” says Beth Eisen of Playworks, a group that works with schools to design recess programs. “Kids learn skills that they’ll use for the rest of their lives, like teamwork and cooperation.”
Still, many school officials argue that too much recess eats into valuable learning time. Some schools have cut down on recess, using the extra time for more instruction in subjects like math and reading. Some people also worry that more recess time could lead to increases in bullying and playground injuries.