The true object of all human life is play. Earth is a task garden; heaven is a playground. - G.K. Chesterton
Ask most any kid and they’ll say recess is their favorite thing about school. Unconstrained by desks and chairs and any agenda, they can swing, slide, climb, run, and just be kids!
Perhaps surprisingly, many adults would sort of agree with those kids. In 2013, the American Academy of Pediatrics released a policy statement noting the cognitive and academic benefits of recess. As one researcher put it, “[I]t really affects social, emotional, and cognitive development in a much deeper way than we’d expected. It helps children practice conflict resolution if we allow them unstructured play, and it lets them come back to class more ready to learn and less fidgety.”