Why Recess Matters: The Importance of Unstructured Play and How to Fight for It

Recess is more than just playtime. It is a crucial part of schooling, necessary for nurturing holistic well-being and supporting schools’ mission to provide a well-rounded education. This unstructured break fosters imagination and builds collaboration, ingenuity, resilience and critical thinking—skills at the core of emotional regulation. These are the potential benefits of recess.

To realize this potential, all students must experience a high-quality, safe, playful break. In Why Recess Matt...