The Pueblo Chieftain – Amy Matthew
“It’s child’s play — and it’s important. Recess isn’t merely an escape from the classroom. It’s a physical and mental reset button for the youngest learners. (And as any parent or teacher can attest, it can provide mental restoration for the adults in charge, too.) In recent years, the emphasis on academics and standardized testing led some school systems to significantly reduce elementary students’ recess time. In 2012, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a policy statement denouncing that development, saying, “Recess serves as a necessary break from the rigors of concentrated, academic challenges in the classroom. But equally important is the fact that safe and well-supervised recess offers cognitive, social, emotional and physical benefits that may not be fully appreciated when a decision is made to diminish it.””(more)