Twenty minutes is the amount of time it takes to eat breakfast or do a short exercise routine. It’s also the amount of time elementary school children in Florida, Rhode Island, Missouri, and New Jersey have for recess, at a minimum, as mandated by recent changes to state laws. The promise of 20 minutes a day… Read more »
What I remember about elementary school, before spelling bees or Tuesday chicken nuggets, before the school’s beloved art teacher or canine mascot, is the freedom of recess. Fields of blowing dandelion fuzz; daydreaming in the tire pit; playing Four Square. And perhaps, above all, the joy of the swings, the relished feeling of boundlessness wrapped… Read more »
As Children Return to School, A Reminder that Daily Play Makes a Measurable Difference Since the early days of one-room school houses, recess has been an important part of education. In those early times, there was often an informal period of play before and after school, in addition to a regular mid-day break. Even… Read more »
…this way of thinking is natural for a child! In the “terrible two’s” stage children learn that they don’t have to do anything; they can say no! This stage is well known for being an important part of a child’s development of his or her autonomy. The same natural attitude goes for work and play: children can play for hours in the sand, digging, piling, toy trucking sand from here to there; baking cookies next to their aunt; and they take delight in sweeping the floor just like Dad. They have chosen the task and it’s easy for them to focus on the task at hand and even enjoy it!
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