Next school year, many students in California will have more time to play. A law passed last October will require public schools in the state to give kids at least 30 minutes of recess on regular school days. California joins a growing number of states with similar laws, including Illinois and Washington.
Those in favor of daily recess say it’s a good way for kids to reach healthy exercise goals. According to some health experts, kids should get at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day. Studies have shown that unstructured free time can also 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.”
But others 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.