I Miss Recess by J.M. Holland

I guarantee that if your child goes to school and you ask them what they did that day the first thing they will say is, "We went outside on the playground." Or, "We played." Or, "We ate lunch" depending on the child. Kids love to go outside for recess. I think it is more than just the joy of free play, I think it is also the joy of being outside, in the fresh air. It is our default mode to feel the breeze or notice the particular color of the leaves in the sun.

When I taught, I knew that every day I could, our class would go outside. At my children's school one of the pre-k classes checked to make sure everyone had a change of clothes and then took the whole class out in the rain. It was a chore to get them changed after they came in but they remembered that experience the entire year. When I taught I felt it was sort of a relief valve for myself and some students because we knew if we could make it to outside time, we were more than half way through our day.

 

 I am reminded of this now, because since I have left the classroom, some days I don't get recess. I am busy, trying to get my job done, and sometimes, I forget to eat, or I keep putting it off until all of a sudden it is too late. So I eat at my desk or in the car, and try to take care of a little personal business. Then get back into the work. But, if I take the time to go outside for a few minutes, it is like shedding a costume. I am much happier when I go back in. I am more productive and focused. I am able to see my work with fresh eyes and look at problems in a new way. I miss recess, it is important in so many ways beyond the simple fact of kids getting to run around for a few minutes. It is the reset button on the day. I need that time, almost as much as lunch because it is food for the soul. I wouldn't have kept my kids inside during recess, I will have to remember not to keep myself inside either.

Comments

[thomas salmon]

My 13 year old son, who contracted lyme disease this past summer, told me today that he wouldn't give up playing outside even if it could make the disease go away. He's always been the come home from school and go play in the woods type. I get so disgusted when I hear of people who move out to the country to get away from it all, only to lock themselves indoors because they are afraid of wild animals. There is so much to learn from a walk in the woods. Even if you have no idea what you are looking at, the fresh air is great for your soul. So turn off the computer and take a walk!