Perceptions of the Effect of Recess on Kindergartners

The Benefits of School Recess: A Systematic Review *

“…Recess positively correlates with peer relationships, relatedness to school, and school climate 15 . Teachers have experientially noticed this trend and have noted that children learn to build social skills, learn conflict resolution, and develop problem‐solving skills at recess 23 . The social landscape of recess produces ample possibilities for students to develop and practice positive social interaction with peers and teachers.…”

“…Rather than the focused self‐control required in the classroom, students are provided with more freedom and autonomy during recess. Teachers commented that students returned to the classroom more calm, more relaxed, and more positive 23 . Social‐emotional learning is vital for the whole child, and schools can use recess' natural climate as daily opportunities for teachable moments which develop social and self‐awareness, responsible decision making, and relationship skills.…”

“…15 Teachers have experientially noticed this trend and have noted that children learn to build social skills, learn conflict resolution, and develop problem-solving skills at recess. 23 The social landscape of recess produces ample possibilities for students to develop and practice positive social interaction with peers and teachers. Many researchers have developed recess-based interventions that capitalize on the social and emotional learning aspect, especially for students with disabilities, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, who might need extra help understanding social interactions.…”

Promoção do direito a brincar nas escolas do 1.º ciclo do ensino básico em Portugal: impacto no índice de satisfação das crianças e nas interações no recreio

“…A ligação entre saúde e brincar é evidente também quando olhamos para os recreios escolares, que se devem constituir como uma oportunidade para promover a qualidade de vida em saúde (QVS) das crianças, com estudos a defenderem que se deve englobar os benefícios do recreio para a QVS no próprio currículo escolar, quebrando com noções anteriores de serem espaços cujo impacto na vida da criança é reduzido (Hyndman, et al, 2017;Neto, 2020) e valorizando o seu papel, por exemplo, no alcançar dos níveis de atividade física recomendados para as crianças, área que carece ainda de melhoria dado que nem todas as crianças atingem esses níveis no seu dia-a-dia escolar, sobretudo no caso das raparigas (Hellín-Martínez, et al, 2022;Mellado-Rubio, et al, 2023;Pastor-Vicedo, et al, 2021;Rodríguez-Fernández, et al, 2021). Os efeitos do recreio sentem-se também em contexto de sala de aula, levando a um comportamento mais calmo e focado, aumentando a produtividade e a boa disposição e diminuindo a irritabilidade (Martin, et al, 2018). Contudo, nos contextos escolares, o direito a brincar tem sido remetido para segundo plano: tem-se sobreposto a pressão do sucesso académico e o tempo e o espaço para brincar têm sido descurados (Amado & Almeida, 2017) e o brincar na escola encarado como um empecilho para o sucesso e não, como deveria ser, enquanto via para o sucesso (Neto, 2020).…”

Children Are Back to School, but Is Play Still in Lockdown? Play Experiences, Social Interactions, and Children’s Quality of Life in Primary Education in the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2020

“…Recess is one setting that can improve children’s experience, with studies dispelling the ancient ideas that the impact of recess on children’s lives was insignificant [ 6 ]. Studies have confirmed that recess also influences children’s academic achievements [ 7 , 8 ], as children’s behaviour, focus, and mood in the classroom improve as a result of recess [ 9 ]. Greater levels of attention and productivity are also reported as a result of recess [ 10 ].…”