Rethinking the Rules for Raising Confident, Creative Kids

To most kids, recess is the best part of a school day. An early childhood and parenting expert agrees. In fact, she supports making recess periods longer and giving kids more say in how they structure their time. Take a look at her “renegade rules” for effective parenting.

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Recess Not Just Fun, But Vital To Child Development, Expert Says

Recess isn’t just the funnest part of the school day – it might also be the most important, according to an early childhood expert.

Parenting expert Heather Shumaker said she believes that children who tout recess as the best time of their day, have it right. She supports making recess periods longer and giving children more say in how they structure their time.

Longer recess periods is just one “renegade rule” Shumaker proposes in her new book, “It’s OK to Go Up the Slide: Renegade Rules for Raising Confident and Creative Kids.“

Shumaker acknowledges that she may be promoting a “counter-intuitive, counter-cultural message,” but insists it’s an important one that supports healthy child development.

“Recess really is part of how a child learns in the younger years,” she said, noting that many schools have eliminated recess in grades as low as kindergarten, effectively leaving kids in school all day without a single break. In some schools special coaches organize recess and in some cases, it’s substituted for gym class.

“Kids need a break, they need a break socially, emotionally, they need a break physically,” said Shumaker. “They need that break to be able to concentrate back in class.”

Shumaker points to research that indicates a link between shrinking break times and diminishing concentration. The result is increased fidgetiness and behavioral problems, she said.

“(T)he longer kids have to wait for recess, the less they can actually focus on the school lessons we trying to impart,” she said.

Teachers feel so much pressure to jam required amounts of curriculum into the school day that there’s no longer time for children to just run around – something that Shumaker believes is vital to healthy child development.

“It’s not just the physical release, it’s that mental release – that emotional release of adults not telling me what to do,” said Shumaker. “They come back refreshed.”