How much recess/ how many breaks for elementary school age kids? (game, playing)
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I am curious how long the recess for your elementary school kids is? I am happy with what my kids get (I volunteer at the school, and definitely think recess is important to run off energy and let them be loud outside for a bit!).
I have one going into 1st and one going into 3rd grade; they get two 30 minutes recesses each, so a total of one hhour, both are outside unless it is raining, below freezing or above 100.
In addition to that, the 3rd grader gets one restroom break and the 1st grader two, and lunch is a separate 30 minutes too, so they don't hurry their lunch to have more playtime.
My kids were in school for one year (we normally homeschool). They were in 7th and 5th grades. We chose the school because the kids got substantially more free time than at our district school. At this school, they got about an hour outside each day, not counting PE, which was an additional 45 minutes twice per week. I think an hour per day would be the bare minimum I'd feel good about for elementary aged kids. I also think that bathroom breaks should happen as needed.
In public school down south, major city, my kids would get 10 minutes recess tops from kinder on. Lunch was 20 minutes but they weren't allowed to talk or socialize. They had to eat quietly.
I didn't like that. We pulled them for private school and we have also moved across country.
They are in private school now that takes this more seriously. Now they get 30 for lunch (and can talk), 30 for recess, they have a class outside at least once a week if the weather is ok (it seems like 15 degrees is when they stop going out and it doesn't get that hot here). They have a 30 minute PE class every day too (which should be mandatory all over the country!!).
They are able to go to the restroom without even asking. The class rooms have a chart and they just putt he restroom icon next to their names.
All the elementary schools in our district have a 20 minute recess in the morning and a half-hour for lunch for 1st through 5th grades. They also have physical ed outside for 45 minutes a few times a week. I don't know the kindergarten schedule.
The elementary schools in my district don't do recess. The kids might get lucky and have up to 10 minutes outside if they manage to finish their lunch in just a few bites, but other than that, they are stuck in desks all day. P.E. is once a week for 45 minutes.
It's been awhile, but I believe the first & second graders had two recesses plus lunch. The third through fifth graders had one recess plus lunch, and teachers often awarded a second recess if the kids stayed on task through the day. There was also a fifth grade teacher who routinely took the kids out for a game on Friday during the last half hour of the day. Teachers sometimes held lessons outside, too. Sixth grade was at the middle school, and they just had a lunch followed by free time until afternoon classes commenced. That was a rough transition, particularly for the boys.
I remember when I was a kid I had a 15 minute morning recess and 45 minutes combo of lunch and recess.
We had PE twice a week and it was torture...it was not inclusive to kids who aren't athletic. The teacher would openly ridicule those of us who weren't athletically inclined.
In most of the schools where I've recently worked, elementary aged kids get 20 minutes once a day, and 10-20 minutes after lunch (depending on how long it takes to eat lunch). So a total of 30-40 minutes a day.
At our private school Kindergateners get 2 recesses and 1 PE every day. 1st through 4th get 1 long recess and a PE (which must be outside if weather is good) every day. After 5th I think its's just PE. However, if your child goes to after care (which mine does), they generally spend at least an hour playing outside right after school.
My daughter will be 3rd grade and son Kinder. 3rd grade gets 1 recess after lunch for 20 minutes and PE is every other day, so sometimes it's 3 times a week and other times it's 2 times a week. Kinder gets a morning and afternoon recess of about 20 minutes each in addition to PE every other day.
Lunch is 30 minutes for all grades.
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