Shrinking Recess Part 3: Social & Emotional Development |
posted by: Melissa | September 18, 2019, 05:45 PM |
Guest Post by Arthur Grant Today we present the third installment in our blog series, Shrinking Recess. In today’s installment, we list the ways that recess can affect the social and emotional development of our students. For each effect that we list, there will also be a key paper that you can read if you wish to learn more. As always, you can read the entire series at Muddy Smiles. Read on below to see the effects that recess has on social and emotional development. 1) PROMOTES PEER RELATIONSHIPS Most of us have at least a few fond memories of recess floating around, and it’s likely they revolve around fun games that we didn’t realize were a workout at the time. Hopscotch, Horse and a litany of playground classics encourage kids to engage in healthy physical activity that also offers copious chances for bonding and making friends. Anonymous questionnaires were used to collect data from students in fourth, fifth, seventh and eighth grades regarding their physical activity, peer relationships and self-esteem. After researchers adjusted the data for the bias of self-reporting, the 2010 study still offered demonstrable results correlating physical activity, an increase in self-esteem and an improvement in socialization and peer relationships. (Source)
2) STRENGTHENS SELF-ESTEEM Self-esteem is especially essential for our kids. It’s what encourages them to make new friends, try new things and persist in the face of difficulties. We believe in them beyond measure, but it’s key to their academic and social success that they believe in themselves, too. Believe it or not, even here, recess plays an important role.
3) CREATES SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL RESILIENCE We give our kids everything we’ve got, but they’ll always need one thing we can’t provide – healthy peer interaction. As parents, we can and should facilitate it, but our presence can’t and shouldn’t take the place of age-appropriate friendships that help kids form social skills, learn to moderate emotions and form lasting bonds with others. Recess gives our kids a chance to engage in games that are both social and physical, which builds and improves friendships and can teach valuable peer mediation skills.
4) GIVES RISE TO A POSITIVE SCHOOL EXPERIENCE When kids really enjoy being at school, they naturally do better. Feeling connected to peers, school and community is one of the first ways children learn how to be a part of a society. When they feel a lack of connection to their school and classmates, it’s easy for them to feel isolated, contributing to negative feelings about their school experience. Children who are given the chance to participate in a physically active recess are more likely to feel a sense of “relatedness” to their school and their classmates, leading to more positive feelings toward school.
5) TEACHES CHILDREN ABOUT THEMSELVES Discovering the world they live in is how children learn and grow. While our natural desire is to protect them at all times and at all costs, a little bit of freedom is essential for our kids’ personal growth. They need to be able to interact with the world, challenge themselves physically and navigate the complex social situations that develop as they enter school. Recess gives kids time to explore their imagination through free play, test their physical ability and find their place socially.
6) FOSTERS SOCIAL SKILLS All kids go through a me-first stage when they’re little. It’s a natural part of identity development, but as they grow, our kiddos quickly learn that it’s not all about them. Learning to feel empathy, engage in compromise, be cooperative, share with others and negotiate are all essential social skills learned in childhood that we carry throughout our lives. When kids take on roleplaying games during recess, they engage in the kind of communication and compromise skills they need to be successful socially.
7) HELPS SCHOOL ADJUSTMENT AND TRANSITION Starting school is a big deal for both parents and kids. For us, it means letting our babies go just a little bit as they tackle one of their life’s first big challenges. For them, it means learning new social skills, tackling physical challenges and adjusting to spending daily time in the classroom. This transitional period isn’t always simple, but there are ways to make it easier.
This is a multipart series and we'll be releasing a new installment every week. Part two can be read here. Part four can be read here. Arthur is a writer, researcher, and father with a keen interest in the science behind play. As chief editor for Muddy Smiles, he advocates for (loads) more unstructured play within education and at home.
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