Why Recess Matters (The Importance of Unstructured Play and How to Fight for It)

Recess is more than just playtime. It is a crucial part of schooling, necessary for nurturing holistic well-being and supporting schools’ mission to provide a well-rounded education. This unstructured break fosters imagination and builds collaboration, ingenuity, resilience and critical thinking—skills at the core of emotional regulation. These are the potential benefits of recess.

To realize this potential, all students must experience a high-quality, safe, playful break. In Why Recess Matters, children’s health expert Dr. Catherine Ramstetter presents deeply researched data, relatable real-world stories, and simple action steps parents can take to support their child and their schools in designing and delivering the full potential of recess. 

Produced in collaboration with dozens of recess researchers and advocates, Why Recess Matters gives parents and educators the tools to improve how recess is designed, delivered, and experienced, to “do recess better.”