School Recess: Implications for Education and Development

In this article the empirical research on the role of school recess is reviewed. Recess is first defined, and then the effects of child-level variables (e.g., gender, age, and temperament) and school-level variables (e.g., recess timing and duration) on children’s recess behavior are reviewed. The implications of recess are discussed in terms of impact on classroom behavior and on measures of social and cognitive competence. It is concluded that recess has important educational and developmental implications. Further research in this area is urgently needed, and some promising areas of inquiry are suggested.