Day Care Director Talks About Recess

As a day care director, I think it is important to take a second to talk about recess. Among many day care directors, there is a debate about whether recess is important and if so, how long recess should be. Although this particular conversation never ceases to invite debate, it is a question often asked by parents. They want to make sure that their little ones are going to have a good time at day care.

Is Recess Important?

I feel recess is a very important part of any day care program. Children need to get out and move. They need to express their enthusiasm, joy, frustrations, and more. They need to be able to use their outside voice, with all the shouting and energy involved! I see in many children a better ability to focus and engage in class after recess, when some of their energy is released with this unstructured time.

Children need to be able to explore and experience life. Whether it is playing in the sand or the grass, they need to be able to learn what stuff feels like. There is no better way for them to learn what sand is, then having them play in it, taste it, create with it, and also learn how it should and shouldn't be handled. Recess also allows children to interact with their classmates on a different level than when they are together in the classroom.

Recess Promotes Motor Skill Development

Beside for allowing the children time to explore, recess is a great way for children to develop their gross motor skills. They will learn how to walk on uneven surfaces, how to climb, how to bounce a ball, how to roll, how to balance, and even how to fall. Children need to know what walking or playing on different surfaces feels like. Recess is a great time for them to learn these skills. And along with learning and increasing these skills, comes confidence in moving and controlling their bodies better.

How Long Should Recess Be?

Like most questions about day care programs, recess length depends on the age group. No matter what the age is, you need to make sure that they get at least an hour a day to spend outdoors. It is essential that the children get to explore and go on adventures. The older children can usually have longer recesses, while the younger ones will usually have shorter recesses. However, the time allotted for recess depends on the number of children, the weather, and the children's behavior.

Every day care program should have a designated recess time. If you are looking for a day care, then this is something that you need to consider. Not only will your child have time to explore, develop their motor skills, and associate words with objects, but they will also gain a better spatial awareness, and further develop relationship skills with their peers.