10 Ways Recess Can Help Your Child Do Better in School

A break to run around and blow off steam could be his best study aid (12 Photos)

Julie Halpert on Aug 17, 2010 at 2:12PM

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Why Aren't the Kids Outside?

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a Julie Halpert on Aug 17, 2010 at 2:17PM

Recess was once an essential rite of childhood, but in many schools it’s now a thing of the past, thanks to the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act and increasing pressure to boost academic performance. As a result, many schools have extended classroom time by shortening—or eliminating—recess. In fact, a 2009 study in the journal Pediatrics found that 30 percent of third graders got a minimal (less than 15 minutes) or no daily break. And yet, say experts, unstructured outdoor play during the school day is essential to learning, social development and more. Here’s why:

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