In most schools recess is the only time in the school day reserved for outdoor and mostly unstructured play. It typically occurs once or twice in the day, often just before or after lunch. The length of recess is rarely mandated at the state level.
How long is school recess?
Citing all of those factors, in 2017 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)—which pointedly differentiates play from physical education, defining recess as “unstructured physical activity and play”—recommended at least 20 minutes of recess a day at the elementary school level.
What is recess Day school?
Recess is a regularly scheduled period in the school day for physical activity and play that is monitored by trained staff or volunteers. During recess, students are encouraged to be physically active and engaged with their peers in activities of their choice, at all grade levels, kindergarten through 12th grade.
