Research on Recess: The State of Play

When most people talk about how to improve education, they tend to focus only on what happens in the classroom. But a new Gallup poll of elementary school principals suggests that the most unexpected opportunity to boost learning may exist outside on the playground at recess.

Key findings from the survey include:
• Four out of five principals report that recess has a positive impact on academic achievement.
• Two-thirds of principals report that students listen better after recess and are more focused in class.
• Virtually all believe that recess has a positive impact on children’s social development (96 percent) and general well-being (97 percent).

Read the full survey here and an article about the survey here.