Don't take away recess at school

To the editor:

As parents attend open house at their child's school, they will hear the consequences of their child's inappropriate actions. Almost always, these will include the limiting or elimination of valuable recess time.

We've all heard how important recess is to children and how schools have taken to partially or totally eliminating this part of the day. There are multiple studies that support a child's need for outdoor play. Some findings include:

1. Children with symptoms of attention-deficient hyperactivity disorder are better able to concentrate after contact with nature.

2. Play in a diverse natural environment reduces or eliminates bullying.

3. Exposure to natural environments improves children's cognitive development by improving their awareness, reasoning and observational skills.

4. Children who play regularly in natural environments are sick less often.

For most of us who are parents or teachers, it doesn't take a study to tell us what we already have observed countless times: Children who are allowed time to play and participate in recess do better physically and mentally.

So why do we continue to take away an activity that is vital to the well-being of our children? Would we adults become more motivated on the job if our break time were reduced or eliminated? Something that is proven to have such wonderful benefits should not be taken away. Let's all work to find other ways of guiding children's behavior and keep what we know works and is so vital to our children: their break time.

KATHY HARRIS, Jackson