From the ages of 4 to about 11, students are used to having a 30 minute recess in the middle or end of their school day to play  and/or have a time to socialize and relax. Many people find this crucial for kids and even teenagers to have a short time in their day to take a brain break. Kids are so used to having this up until 5th grade, then suddenly once they enter middle school, this is stripped away from them, but why? Middle school, while not as stressful as High School, is the introduction of loads of homework, hours of studying, and hard tests that are expected to be completed with perfection. So, with that said, students should have 30 minutes of their day to get their overwhelmed minds off of getting that A+ , and focus on themselves, relax and have time to socialize with their friends. Not only should this be implemented in Kindergarten through Middle school, but it should also be incorporated into students in HIgh school. It is so important for high school students to simply take a break to focus on their mental and physical health, and their lives outside of school. A Lot of teenagers have jobs, friends, companions, families, sports, and extracurriculars all on top of a 7 hour school day, so , where does that leave them time to have a free mind? HIghschool students have reported that they are so overwhelmed and anxiety ridden because of 7 straight hours of homework, notes, studying, tests, etc. Anna Gough, a junior in High School, has said she thinks having a recess or something like it would highly benefit not only her, but also other students.

“I think that teenagers can be under a lot of stress and I think it would be beneficial to have a designated time to escape all the stress of school,” said Gough.

For Jalynn Mardis, this mindset of needing a recess is also a thought. She thinks that students would not only be less stressed but also perform better in school.

“I do think Highschoolers should have recess. Highschoolers need recess because they need to be free outside so that they are able to come back inside and learn better,” Mardis said.

Overall, recess would be so beneficial to kids of all ages and grades. It would help them be less anxious and stressed about school and do better on tests, homework, and just any schoolwork they might have.