The effects of recess on kindergarten student behavior.

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether children's behaviors are directly linked to the amount of recess time designated in schools. Research was conducted in an inner city school district where the amount of recess time varies for the students. An adaption of the Teacher's Rating of Classroom Behavior (TRCB) scale was used to evaluate the student's classroom behavior before and after recess (Barros et al., 2009). Thirty-three Kindergarten classroom teachers were asked to complete the surveys. Although no significant correlation existed between recess and overall behavior, a significant, positive relationship existed between physical education (PE) and general overall behavior. Another interesting finding from this study was the significant positive correlation and trend between the total number of students in a classroom and the total number of minutes of activity and recess, respectively. When class size gets larger, teachers are likely to offer more recess and PE time in an effort to improve student's overall classroom behavior. This study provides potential evidence for the case of recess and physical activity being an integral part of our schools curriculum.