The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast 1KHO 541: Recess Is Not Optional, Why Our Kids Need More Than 22 Minutes to Be Human | Say Yes to Recess!
Aug 5, 2025
Morgan Garner, a devoted advocate for increasing playtime in schools, and Catherine Truman, a mother of four and passionate supporter of active school days, dive into the critical need for more recess. They discuss how the challenges of mental health and academic engagement in children can be traced back to reduced playtime. With just 22 minutes of recess daily, they highlight the importance of play for cognitive and social development, making a compelling case for reimagining school structures to prioritize fun and movement. Their mission emphasizes that recess is essential for learning, not a break from it.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Discovery Sparks Advocacy
- Rachel discovered her anxious daughter never went outside for recess in kindergarten.
- This led Rachel to connect with other concerned parents and start advocating for more recess.
Recess Time Has Dramatically Decreased
- Average daily recess in the US has dropped to about 22 minutes.
- This is insufficient compared to older norms of up to two hours a day in recess.
Systematic Causes of Reduced Recess
- The decline in recess stems from a cultural shift emphasizing academics and testing.
- No Child Left Behind and smartphones distracted focus from play to purely instructional time.
