Kids Need Recess

Recess in the News

Texas House bill would change P.E. requirements, ban the removal of recess as a punishment

Kids Need Breaks, Too!

This site was created to help parents advocate for recess for their children.

This is a parent-created website where you can access valuable information about the significance of recess, updated research and news on recess in schools, letter templates that you can utilize to correspond with school leaders, and the ongoing efforts in various states to advance the rights of students regarding recess in schools.

States of Recess

13 States Require Daily Recess:

Arizona (2018)
Arkansas (2019)
California (2023)
Connecticut (2012)
District of Columbia (2010)*
Florida (2017)
Georgia (2023)
Louisiana (2023)
Illinois (2021)
Missouri (2009)
New Jersey (2019)
Rhode Island (2016)
Washington (2023)
Virginia (2006)
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States with Pending Recess Legislation

Texas

HB 25  mandates that students enrolled in full-day PK-8th grade participate in moderate or vigorous physical activity for at least 30 minutes daily, with exemptions for students with illnesses or disabilities and those involved in extracurricular activities with a physical component. It also prevents school employees from restricting a student's participation in recess or physical education as a disciplinary measure. 
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Oklahoma flag

Oklahoma

House Bill 1493  will require school districts to give at least 40  minutes of daily recess to students in full-day pre-k, kindergarten, and grades 1-5. Rep. Jacob Rosecrants, D-Norman had introduced HB1081 Right to Recess Act but it died in committee.
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Tennesee

House Bill 0085 and SB 0158 would require two daily 30-minute, unstructured, screen-free recess periods for elementary students — one in the morning and one in the afternoon — and at least one 30-minute recess period a day in middle school.
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South Carolina

South Carolina

H3195 mandates k-5th grade students receive at least 150 minutes per week of physical education and physical activity, and 6-8th grade get at least 60 hours of physical education per year. Every student must have a minimum of 20 minutes of unstructured outdoor recess daily, with provisions for indoor recess during inclement weather.
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Nevada

Nevada Lt. Gov. Stavros Anthony, a Republican, proposed AB53, which requires school districts to mandate at least 20 minutes of outdoor recess for grades K-5. and prohibiting the denial of recess for reasons related to academics or behavior, aand requiring certain alternatives for outdoor recess when weather or other conditions make outdoor recess unsafe.
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States Recently Passes Recess Legislation

Minnesota

Minnesota will be refining the definition of recess retention and stipulate circumstances which are acceptable for withholding recess. Not a law requiring recess, but prohibits the use of recess as a disciplinary tool.
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California

California's recess law was signed in by Governor Gavin Newsom on 10/13/2023. Sb291 requires daily recess of at least 30 minutes and prohibits teachers from restricting students from recess.
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Louisiana

Louisiana

Recess just passed recess legislation, HB 121. It requires at least one recess 15 minutes in length for students daily and has been signed by the governor, becoming Act. 219, effective starting 8/1/2023.
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Washington

Washington has passed SB5257, and the law was signed by the governor on 5/4/2023. This law requires 30 minutes of daily recess for student starting with school year 2024-25, effective 7/23/2023.
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Why Recess Matters

Over the last twenty years, since 2001, average weekly recess time in U.S. schools has declined by 60 minutes.

Research shows that physical activity and playtime during the school day can improve academic performance, social skills, and overall well-being. Ideally, kids should be getting at least 60 min of moderately rigorous physical activity per day, but they are not getting that from their school day.