SCHOOL RECESS - IMPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT

In this article the empirical research on the role of school recess is reviewed. Recess is first defined, and then the effects of child-leve l variables (e.g., gender, age, and temperament) and school-level vari ables (e.g., recess timing and duration) on children's recess behavior are reviewed. The implications of recess are discussed in terms of im pact on classroom behavior and on measures of social and cognitive com petence. It is concluded that recess has important educational and dev elopmental implications. Further research in this area is urgently nee ded, and some promising areas of inquiry are suggested.