Happier, healthier students | Danica Gibaldi | TEDxKids@ElCajon

This talk reminds us that recess is not just playtime but is actually good for the mind and body. Danica passionately advocates for more recess in schools. Danica is a fourth grader at Fuerte Elementary School. She gave her talk during the TEDxKids@ElCajon virtual event. Her talk was prerecorded in an empty theater and broadcast live on Zoom and Facebook.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Raise your hand if recess is or was
one of your favorite parts of the day.

It's one of mine too.

One of my favorite things to do
is to play with my friends.

Do you wish kids had more recess?

A lot of us do, including me.

But did you know children
actually need more recess?

It's really good for us in different ways.

Recess has lots of benefits.

It helps children focus,

pay attention,

and be more productive in the classroom.

Bob Murray, a pediatrician
at Ohio State University, says,

"If you want a child
to be attentive and stay on task,

and if you also want them to encode
the information you're giving them

in their memories,

you've got to give them regular breaks."

This means recess strengthens our memory.

Kids with more recess
have better test scores

than ones that don't have as much.

Recess also gives kids time
to practice their social skills.

We practice communication skills

like collaboration,
sharing, and playing fairly.

For example, when I'm at recess,

my friends and I take turns
on the monkey bars.

We also learn coping skills,
like self-control or perseverance.

When kids have strong social skills,
there's often less bullying.

Recess can help
with their physical health too.

One way is sunlight
gives us more vitamin D,

which people usually don't get enough of.

According to the website ScienceDaily,

7 out of 10 US children
have low levels of vitamin D.

Vitamin D is important

because it makes our bones grow
and creates more energy for our bodies.

Recess really makes children
happy, healthy, and feel safe.

Now we talked about
the benefits of recess,

do you want to know what happens
when you don't get enough recess?

One effect is children
have a harder time focusing.

Kids are restless and fidgety in class.

They don't make eye contact
with their teacher

and get lower test grades.

Another effect
is their social skills suffer.

When we're at recess,

we make social relationships
with other students.

We can't do that

when we don't have recess
to talk to each other.

Kids don't get enough recess,
because schools are taking it away.

After the No Child Left Behind law

passed in 2001,

20% of all schools nationwide cut recess
an average of 50 minutes a week.

They thought if they want
to do well on tests,

students need more time
to study math and reading.

How do you think that went?

Well, studies have shown

that the achievement gap
has actually stayed the same.

Other places are helping increase recess.

Some schools in Oklahoma, Texas,
and our home state, California,

have a program called the LiiNK Project.

In Texas, it was placed
at Eagle Elementary,

and they got four 15-minute recesses,

and the kids are developing character.

Now they want to add more recess
in Utah, Minnesota, Pennsylvania

and more in Texas,
California, and Oklahoma.

The LiiNK Project is based out of Finland.

In Finland, every 45 minutes,
the kids get a 15-minute break.

That's a lot of recess, right?

In all, that's 75 minutes
of recess each day.

On average, us American kids
only get 27 minutes.

That's a lot less.

Now you learned why children need recess,

here's what needs to change.

Schools need longer recess
and more recess.

I suggest four 15-minute recesses

so students could be
more focused in class

and have better social skills.

Also, we should stop
taking recess away as a punishment.

The kids won't focus
and won't be any more productive.

It's just not working.

Instead, we could have the student
make a goal to improve their behavior.

Recess is the solution here,
not the problem!

These methods will help students
do better in class

and also make them happier
and healthier kids.

And isn't that the point of school?