1. Right to Recess National Campaign to bring back recess Sponsored by: Peaceful Playgrounds, Inc.

2. Take a Poll Raise your hand if you had recess when you were in school? Have children changed? Are they healthier today? Are they more active? Should we eliminate recess?

3. National Statistics on Recess Approximately 50% of children are getting recess –No Child Left Behind (emphasis on academics) –Liability Increasing (Not supported by legal data) –Supervision

4. Recess…Is Important for our Kids 99 percent of PTA parents and teachers say that recess is important for elementary school children

5. Is Recess Important? Three-fourths disagree that all school time should be spent on academics 90 percent disagree that recess is a waste of time Three out of four agree that recess should be mandatory !

6. Your Childs School Recess at lunch time Eat & (time to play)? Morning recess? Afternoon recess?

7. Greatest Risk for Recess Elimination Minority schools

8. Do Kids Need Recess? Research Findings #1 –More attentive after recess (Pellegrini & Davis 1993)

9. Do Kids Need Recess? Research Finding #2 Being good at games on the playground was important to general social competence (Pellegrini 1988)

10. Do Kids Need Recess? Research Finding #3 As overall fitness scores improved, mean achievement scores also improved. (Grissom 2005)

11. Play & Well Being If you look at what produces learning and memory and well-being, play is as fundamental as any other aspect of life, including sleep and dreams. Brown

12. Organizations Supporting Recess POSITION STATEMENTS SUPPORTING RECESS –National PTA –National Association for Physical – Education and Sport –National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education

13. Organizations Supporting Recess –POSITION STATEMENTS SUPPORTING RECESS –National Association for Education of Young Children –National Elementary School Principals Association –American Association for A Childs Right to Play

14. How You Can Help Talk to PTA Board Members & Principal Write letter to school board Write letter to local newspaper editor Attend upcoming events on Right to Recess Talk to your neighbors & Legislators

15. Organizations and Tools Rescuing Recess Campaign –Sign up to support our local efforts Peaceful Playgrounds –www.peacefulplaygrounds.com