TY - JOUR TI - It’s not child’s play DO - https://doi.org/doi:10.7282/T3765CZB PY - 2013 AB - Current trends towards increased accountability in public education have taken a toll on the opportunity for unstructured play time and recess breaks that are offered to elementary students during the school day (Barros, Silver, & Stein, 2009; Daly, 2006; Henley, McBride, Milligan, & Nichols, 2007). The demands on teachers and administrators to provide measureable progress towards curriculum standards has put pressure to increase time on task and to augment instructional time within an already overloaded school day. The current trend in education to increase reliance on standardized testing, coupled with federal mandates such as No Child Left Behind (NCLB), have created an atmosphere where testing results are paramount to determinations of success (Bracey, 1991; Dylan, 2010). During the school day, recess provides the opportunity for unstructured play and provides for a break from high demand, regimented classroom tasks (Dills, Morgan, & Rotthoff, 2011; Pellegrini & Bohn, 2005; Pellegrini & Davis, 1993). Unstructured play allows a child to recognize important relationships regarding cause and effect and manipulation of their environment; it serves to strengthens gross and fine motor skills (Ramstetter, Murray, & Garner, 2010; Zygmunt-Fillwalk, Bidello, & Evanko 2005; McKenzie & Kahan, 2008) and gives children the opportunity to develop social skills and interpersonal relationships (Sumpner & Blatchford, 1998). There is an opportunity for educational research that provides insight into the benefits of recess and how socioeconomic factors affect access to recess opportunities in school. Access to recess was examined using a Multiple Linear Regression Analysis in the context of socioeconomic and locale variables. Findings indicated that access to recess opportunities and the benefits associated with recess correlate to specific local and socioeconomic variables. KW - Educational Administration and Supervision KW - School recess breaks KW - Education, Elementary--Research KW - Education, Elementary--Standards LA - eng ER -