The case for letting high schoolers goof off

September 5, 2026 by Slate

“Tag! You’re frozen!” I hear my 5-year-old son proudly exclaim, nearly out of breath. He has finally caught his 7-year-old sister. My oldest, who is 14, ducks behind our raised garden beds, where orange marigolds and sprawling tomato branches shield her from his view. I savor every second of summer moments like this, where my kids spend hours outside.

But as they—and the estimated 54.4 million children enrolled in K–12 schools in the United States—transition from open-ended summer days to structured school days, they’ll be spending less time outside or socializing freely with friends. Many children will have just 20 minutes set aside for recess daily, if they’re lucky. Time for recess is dependent on state laws, district policies, and school discretion.

Read the full article at Slate.com