Outdoor recess crucial for kids' social skills, parent says

A St. John's parent is worried his children are losing out on developing social skills because they're spending too much time inside the classroom during recess breaks.

Alejandro Buren,parent oftwo children at Bishop Feild Elementary, says he's worried theyaren't getting outsideor even outside the classroom enough during an average day.

• Panel putting state of N.L. public education in the spotlight

"Children have the right to play, and through play they learn their social skills, they learn problem solving, they learn a lot of abilities that they will need for life," Buren told CBC's St. John's Morning Show.

"Our children go to school not just to learn science and math, but to develop the skills that they need for life and if they have unstructured free play, they rest, they recharge, so when they come back they are more motivated, more focused."

Our children go to school not just to learn science and math, but to develop the skills that they need for life.- Alejandro Buren

According to Buren, there are a large number of days where his children aren't on the playground during their recess times.

Buren said that issue is especially difficult in the winter monthswhen students have to get dressed up in their winter clothes before going out into the cold weather.

"They only have about 25 minutes to play and during winter, it's not enough time for them to put all their winter gear on go outside, play, and then come back in, get all their gear off and get ready for instructional time," he said.

"The amount of time that there is enough snow on the ground that they need all the gear is about four to five months it's a very long period of time."

Buren said itcould mean for a major portion of the year the students are stuck in the same building, in the same room, with all the same children all year long and that could create conflicts.

"It's always the same 20 children, they don't have the potentially hundreds, and they don't have the different ages," he said.

"When they play with different age groups that fosters sympathy, it fosters co-operation, it puts the older children in a leadership position, so all of that is lost."

'Blows off the steam'

Memorial University professor TA Loeffleris hoping to get more young students active with Recreation N.L.'s latest campaign, Getting Outside School Challenge.

"We're encouraging teachers to bring the curriculum into the outdoor time," she told CBC's St. John's Morning Show.

"There's lots of subjects that can be brought outside the classroom and be done in locations near to the school, so it doesn't actually have to be in conflict to be outdoors."

According to Loeffler, getting kids outside provides a much-needed physicalbreak for young students.

"It blows off the steam of sitting still, research shows especially for young boys that can be a really important part of their focusing is to have a time to move around," she said.

Loeffler said with the province's low grade for physical activity of children, it's vital to make sure education provides a physical outlet through the day.

Meanwhile, Burentoldthe panel on the status of public education in Newfoundland and Labrador that the lunch break should beextended so students have enough time through all seasons to get outside for play.

He said while the panel seemed receptive, there would need to be a larger overhaul to make that happen.

The panel is currently conducting sessions across Newfoundland and Labrador to give an overview of the province's public education system.