by Michelle Stein posted in Parenting

Want to know what I remember most about kindergarten" Recess.
Sure there was gym, art, music and the Letter People. But mostly, my memories are from recess.
It seems the current generation of students will look back on their kindergarten days very differently. That's because recess and free play are being slowly chipped away by things like sight words and sit-still-and-focus, teacher-led activities. An article written by Christopher Brown -- who is a former kindergarten teacher and father of three -- highlights the drawbacks of this drastic shift.
"Research has consistently shown classrooms that offer children the opportunities to engage in play-based and child-centered learning activities help children grow academically, socially and emotionally," Brown wrote in his piece for The Conversation. "Furthermore, recess in particular helps children restore their attention for learning in the classroom." He explained how a focus on rules can hamper kids' self-confidence and motivation as learners, as well as lessen their curiosity and willingness to take academic risks. All of this, he argued, can have a negative impact on school performance and in later life.
"Giving children a chance to play and engage in hands-on learning activities helps them internalize new information as well as compare and contrast what they're learning with what they already know," he wrote. "It also provides them wit...