As we head into colder weather and the likelihood of snow increases, what will recess look like for your children? 

Children should still have the opportunity to play outside -  even during the cold, winter months. The Pennsylvania Early Learning Keys to Quality position statement holds the expectation that children need to play outside when the forecast temperature and wind chill is above 25 degrees Fahrenheit and there is no precipitation falling. Of course, safety is always important and sometimes indoor recess will be necessary.

Do your children still have the chance to be active even when playing indoors? See tips and resources below. 

Thank you to everyone who made it to our first Community Conversation! We enjoyed learning about recess in our region - what's going well and what needs to be improved. Don't worry if you missed it. We plan to host more in the near future and will share details soon.

Do you have children that are school-age? Is recess important to you? Join us for our first installment of Recess: A Community Conversation next Thursday, November 7th from 6:00-7:30 pm at the Frick Environmental Center.

This event is free and open to the public. 

The evening will include:

• conversation

• playful activities

• networking

• dinner, and more!

Please register by November 4, 2019. For questions about the event e-mail recess@tryingtogether.org.

Are you concerned or excited about recess at your school? The Recess Advocacy Team is hosting our first Community Conversation on Thursday, November 7th from 6:00pm-7:30 pm at the Frick Environmental Center.  Register to attend here!

Now that school is back in session, the Recess Advocacy Team looks forward to collaborating with families, educators, and policymakers to elevate the importance of play.

Did you know that eight states have a recess policy?

• Missouri, Florida, New Jersey, and Rhode Island mandate schools offer at least 20 minutes.  

• Arizona requires two recess periods a day for elementary schools but does not specify the length.  

• Virginia, Indiana, and Connecticut have broader policies on physical activity that mention recess but leave more room for school districts to define.

In many of these states, parents and students advocated for the policy change. Check out our letter below to start a conversation at your school. 

It's hard to believe, but it's almost time for Back to School! Be sure to check out some of the Back to School events listed below.

As children prepare to return to their classrooms for the 2019-2020 school year, it's important to think about how they will continue to receive time for free play and physical activity during instructional hours. How will you advocate for recess and play as a new school year begins? 

To help us remember to play every day, and to spread our message of the importance of play, the Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative created this Play Poster, a free resource that is available in digital and print formats. Click the image to download or request a copy.

Recess Champions

The Recess Advocacy Team has been working with the Edgewood STEAM Academy to aid in working towards a safe and fun playground for their students. Their hard work paid off and they will be installing a new KaBOOM! playground on July 12th (volunteers are still needed)! The district is also evaluating recess in each of their elementary schools moving forward!

Recess Policy

Do you wish your school had more recess? Check out what Parents for Active Learning in Arkansas helped accomplish!

An Arkansas House committee advanced a bill to extend recess. The bill would require public elementary school students to receive at least 40 minutes of unstructured social play.

Recess Champions

Parents and children are elevating the importance of recess around the country. Four states currently require schools to offer unstructured play and a few other state legislatures (such as Connecticut) have introduced bills to support recess and physical activity.

Recess helps students reach their full potential

Spring is almost here! Hopefully it brings warmer weather and more time outside!

Read on for grant opportunities and resources to support recess and physical activity.Also check out our newly redesigned website for more info!

Recess helps students reach their full potential

Thank you for your interest in staying connected to the Recess Advocacy Team. Each month you can look forward to receiving our newsletter featuring information about the work we’re doing, tips, testimonials and resources for recess advocacy. 

Read on for grant and training opportunities to support recess and physical activity as well as partner highlights and best practices.

Recess helps students reach their full potential

Are you new to the Recess Advocacy Team? Check out the January blog post from Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative all about recess written by Trying Together.

Recess helps students reach their full potential

Thank you for your interest in staying connected to the Recess Advocacy Team. Each month you can look forward to receiving our newsletter featuring information about the work we’re doing, tips, testimonials and resources for recess advocacy. 

Beginning in October 2017, a team of 15 organizations began meeting on a monthly basis to put together a survey as the first step in an effort to gather information on school recess practices throughout Allegheny County. The survey was distributed in both English and Spanish and gave us insight into practices, perceptions, and policies on recess throughout Allegheny County.