Recess as a Setting for Child Development: A Randomized Controlled Trial on Physical Activity, Motor Skills and Social-Emotional Functioning.

Most schools declined to participate because of workload, so participating schools may not represent all schools. The intervention was shortened from the intended two-year duration to one year, so the dose may have been insufficient. Recess periods were 10 to 45 minutes, and the organized activities required setup and instructions, which may have reduced active time. Implementation fidelity varied across schools and was summarized as a single score, so details of delivery may have affected results. Baseline groups differed on several outcomes, including motor skills, large-group play, active games, cohesion, and social-emotional problems, although analyses adjusted for these differences. Children may have changed behavior because they were observed and wore accelerometers, although this effect may have been reduced by attaching devices at school day start. Because physical activity did not change, the study could not test whether activity mediated motor or social-emotional outcomes.

The study was funded by Nationaal Regieorgaan Onderwijsonderzoek. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Do not conclude that structured recess improves physical activity, social-emotional functioning, or motor skills. The physical activity and social-emotional outcomes were null, and motor skills improved more in the control group.