Indoor recess reduces students’ opportunities for physical activity, experiencing nature and social interaction School recess is an essential opportunity for children to play, engage in physical activity, socialize, and spend time in nature. However, challenging weather (such as extreme cold or heat, rain and snow) can result in weather-modified or cancelled outdoor recess. When recess is held indoors, children are inside for nearly seven consecutive hours, have fewer opportunities for physical activity, and are unable to experience nature. Because recess supports many benefits for children, it is important to consider teachers’ and administrators’ weather-related recess concerns. This study aimed to “explore how teachers and administrators adapt their school day during inclement weather and how it may impact the well-being of students.”
Ten elementary school teachers and administrators in Canada were recruited to participate in the study as key informants. Elementary schools were defined as those serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade (ages 4–14). The participants had an average of 10 years of experience in education and included three school administrators (vice principal or principal) and seven classroom teachers. Semi-structured interviews held with each participant focused on recess, weather, and children’s behavior. Interview questions aimed to examine how frequently outdoor recess was modified or cancelled, typical indoor recess procedures, and the barriers that prevent physical activity during indoor recess. Interview responses were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.
On average, recess was held indoors for approximately 26 days each school year. Interviews revealed two main themes: (1) <em>consequences of indoor recess</em> and (2) <em>modifiable barriers to well-being activities</em>. The consequences of indoor recess were perceived to negatively impact students, teachers and administrators. Indoor recess interfered with teachers’ planning time; however, the most notable impacts were on students. Students who stayed in their homerooms during indoor recess and who were often required to stayed seated at their desks commonly exhibited challenging behaviors “including the inability to concentrate or focus, fidgety, silliness, lack of self-regulation, or dwindling attention spans.” Opportunities to experience nature were greatly diminished, although sometimes students were allowed outside for a few minutes before resuming indoor activities. Indoor recess also resulted in increased screen time, whether on personal devices or school computers. Numerous barriers to recess activities that would support student well-being were identified. Teachers and administrators reported challenges around a lack of student preparedness, mainly clothing appropriate for the weather conditions, that resulted in cancellation of outdoor recess. Opportunities for physical activity and social interaction between classes during indoor recess were often not feasible due to limited indoor space and a lack of staff required for supervision. Lack of supervision raised safety concerns which led schools to implement rules that further limited well-being activities, such as remaining in homerooms. Keeping extra clothing for inclement weather at school, improving communications with families, allowing students outside for a short period of time, providing recess-focused professional development, and developing school practices and policies for indoor recess activities that promote well-being are some approaches that might counter the adverse effects of weather-modified recess.
Findings reveal the consequences of weather-modified recess—including increased screen time and decreased physical activity, social interaction and time spent in nature—as well as some practices that may counter these negative impacts. The researchers recommend working to address educators’ and students’ perceptions towards challenging weather and improving understanding of how to safely hold recess outdoors in these conditions. Additionally, it is also highly important to develop improved approaches to indoor recess that enable physical activity, social interaction and well-being.
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