A Recess Reset? Wisconsin Bill Calls for 60 Minutes of Daily Play

If you think back to your early school days, what do you recall loving about it? Music, science, or maybe even your gym class? But do you also remember recess as something nearly everyone looked forward to every day?

Now, a new Wisconsin bill could expand this part of young student’s school hours with the requirement of 60 minutes of daily play.

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Listen to a discussion about Wisconsin schools and recess here:

School officials can currently count up to 30 minutes of recess toward required instructional time under state standards. But Wisconsin law does not define or even require recess.

The proposed legislation could change this by mandating 60 minutes of daily recess for students in kindergarten through sixth grade. It would also formally define what recess should actually mean for kids. Shannon Wysocki, co-leader of Say Yes to Recess Wisconsin and a school social worker, calls the definition a key to making this whole thing successful. 

“Recess needs to be unstructured play,” Wysocki explains. “Classes are structured all day long. Play gives kids the space to be creative, to socialize, and reset. And that’s how learning actually happens.”

Some schools currently offer as little as 15 minutes of recess each day. So, the idea of expanding it to a full hour is raising concerns about the possibility of packed schedules, class demands, and testing pressures. 

Supporters argue, the research is clear. They say it shows more time for recess can improve focus, behavior, and academic outcomes.

“When kids are expected to sit for 90 minutes or more, their brains aren’t engaged,” Wysocki says. “We’re already losing instructional time because attention spans don’t work that way.”

Education experts estimate children can focus for roughly two to three minutes per year of age. It means a five-year-old tops out at about 10–15 minutes, while a ten-year-old can manage closer to 20–30.

“Taking recess away actually makes behavior worse,” Wysocki says. “If kids aren’t physically or mentally well, learning becomes secondary.”

The proposal is gaining bipartisan support, with multiple Republican co-sponsors and backing from lawmakers on education and mental health committees. A few questions remain — including whether the requirement would apply to private schools and how districts would adjust class schedules.

Yet those behind it argue recess isn’t a luxury or a reward. It’s a vital part of educating the child as a whole. And maybe, there’s still the hope of letting them be kids for just a little while longer, too.