I have a confession to make. In years past, when I assigned budget monies to homeschool curriculum, supplies and field trips, I have NOT ONCE thought to allot a budget for recess.
Let me clarify.
The kids have participated in league sports, fun runs, ballet, square dancing, etc.; however, the “tools” of unstructured outdoor play have never made their way into my “school” budget.
I was thinking of this as Jeff and Kenny returned from Academy, the newest store to open in our growing town. Jeff could spend hours in Academy looking at fishing gear alone but on this particular visit, it was about finding a bike for Kenny, who is picky about how he fits on a bike. He doesn’t like to be too “tall” on the bike, but we don’t want him dragging his knees either–especially not on the less-than-stellar roads around the lake we live on now.
The decision to purchase a bike now was a result of a conversation Jeff and I had about Kenny’s recent restless attitude while doing school. Our homeschool days are not exceedingly long by any stretch, but transitioning from 6th- to 7th-grade work increased the rigor of his assignments. Having a bike that fits him provides an outlet. Letting him stop working to let off steam for 20 minutes or so seemed a wise investment in his academic learning.
Since the 1970s, research asserts “schoolchildren have lost close to 50% of their unstructured outdoor playtime” and that this “prolonged confinement” seriously diminishes their concentration–especially in boys.
My oldest, Emelie, unwound alone in her room with paints and art supplies. Her need for outside time never amounted to what Meredith and Kenny have needed through the years. While each child’s needs and interests are different, it has taken me until now to realize that their recreation is just as important a part of their education as their texts. So, from now on each kid’s preferred “supplies” will receive a line item in the school budget. Of course, that means I may need to start saving far in advance, and they may need to invest some of their commissions too. I sure wish, as homeschoolers that we had access to the portion of our tax monies that go to the local school system to fund our kid’s educational needs.
This very morning I’ve been searching Craigslist for used paddle boards. Meredith has wanted one for the lake because she is a fish out of water and would spend all her time surrounded by water if she could. When she needs to unwind and reset, she’s more likely to pull on her bathing suit and run down to the lake for her recess. It cools her off and offers the perfect reprieve. A few minutes later, her bathing suit is drip-drying on the deck, and she’s back at it, wet head and all.
Do you invest in recess? What do you do with your kids when the wiggles set in and concentration flies right out the window?
Heather Sanders is a leading homeschooling journalist who inspires homeschooling families to live, love and learn. Married to Jeff, Heather lives in the East Texas Piney Woods where she currently home schools two of her three kids.