Laura Medina: Ensuring Every Kid Can Engage in Safe and Healthy Play
Laura: Thanks for having me, Spiffy! Recess time offers children opportunities to build and practice communication skills, cooperation, sharing, problem solving, perseverance, self-control, and conflict resolution. But, if the elements of high quality recess are not in place, many challenges can get in the way of the benefits of play. For example, children are excluded, play is too unsafe, and conflicts escalate. These challenges on the playground can then negatively impact students' experience and performance in the classroom.