FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 3, 2021

ILLINOIS PASSES LANDMARK RECESS BILL PROTECTING KIDS' RIGHT TO PLAY
Illinois Families for Public Schools' Advocacy Succeeds with One of Strongest Bills in U.S.

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois – Illinois students in grades K-5 may have 30 protected minutes of recess starting this fall thanks to the hard work of Sen. Robert J. Peters, Rep. Aarón Ortíz and parent group, Illinois Families for Public Schools (IL-FPS).

We are thrilled to report that the Right to Play Every Day bill is on to the Governor’s desk! After it’s signed all children in grades K-5 in public schools in IL will have 30 minutes of protected recess time during the school day starting this school year, and that schools won’t be able to take recess away as a punishment. 

“Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.” --Fred Rogers

Play is fundamental to the human experience.  The Convention on the Rights of the Child, ratified by 190 nations, recognizes play as a basic right for children.

Play is a crucial component of education and development, enhancing a child's social, physical and emotional health along with academic achievement and abilities.

Illinois has no requirement for time devoted to play during elementary school, including no requirement for outdoor recess.

Illinois Families for Public Schools is currently working to pass SB654, the Right to Play Every Day bill. This bill after its amendment would require public schools to provide a 30 minutes of daily play time for all students in kindergarten through 5th grade. You can download a fact sheet about the bill here. (And you can read about why 60 minutes of play in full school day makes sense here.)

We are thrilled to have the support for this bill from Access Living, Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood, Chicago Teachers Union, Community Organizing and Family Issues (COFI), Defending the Early Years, Illinois Association for the Education of Young Children, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Illinois Optometric Association, Legal Council for Health Justice, National Association of Social Workers - IL Chapter, Northern Illinois Nature Preschool Association, Northside Action for Justice, Parents 4 Teachers, POWER-PAC IL, Raise Your Hand, Sierra Club - IL Chapter.

Help us pass this bill

• Sign up below to get action alerts and to connect with others in your district!
• Contact your IL state representative and ask them to sign on as a sponsor of SB654.

Resources: why we need play in school

BOOKS

• Let the Children Play: How More Play Will Save Our Schools and Help Children Thrive. Sahlberg and Doyle. 2019
• Free to Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More Self-Reliant, and Better Students for Life Gray. 2013
• Power of Play: How Spontaneous, Imaginative Activities Lead to Happier, Healthier Children. Elkind. 2007
• A Child's Work: The Importance of Fantasy Play. Paley. 2004

ARTICLES

• "A proposal for what post-coronavirus schools should do (instead of what they used to do)." Sahlberg and Doyle. Washington Post. April 2020
• "Kids Need Play and Recess. Their Mental Health May Depend on It." Hynes. Ed Week. Aug. 2018
• "From Playing to Play Advocacy: An Interview with Olga S. Jarrett " Journal of Play. Winter 2019
• "A Research-based Case for Recess." Position paper from the US Play Coalition, American Association for the Child’s Right to Play (IPA/USA) and the Alliance for Childhood. 2019.

PODCASTS

• FreshEd Podcast: Let the Children Play (Pasi Sahlberg and William Doyle) Dec 2 2019
• WBAI's Talk Out of School: "Whole Child Education and the importance of play" Feb 5 2020
• KQED Mindshift: "Childhood As ‘Resume Building’: Why Play Needs A Comeback" Sept 3 2019

[Image used via Creative Commons]