Right to Play recess law toolkit
Is your school in compliance with the new recess law?
The Right to Play, SB654, now PA 102-0357, passed in June and took effect on August 13, 2021 when it was signed by the Governor. We have been hearing from some parents that their schools have not changed the schedule to allow for the 30 minutes of recess and are still taking away recess as a punitive measure.
Steps you can take
If students in K-5 aren’t getting the 30 minutes of recess now in law, here's some things you can do:
✶ Alert your school. They likely know about the law because the IL Association of School Administrators and IL Principals Association shared lots of information about the bill as it was being debated in Springfield last Spring. Either way, point your school admin to the language of the new law which can be found here: Public Act 102-0357
Sample email to send to administrators
✶ Make other parents at your school aware. Not everyone knows about this new law, so spread the word via social media, conversations at pick up time, or parent meetings. If the school gives you pushback about implementing the law, it will be important to have a group of people who care about this issue. Some materials to share:
- IL-FPS FAQ: The Right to Play Every Day: What parents and schools need to know (download in English and Spanish at the link)
- Facebook post to share with highlights of FAQ
✶ Speak at a public meeting. You may need to find opportunities to speak at a meeting of your school board, PTO/PTA, local school council or Parent Advisory Council if you don’t get a helpful response from your school.
We have additional resources to share listed here and at the end of our FAQ doc about why recess is a critical part of the learning experience, including these:
- Policy Statement: The Crucial Role of Recess. (2013) Pediatrics 131 (1). Reaffirmed August 2016
- National Association of School Nurses. (2019). Supporting Scheduled Recess Position Statement.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Society of Health and Physical Educators. (2017) Strategies for Recess in Schools.
✶ Contact your state legislators. If your school/district is not receptive, talk to your state rep and state senator. This bill passed with strong support in the General Assembly. Enlist your state rep and senator’s help by contacting their office and letting them know SB654 took effect 8/13/21 but your child's school is not in compliance.
Find your state rep and state senator here
To see if your legislator voted yes on this bill, look here.
✶ Need more advice? Send us an email, and we help you brainstorm some additional strategies: [email protected]
Sample Daily Schedule 1 (7hr day)
|
9-12 |
Core coursework with classroom teacher |
|
12-12:30 |
Recess |
|
12:30-1 |
Lunch |
|
1-2 |
Special subjects (art, music, PE) |
|
2-4 |
Core coursework with classroom teacher |
Sample Daily Schedule 2 (7hr day)
|
8:45-11 |
Literacy |
|
11-11:30 |
Recess |
|
11:30-12 |
Lunch |
|
12-1 |
Special subjects (art, music, PE) |
|
1-2:15 |
Math |
|
2:15-2:30 |
Snack |
|
2:30-3:15 |
Science/Social studies |
|
3:15-3:45 |
Recess |
The Right to Play Every Day: Public Act 102-0357
“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
With the passage of SB654, the Right to Play Every Day bill, an initiative of IL Families for Public Schools, all students in kindergarten through 5th grade in IL public schools must have 30 minutes of daily play time. Time must be in increments of at least 15 minutes and can't be taken away for punishment.
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. Play is learning.
More 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
MEDIA ALERT: Illinois Landmark Recess Bill Signed into Law
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 14, 2021
ILLINOIS LANDMARK RECESS BILL SIGNED INTO LAW
Illinois Families for Public Schools Advocacy Succeeds with One of Strongest Laws in U.S.
Illinois students in grades K-5 will have 30 protected minutes of recess this school year thanks to the hard work of Sen. Robert J. Peters, Rep. Aarón Ortíz and parent group, Illinois Families for Public Schools (IL-FPS). Governor JB Pritzker signed the bill into law on August 13th, effective immediately.
Read moreMEDIA ALERT: Illinois Passes Landmark Recess Bill Protecting Kids' Right to Play
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).
Read moreThe Right to Play Bill heads to Gov. Pritzker's desk!
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.
Read moreThe Right to Play Every Day
“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.
★ LEGISLATIVE UPDATE August 2021 ★SB 654 passed in both chambers in May and was signed into law by Governor Pritzker in August! Thank you to all the parents, teachers and other advocates around the state (and beyond!) that helped us pass this law! To help with further policy and legislative advocacy for play in IL public schools, please sign up below. |
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]
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