Earlier this year, Central Park resident Alia Broman learned her daughter had school recess taken away as a punitive measure. Yet Broman, a general pediatrics physician, said her neurodivergent child “needs to get her wiggles out” at recess.

She began discussing the issue with friends, including Lindsay Poutier.

Poutier, whose children attend Denver Public Schools, said, “We were looking at the recess schedule and comparing notes: Do you think 25 minutes of recess is adequate? Does that seem like enough for your kid?”

The moms began digging into laws regarding recess, what the scientific recommendations are, and whether those guidelines aligned.

In the process, they discovered a nonprofit called Say Yes to Recess. Founded by mothers in Tennessee, the group is led by parents, educators, and community members working to protect children’s access to recess. Rather than start their own movement, Poutier decided to create a chapter in Colorado, along with other local parents.

Co-led by Central Park moms Poutier, Megan Tortorelli, and Yeshnaya Dougherty, who are also parents of DPS students, the group’s goal is to pass legislation protecting recess for all Colorado public school students. Still in the early stages, the group is gathering data around what recess looks like throughout the state and seeking volunteers. They’re also educating the public on the benefits of recess.

“When we think about the school day, there’s so much of the day when children are being told what to do, who to be with, and it is through play that they really get agency and build confidence,” Dougherty said.

Another of those benefits is enhanced quality instructional time. Poutier said in states that have successfully passed a recess law, teachers report getting through the same amount of subject material in less time because students are returning to the classroom more focused.

“Teachers are finding they have better relationships with their students, too,” she said.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recently updated its stance on recess, reaffirming recess is “necessary” for children’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development. The organization advocates for multiple breaks each school day, with a minimum of 20 minutes daily, and is against withholding it for punitive or academic reasons.

Reality, however, looks different.

Colorado’s Physical Activity Law only requires public elementary schools to provide kids with 600 minutes of physical activity per month; the state sets no requirements for middle and high school students.

“There’s a lot of inconsistency across the state, with some children only getting 15 minutes of recess and others getting up to an hour,” Dougherty said.

Initial findings from the group’s survey of 100 parents across 30 different schools suggests 48% of elementary- aged students have had recess withheld at some point. Additional findings suggest recess time reduces with age. Most middle school students receive 25 or fewer minutes of recess, and only half of high school students have recess.

Then there’s the issue of equity. “Research has shown a lot of lower-income school districts (use withholding recess) as the main punishment method,” Broman added. “Instead of just being like, ‘Our kids need more recess,’ it’s actually, ‘All kids need more recess.’”

When it comes to passing legislation, the biggest hurdle is local control. Tortorelli said, “Administrators and superintendents like to be able to control how their districts and schools run, but I believe this is going to be something people can get excited about at all the different levels.”

The group hopes to have a bill sponsored in the next state legislative session and is working with DPS to pass guidelines at the district level.

“There will definitely be a time for people to send emails to representatives and senators, rally for a recess protection law, and actually show up at the Capitol and testify,” Poutier said.

For now, they plan to host a recess play date at the Cen-tral Park playground on Sept. 10 from 4–7pm, inviting the community to learn about the cause. “We’ll have food trucks there, face painting, just a great opportunity to connect as we go into the new school year,” Dougherty said.

To take parent or educator surveys or for more information on how to get involved, visit SayYesToRecess.com/Colorado.