Just like adults, kids can get stressed and overwhelmed, and time off from school gives them time to recharge and return with a clear head. Recess breaks play an important role in helping kids burn off excess energy, socialize with other kids and enjoy school. Learning doesn't just occur in a classroom setting. Children learn important skills while playing sports, negotiating conflicts with friends, playing video games, reading, playing with siblings and playing make-believe games.
Although longer breaks provide kids the chance to learn through play, they also take kids away from structured learning. Particularly when parents and other caregivers don't reinforce what kids have learned in school, the children might forget significant pieces of their education. A 2007 study published in the American Sociological Review found that this educational loss was most strongly pronounced in lower-income students. This could be because their environments are more impoverished or because their parents are less likely to encourage learning during summer and holiday breaks.
Even if students spend their breaks learning, returning to school after a long break can be challenging, and longer breaks increase the length of the readjustment period. Some kids have behavioral problems in the first few weeks back at school, and this can interfere with an entire classroom's learning. Most teachers spend a few weeks reviewing material from before the break, which means students don't learn as much or as quickly as they could.
One of the best ways to prevent the learning losses that frequently occur with long breaks is to shorten breaks. Many school districts have begun giving students breaks every month or two for a period of a week or two. For students in districts that still have long breaks, however, active learning is one way to avoid summer learning loss. Kids don't need to complete workbooks or look at flashcards. Instead, parents can reinforce lessons students have learned in school by demonstrating them in the real world. For example, a student who's just learned about a butterfly life cycle could go to a butterfly garden or observe butterflies in the wild.