By Becky McLachlan
Kindergarten’s become the new first grade—no joke—and the first change was shoving play out the door. Nine years ago, my five-year-old barely saw activity centers in her classroom. No play houses, stuffed animal clinics, or pretend grocery store checkout lines—just worksheets, screen time, and a 20-minute recess if the day allowed. I listened to the complaints from my colleagues who also happened to be my daughter’s first school teachers, about the massive shift in classroom scheduling, and I can confidently say they weren’t impressed by the changes. Sure, my daughter was lucky enough to attend a private preschool (shout out to our dear Mrs. Sue!), but going from play-based learning a few hours, three times a week, to five full days a week of academics was a huge adjustment. There were nights I’d stay up late with her drilling letter sounds and sight words—worried if something was wrong because she wasn’t reading by January. Surely as her kindergarten teacher assured me, it all finally clicked by March of that year and memories of kindergarten are a distant shadow of days long ago.
Today, ask any teacher, and they will tell you up to a quarter of their third graders can’t read grade-level words or share a pack of markers without a meltdown. Half the class in many schools is flagged for behavior problems, ADHD, and reading intervention—not because they’re broken, but possibly because we’ve eliminated exploration, play, and movement to almost nothing in favor of “rigorous academics.” Thirty percent of kids in Title I schools enroll with zero school experience, and schools are stuck teaching restroom hygiene and shoe-tying to children as old as fourth graders—yes, you read that right [1]. The disconnect’s brutal. Districts want kindergartners reading by spring and expect expert-level focus for elementary-aged kids with six hours of sit-still, on-task grind, silent lunch, and hushed hallways. Most adults would crack under that. We expect five-year-olds to nail it, then blame them when they explode. Don’t even mention homework after an already long day!
It’s becoming increasingly clear that we are missing something simple: Play.
Students benefit far more from peer to peer interactions than through didactic teaching when it comes to practicing social skills. I can teach kids the Golden Rule til I’m blue in the face, but you’re mistaken if you think my words will be at the forefront of their angry brain when someone pushes them on the playground. I’m not saying we should leave kids to their own vices in those moments, nor should we neglect relationship and problem-solving lessons. What I am saying is that kids need space and time to make mistakes and know what it truly means to treat others the way they want to be treated.
Research shows play boosts focus and social skills [2]. P.E. is great for physical exercise, but it’s another structured activity in a long school day. Kids need raw, unfiltered play that allows them to take risks, explore, and process emotions. They need play that grows imagination and creativity, releases physical energy, and builds social skills. It’s no secret that emotionally regulated kids learn better when their needs are met. I’ve said so often that we are raising a culture of children who would rather sit and play on a device than go outside for recess. The future impacts won’t just be in the classroom if we don’t make drastic changes. We are already seeing greater apathy toward learning, decreased motivation, and a lack of true innovation. This is going to have a massive effect on both the arts and sciences for generations to come.
Kids are on the edge of burnout. Anxiety is at a record high for younger children. Don’t believe me? Just ask a parent who has their child on a 3-6 month waitlist for therapist appointments.
Schools in America think rigorous standards and increasing learning minutes will close the achievement gaps yet reading scores plummet annually. While it seems counterintuitive to spend less time learning and more time playing, Finland is doing something right when it comes to dominating the world in K12 education. School-aged children in Finland get 15-minute breaks every hour along with shorter school days [3]. Recess fosters unstructured play, where kids negotiate, share, and resolve conflicts naturally. Unstructured breaks increase social competence and reduce behavior issues by 25%, as kids practice empathy and collaboration in real-time. Frequent recesses lower stress hormones, creating a calmer learning environment. (And all the teachers said Amen!) Regular breaks statistically show 15–20% higher academic performance, as reduced anxiety improves problem-solving and retention [4].
Honestly, if a six-year-old can code like a software developer but can’t take turns, we’ve lost the plot. The fix won’t take rocket science or years of psychological studies. Just let kids play.
Teachers: You may have to teach bell-to-bell, but sneak in more play throughout the day. My third graders are happier and focus better after an old-fashioned, 30-second dance party. Add social skills activities to your lesson plans and grow a community of students that thrive through teamwork, trust, and empathy.
Parents: Ditch devices for blanket forts in the living room, hammer scrap wood on the porch, join a game of tag with neighbor kids, climb trees. Allow kids to scrape their knees and laugh louder than the TV.
Schools: Double recess—triple it if you can. Finland proves play fuels learning. And for the love, bring back the play kitchen!
What’s one way you’d bring play back to keep your kids from burning out?
Endnotes
[1] NCES. (2023). Condition of Education: Early Childhood Education Enrollment. https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/cfa
[2] Pyle & Danniels. (2017). Early Education and Development, 28(3), 274–289. https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2016.1220771
[3] Sahlberg. (2021). Finnish Lessons 3.0. https://www.tcpress.com/finnish-lessons-3.0-9780807764800
[4] Sahlberg & Doyle. (2019). Let the Children Play. https://global.oup.com/academic/product/let-the-children-play-9780190930967
