Break times at school should not be reduced, because play is a fundamental human right, a children’s author and poet says.
Michael Rosen, a former Children’s Laureate and author of We’re Going On A Bear Hunt, has joined a campaign to stop the erosion of break times, urging for play to be seen as more than an “extra.” His comments come after a study last year found that school-break times have been cut by as much as an hour over the past two decades amid funding cuts and a drive to tackle bad behaviour.
Psychologists have urged schools not to punish children by making them sit in detentions during their free time, arguing that play is critical for wellbeing and development.
In a British Psychological Society (BPS) video on the importance of playtime, Mr Rosen says ”Play isn’t an extra, it isn’t an add on. Play is a fundamental human right.”
So what do you think? How important is playtime to a student’s school day?
Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.