US Schools: Play Before Eating Is Better

A number of schools in the US have implemented schedule change for their lunch and play time. Instead of letting their students eat before recess, now they let them play before eating.

A number of schools in the US have implemented schedule change for their lunch and play time. Instead of letting their students eat before recess, now they let them play before eating. This idea was first put into practice nine years ago by a few schools such as North Ranch Elementary in Scottsdale, Arizona.

School managements that have already implemented this change observed that when children play before eating, they eat more for lunch and have more time to cool down before starting their academic work again. Because kids are really hungry after playing, they consume more food and drink more milk and water. Schools said that this change has given them at least 10 minutes of extra teaching time as there is no need to calm kids down when they go back to their classrooms.

More schools in the US are planning to do the shift. But health officials think that this won’t work for urban schools where a number of kids who come from low-income families go to school without breakfast. Also, this “recess before lunch” strategy has posed a number of drawbacks in terms of logistics. But schools who are already implementing this strategy said that the challenges are really worth it.

Do you think this would work in our schools here? Do you think timing really affects a child’s health and development?

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Written by

Vania Tan

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