This study found that Playworks led to a fundamental positive shift in school climate in the short time frame of one school year. The study also noted that a positive school climate has been linked to a host of favorable student outcomes, from attendance to achievement.
In highlighting the crucial importance of a high-functioning recess, the study comments:
"The free play and physical activity associated with recess are key inputs to both learning and a well-behaved classroom. Play itself is so critical for children’s healthy development that it has been recognized by the United Nations as a right of every child and by the American Academy of Pediatrics as an essential part of children’s social, emotional, cognitive, and physical well-being, especially for those who are economically disadvantaged."
