A Simple Recipe for Blissed-Out Kids

How can schools help move kids from stressed out to blissed out? A study published in June 2025 made the case once again for the power of recess to reduce stress and support students’ mental and physical health and wellbeing.

Schools in the U.S. used to prioritize outdoor play, frequently allotting 60 minutes daily for recess to ensure students were happy and healthy, the researchers say. But as academic demands grew steadily higher over the years, recess time was reduced to make room for expanded seat time and more testing. In parallel, levels of stress and anxiety in children have been on the rise. 

Researchers wanted to explore the connection between reduced playtime and chronic stress in children. They worked with six public schools in north Texas that had been using a longitudinal recess intervention designed by the LiiNK Center for Healthy Play for 6 years—3 of the schools had 45 minutes of daily outdoor recess and the other 3 had only 30 minutes of play. 

After collecting hair samples from 130 fourth-grade students, the researchers analyzed the strands for cortisol levels, a biological marker of chronic stress, and found that children with extended recess had 68% less cortisol present, indicating they were significantly more relaxed.

These findings led the researchers to advocate for frequent, unstructured, outdoor recess, adding their voices to a growing body of evidence that supports the benefits of independent play. For example, in 2023, a comprehensive study reviewed over 50 years of historical data and concluded that children in the past not only spent more time outdoors, they gained long-term benefits from engaging in activities without direct adult supervision.

Returning to an era of more recess time could alleviate stress and enhance children's wellbeing. The study underscores the need to prioritize play in school schedules, potentially reversing the trend of reduced recess and its negative impacts on young people’s mental health and development. For happier, healthier, more socially competent children, more recess could be the key.

To read the original research, check out the links below:

• Deborah J. Rhea, Kelsey Kirby, Dennis Cheek, Yan Zhang, and G. Kate Webb’s study on the impact of levels of recess on the chronic stress levels of elementary children (2025)

• Peter Gray, David F. Lancy, and David F. Bjorklund’s paper summarizing the decline in independent activity as a cause of decline in children’s mental wellbeing (2023)

To learn more about 2025’s most compelling research findings for educators, visit “The 10 Most Significant Education Studies of 2025.”