An analysis of nearly 500 playgrounds finds that recess can be optimized to build social skills and relationships. As described in this recent Edutopia article,

To help educators understand what works on the playground—and what doesn’t—researchers visited nearly 500 elementary schools spanning 22 urban and metropolitan areas in the U.S. The researchers hoped to develop a tool that looked beyond simple questions of physical activity and playground equipment and toward a broader review of “safety, resources, student engagement, adult engagement, prosocial/antisocial behavior, and student empowerment on the playground.”

The full study, which documents the creation of an observation and assessment tool for the Playworks managed recess approach, can be accessed via BMC Public Health here.