My 4-year-old will start school next fall and last night we got to meet with the lady that will be his teacher. One of the things she talked about, as she was explaining a typical day at school, was how young kids can often get frustrated and give up on tasks if they aren't allowed the proper amount of playtime. I was so happy to hear that she valued the benefits of playtime.

A recent report from KARE 11 said many kids across the country aren't getting the break they need in order to succeed in the classroom. Olga Jarrett, an Early Childhood and Elementary Education expert at Georgia State University, was interviewed by the station and described the current state of play in schools as "sad." "Kids need breaks during the day. My research shows that children, they don't concentrate better and learn better when they just sit in their seats all day. They need breaks in order to be able to concentrate."

National guidelines suggest students get at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. The Active Schools Minnesota initiative is helping students across our state by working with schools to increase the amount of physical activity they get.

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