Compared to the rest of the school day, recess is a time when children have more freedom to choose what they want to do and with whom. In light of the current climate of school accountability, this digest discusses research on recess and its relationship to learning, social development, and child health, as well as research on related topics that have implications for recess policy such as the need for breaks and physical activity. It also reviews the relationships between recess and learning, recess and social development, and recess and child health noting that available research suggests that recess can play an important role in these three areas of development. The digest calls for further research to assess the effects of "no recess" policies, how often recess breaks should occur, and how much involvement/guidance is needed from adult supervisors. (HTH)