There has been a growing call for recess and lunch breaks to be given more structure in the form of organised games. Two reasons are typically given. One is to try to address the concern about children's lack of fitness by providing them with games designed to get them active. The other arises from concerns about children's behaviour in the playground and the belief that organised games will address this by giving them "purposeful activities" to do. And studies have shown that interventions in the form of adult-organised games can increase children's activity levels and provide significant health benefits. But to adopt this approach is to overlook some of the other advantages and opportunities recess and lunch breaks provide. This paper looks at the changes that have taken place in primary schools, those that are proposed and the consequences of going down the path of turning recess into a formal period of adult organised rule governed games.