Recess is an integral part of the school day where children are afforded the opportunity to create and organize games, socialize with their peers, and explore nature. When implemented effectively, recess has the potential to offer significant academic, physical, and social benefits (London, Westrich, Stokes-Guinan, & McGlaughlin, 2015). However, the amount of time allocated to recess in elementary schools across the United States has significantly declined over the past two decades. A reduction in play time can be attributed to increased educational mandates, which have lead to vigorous and ongoing debates about the important role recess plays in elementary schools. Thus, this quantitative study examined the effect of recess on fifth grade students' time on-task in an elementary classroom. Participants on-and off-task behaviors were observed and documented on a task frequency chart prior to and after recess. Findings from the study indicated that providing fifth-grade students with daily recess significantly increased on-task behaviors in the classroom.

A majority of adults in the United States do not attain the recommended 2.5 hours of moderate-to-vigorous exercise each week. This is precipitated by an increased amount of time spent in environments that inhibit movement and promote sedentary behaviors -at work, at home, and in cars. College-aged students (18-29) also engage in a greater amount of sedentary behaviors as they encounter a transitional period in life where many begin making independent lifestyle choices for the first time. Despite the trend towards physical inactivity, higher education provides the ideal platform to develop and employ methods that can impact students' physical activity behaviors. Thus, this study compared the effect of physically active brain breaks in a college classroom on college students' physical activity levels to students who did not participate in physically active brain breaks. An embedded sequential mixed methods design was utilized wherein quantitative data was collected via pedometers during class, while student interviews provided qualitative data to assist the researchers in understanding participants perceptions within the experimental intervention. Results indicated that participants (n = 65) who participated in physically active brain breaks acquired a higher daily step count average, compared to participants (n = 52) who did not participate in physically active brain breaks. Three themes emerged from the interviews that suggest students' experiences with physically active brain breaks were compellingly positive and their perceptions revealed that (1) experience is essential; (2) variety is key; and physically active brain breaks are (3) engaging for all.

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Background Yoga for young children has become a growing area of interest in early childhood settings across the United States (Schwind et al., 2017). With an emphasis on stretching, breathing, and mindfulness techniques, yoga has been associated with a decrease in stress and anxiety in young children (Anand & Sharma, 2014). Evidence also suggests that yoga has the ability to improve young children's physical development, attention, and executive functioning (Galantino, Galbavy, & Quinn, 2008; Jensen & Kenny, 2004). While the scope of research on yoga for young children has primarily focused on the experiences and outcomes of the children who participate, far less is known about the experiences and perceptions of teachers who have engaged in such programs with their students. It is imperative to acknowledge that teachers have an invaluable role during the implementation phase of school yoga programs and subsequently on the ability to impart benefits of the practice for their students' development. These benefits are not only important during program implementation, but should be examined when a program concludes. Thus, this study engaged teachers in discussion about perceptions of their school's yoga program, their experiences with the yoga program, and their beliefs about the benefits of the program for their students and themselves. Literature Review Yoga is a long-standing practice that has extended across the world and is known for calming the mind and improving overall well-being. Consisting of certain stances (asanas), breathing (pranayamas), and hand positions (mudras), evidence in ancient and contemporary literature suggests that yoga has a positive impact on both physical and mental health (Iyengar, 2008). Although the majority of research on the benefits of yoga has focused on children in upper elementary through adulthood, recent empirical evidence notes that the benefits of yoga can also translate into yoga practices for young children (Hagen & Nayar, 2014).

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