We Need a Playground: Bring Back Recess in 2026

Critics will argue that playgrounds are ‘for children’. I agree, but I think that this is one of the very reasons that would make a playground so valuable. Unlike most little kids, Hopkins students take their grades very seriously, and this is no secret. Whether intentionally or not, this mindset is firmly reinforced by the school culture. Right now, there’s even a sign in Thompson Hall that reads “meet the person responsible for your grades” with a mirror mounted underneath. The fact that this sign is in the JSchool atrium sends a clear message; it proves that from the earliest possible age, Hopkins students are encouraged to hyperfixate on their academic success, and if you don’t have a perfect transcript, it’s a reflection on how hard you are working.

While this system is effective in producing especially motivated and high-achieving students, it comes at a cost. So many of us are burnt out, and feel like the fun in our lives is swallowed by school-world. Between classes, extracurriculars, SAT prep, AP exams, and sports, simple joy definitely gets pushed to the bottom of my priorities. When I think back to elementary school, when I spent all of my free time on the monkey bars, I’m overwhelmed by the nostalgia of a time before academic anxiety. I don’t think that a playground would undermine our commitment to perfection– instead, a playground suggests that even though Hopkins students are working so hard to prepare for adulthood, we can still reconnect with that carefree era of childhood. With a new schedule in the fall, there are ways to build that type of enjoyment into our everyday life and a playground is the perfect first step. 

Earlier this year, Hopkins demonstrated their interest in student well-being through an assembly with happiness expert Laurie Santos. We also implemented a new ‘Heads Up, Phones Down’ policy intended to promote social interaction among students. A playground would encourage both of these initiatives. It would promote genuine face-to-face interaction much more effectively than being told by a teacher to ‘talk to eachother.’ I knew my classmates so much better back when I spent time pushing them on the swing set. The type of friendship that blossoms from playing four square just can’t be replicated in the library or upper Heath. There could also be hands-on, educational benefits that might be revolutionary for Hopkins academics. A slide could help teach physics students about gravity. Geometry students could calculate the angles made by a seesaw. Even English classes could spend time debating the symbolism of playing at a playground as high schoolers who feel like the last fleeting moments of their childhood are slipping away into a stream of tests and group projects. 

Overall, a playground could mean more balance. It would be a reminder that while our achievements are important, it's even more crucial to have a fun life, and in ways, the most innovative thing possible for Hopkins would be a space for us students to enjoy ourselves. Our fantastic education prepares us to be good leaders and thinkers, but I think we can all agree that a little less work and a little more play would be good for everyone. After all, at a school designed for both middle schoolers and high schoolers, with a commitment to student interaction and happiness, I don’t think it would take away from our ‘professionalism’ – it would fit right in.