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In a survey of 170 elementary students in the Phoenix, Arizona, metropolitan area over August–September 2024 (the average maximum temperature during this period was 97°F; 36.1°C), students reported feeling "a lot hot" directly after recess in 45% of surveys—and higher perceived heat was associated with greater physical activity intensity, according to a study published in PLOS Global Public Health by Kylie Wilson from the University of Arizona Cancer Center, United States, and colleagues.

Extreme heat can impact how and if children play outside while at school. Children younger than 10 may be uniquely vulnerable to heat-related illness during extreme temperatures for both physiological and behavioral reasons.

In this study, the authors examined if children's perceptions of heat while playing outside corresponded with actual air temperatures, as well as whether their perceptions of outdoor heat were related to changes in their recess activity over time.

Wilson and colleagues surveyed children at five elementary schools in the Phoenix metropolitan region (Arizona, United States) during the first six weeks of the 2024–2025 school year (August–September). During this period, Phoenix experienced extreme heat: its hottest September, its hottest year (2024) to date and the longest run of days with maximum temperatures at or above 100°F (37.8°C). Across the four schools included in the analyses, average outdoor shade canopy coverage ranged from 13.5% to 53.9%.

Immediately after outdoor lunch recess, students self-reported the intensity of their physical activity on a three-point scale: sedentary (not breathing hard at all), light physical activity (breathing hard a little) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (breathing hard a lot).

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