The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened concerns about children's mental health and well-being, emphasizing the need for schools to provide opportunities for social interaction and play. Recess, a time for unstructured play during the school day, offers a promising avenue for supporting children's physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development. However, despite the growing body of evidence demonstrating the benefits of recess, many schools are not currently providing children with adequate opportunities for high-quality recess experiences. This commentary, authored by members of the Global Recess Alliance, highlights the importance of recess as a fundamental right for children and identifies current barriers and inequities in access to recess. The authors propose a set of policy recommendations for schools and educational authorities, including securing adequate time for daily recess, prohibiting the withholding of recess as a punishment, providing staff training, collecting data on recess practices, and ensuring access to a variety of age-appropriate play equipment and spaces. The commentary also calls for greater collaboration among researchers, educators, and policymakers to prioritize recess as a key component of a well-rounded education. By working together to implement evidence-based practices and policies, we can ensure that all children have access to the benefits of recess and can exercise their fundamental right to play, thereby supporting their health, learning, and development in the post-COVID world.