Getting Philly grown-ups to take a break for recess

How long is your lunch break? A half an hour? An hour? Long enough to play a round of four-square?

Some lunchtime passers-by in the are of Thomas Paine Plaza, the Comcast Plaza or the Porch at 30th Street Station got into the spirit of Recess Day Tuesday.

Organized by Playworks Philadelphia, the local arm of a national nonprofit, Recess Day gave grown-ups the chance to play a little ball while on their lunch break.

The group’s main mission is to bring recess to schools in low-income areas. By placing trained coaches in schools, they aim to fight bullying, promote physical fitness and, of course, have fun.

“We hope that (the lunchtime participants) have fun and kinda laugh and play a little bit, and go back to their office and think about how much fun it was to kind of get out and move around,” said program director Joe Kelly.

Playworks Philadelphia hopes the lunchtime diversions help raise awareness about the program. It operates in 16 area schools, and hopes to expand.