A Gilbert lawmaker is advocating for extended lunch and recess in Kindergarten through 6th grade.

Kids in grade school have an ally in state Sen. Warren Petersen.

He is challenging the Arizona Department of Education's practice of cramming between 700 to nearly 900 hours of classroom time into K-6 grade instruction during an academic school year.

In his bill Petersen has argued the state would not lose its federal matching funds if it calculated time outside the classroom, including lunch and recess, as part of the children's learning and growth.

Lawmakers recently approved a similar measure for high school students, allowing lunch, study halls and music instruction to count toward school hours.

The American Academy of Pediatrics calls recess a crucial and necessary component of childhood development.