5 Ways to Get Your Students Up and Moving

If you have any experience with children, you know they need to get up and move throughout the day! Honestly, most adults are the same way. It is hard to sit still for hours during professional development and meetings. So, we cannot expect students to sit at their desks for hours each day. There needs to be lessons that get them up and moving around. Thankfully, these 5 ways to get your students up and moving will be the perfect way to increase focus and retention! 

Have Students Transition Around the Classroom Throughout the Day

Students have an entire classroom to explore! So, plan activities that get them up and moving to different areas. It is important not to keep them in one area for too long. This will lead to them losing focus. By changing up the location, students are stretching their minds and preparing their bodies to learn. 

To implement this, think about the structure of your day. For example, students may receive whole group instruction at their desks or on the carpet together. Then, there may be small group instruction at a reading table. Students can move around the classroom in learning stations when they are not at this table.

As an important reminder, be aware of when your students start losing focus. As the year progresses, they will be able to stay in one spot for longer periods. However, it is important to switch it up and be observant of the time of the year. Students will need more movement around exciting holidays! 

Integrate Movement into Learning 

The easiest way to get your students up and moving is to find ways to integrate movement into your learning! Students can act out vocabulary words. Similarly, they can play games that get them moving around the classroom. For example, one of my favorite games is 4 Corners, which has many ways to play! For example, you can place labels with vowel sounds around the classroom. You can then draw a word, and students will move to the sign with the matching vowel sound. This process even works for reading and math skills! 

Another fun game is Splat. Students work in teams of 4 or 5 students. As a class, we review the focus skills, such as soft and hard c and g. Then, students hear a word. The first person to “Splat” the correct answer scores a point for their team. It is extra fun to use fly squatters!

An easy and fun way that I integrate academics and exercise is with my Reading on the Move and Math on the Move packets. The students roll the dice after reading to see what “movement” they will complete before rereading the passage. 

 Be sure to check out all of my Reading on the Move packets HERE. Students love to get up and move! 

Allow Flexible Seating 

I love flexible seating, and my students do, too! For instance, Wobble Chairs are an excellent way for students to work at their desks in a way that still lets them move. Additionally, students can stand at their desks or sit on the floor with a clipboard. My only absolute “no” with seating is that students may not sit dangerously in their seats, such as leaning back on two legs or turning around backward. As an experienced teacher, I’ve witnessed creative ways students can sit that are just too dangerous. 

Take Brain Breaks 

When you notice that students are losing focus, take a Brain Break.  We absolutely love

using GoNoodle for our Brain Breaks. There are so many great options based on what students need. For instance, the KooKooKangaroo is great when students need to “wake up” and recharge. When students need to settle down, Flow and Maximo are perfect! I also love to use the movement dice to help students get out of their seats. 

Head Outside 

I love to take learning outside whenever the weather permits! We take books outside and let students read. Similarly, we take our Whiteboards and work on math at a picnic table. We even use sidewalk chalk to practice spelling and math facts. The possibilities are endless. 

Students should look forward to coming to school! This is a key factor in how well they behave and focus during the day. Thankfully, these 5 ways to get your students up and moving will help ensure students are actively engaged in their learning! 

If you do not want to miss any of the upcoming lessons, join my email list to be notified of all the interactive lessons coming up! By joining the email list, you will receive freebies for blog exclusive subscribers!