As I've mentioned before, kids are getting less and less opportunities to move throughout their days. With the addition of the new common core standards even students in the lower elementary grades are now required to sit for continuous instruction time anywhere from 60-90 minutes at a stretch!
Movement of all kinds - climbing, jumping, spinning, running, etc. - is not only important to help kids get out "extra energy," but also very organizing and calming to the body. From a sensory perspective, these kinds of activities provide proprioceptive (deep pressure, heavy input to the joints and muscles of the body) and vestibular (balance system) input. Both of these sensory inputs - especially proprioception - play an integral role in a child's ability to maintain body control and even pay attention in the classroom.
So in stead of continuing to complain about the ridiculous common core set-up, I decided to take action. I took inspiration from this post over at Keep Calm & Teach On and created these movement sticks below. (All blue & green activities are created by me, with the other colors inspired by Keep Calm & Teach On).
It's a way to add in some quick movement breaks during the day to help kids stay on task and ready to learn. These can easily be performed in any classroom or even at home as part of a homeschool set-up or even as a way to get your children to calm their bodies in preparation for bedtime!
Included in the .pdf download below are three pages of movement ideas - 36 activities in all - with corresponding cards explaining how to perform each activity. There's a wide variety of choices, including:
- Group Games
- Relaxation & Breathing Strategies
- Yoga
- Individual Strategies
- and more!
You can grab the .pdf file here to get your free copy of all 36 activities!
Let me know what you think and how they work for you. Do you or your kids have any favorites from the set? What other activities do you use to help your kids be the "boss of their bodies"? Let us know in the comments!
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