“Shake, Shake, Shake Your Sillies Out” is more than a silly song; it’s a brilliant classroom management tool. Students of all ages get restless if sitting for too long. Think of the last time you were sitting in a training meeting, staff meeting, or conference where you were asked to just sit and listen and/or look at a powerpoint. I’d bet it’s safe to guess that you got bored fairly quickly and wanted to get up and move around for a minute… and I’d bet you weren’t the only one feeling that way!
Imagine sitting in a classroom for hours on end, listening to teachers instruct, and never getting the chance to move around. I think if this were the case, we’d have a lot of students enjoying a little nap during the school day. Our minds tend to slow down unless they are engaged in some way. A visual presentation can be engaging, but some students just need a little bit of movement every now and then to keep their brains focused. Beyond recess, students need time in the classroom to take a break from learning for a few minutes.
There are many resources on YouTube that provide excellent brain breaks. GoNoodle is a favorite with many kids. It has catchy songs and easy movements to get kids up, moving, and refocused. DannyGo is another great one! He gets kids moving and jumping, which keeps them awake and engaged.
Another great idea is to do any kind of breathing and grounding exercise with your students. Sometimes all it takes is a few minutes of mindful breathing to get students refocused and ready to learn again. Cosmic Yoga on YouTube is a great place to go to watch engaging, movement inducing, calm exercises for the classroom or home.
And of course there’s always the oldies but goodies from “back then”… “The Hokey Pokey”, “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes”, “If You’re Happy and You Know It”, or playing freeze dance. Even simple stretches or silly dance moves can be effective. It doesn’t need to be fancy for it to work!
Movement is a great way to keep students alert and engaged with the lesson. It gets their blood pumping and their brains active, which leads to better focus and more energy to learn. And let’s be honest; students and teachers will benefit from a little bit of a break every now and then!