I am a firm believer in incorporating movement in the classroom. Our students do better when they get frequent movement opportunities and unfortunately 20 minutes of recess just simply isn’t enough. Here are a few things that we currently do or have done in the past to promote daily and frequent movement in the classroom!
1. Sensory Path
Our amazing PTA took on the project of installing a sensory path in our hallway. It’s conveniently located near my classroom. You may read this and think about how inconvenient it might be to have this option outside of your classroom. It’s certainly doable inside a classroom too but there are some ways this could be incorporated into a daily schedule. Assigning a hallway buddy to assist can be a good option. Our PTA purchased the SVG file from Etsy and used a Cricut to print it out.
2. Offer Flexible Seating
It took me many years to learn and accept this after being drilled in us that students must sit and be still to learn…FALSE. It is okay to bounce, wiggle, spin, and rock while working. I highly encourage this in my room and my students have always discovered their own favorite seats and are able to choose them daily! Remember, flexible seating isn’t something that should be earned or only offered on some days. If a student really needs movement to regulate, consistently offering this to them is setting everyone up for success.
3. Cosmic Kids Yoga
I discovered cosmic kids yoga during virtual learning and my students loved it! You can find it on YouTube and there are endless kid friendly yoga and movement videos to choose from. I love that they also have seasonal options too!
4. Just Dance
This is a fan favorite in my classroom. However, giving y’all a flash warning on these videos! There are many strobing and flashing lights throughout them so if you have students who are triggered by that or sensitive to flashing lights, steer clear. My students have previously LOVED strobing lights so this has often been what they choose before anything else. It’s become our favorite way to end the day!
5. Break Space
Last but not least, a movement space. In my classroom I call this “break space”. I always keep yoga balls, trampolines, hoola hoops, a sit and spin and a variety of seating and toys that promote movement. I keep this area blocked off by furniture so that the objects stay contained. My students love having access to an area of the room where they know they can seek and receive whatever sensory input they need!
I would love to hear about any movement in the classroom ideas you utilize! It’s always important to acknowledge our students who tend to move and wiggle more than others. By incorporating movement in the classroom we can honor their needs and set them up for success.
If you enjoyed reading this special education teacher content, be sure to check out my other sped teacher tips and tricks!
