Students feeling a little sluggish? Got the post-lunchtime slumpers? Sitting down for more than 20 or 30 minutes? Try these quick exercises. Not only will you get your heart rate back up but also you will stimulate your metabolism, get some endorphins flowing, burn calories, and get your self ready to concentrate on whatever it is you’re supposed to be doing. Try one of these once every hour.

These are fun and easy activities for kids. Kids don’t get to move enough, so give them a quick break a couple times in the morning and a couple times in the afternoon. Put the name of each activity on a card or slip of paper. Conceal them in a box and let a child pick one at random. Whatever the child picks, everyone does…even the teacher! Then use the activity as part of your academic lessons.

For example…

• Language Arts: Research and prepare a brief report on heart rate.
• Math: Find out your average stride length and use it to estimate the perimeter of a building. Then, draw the shape of the building and calculate the area.
• Science: Find out why some objects seem heavier when held farther away from the torso. And why do people have to breathe more when they are exercising?
• History: How do calisthenics differ now from 100 years ago? (And they do…a lot!)
• Social Studies: Debate why people in some places get more exercise than in other places, e.g., rural communities vs. town and cities.

Don’t think you have enough time for a quick exercise break because you have too many things to teach kids? Well, you’re wrong. If kids are inactive, sluggish, or simply sitting too long, their ability to learn ANYTHING decreases. A quick burst of activity helps students learn more and be more engaged in the lesson.

 2-Minute Exercises

1. Running Jacks: Jumping jacks are always a good standby. Combine this with “cartoon” running, running in place just as fast as you can! 20 seconds of each, alternating for 2 minutes.

2. Big Walk: Can you get all the way around the classroom in 2 minutes using your longest stride possible? Really stretch those legs for huge steps! How many steps did you take to get all the way around?

3. Foot Pass: Every other kid grabs a ball, or anything of moderate size, between his feet, and then using only his feet, holds it out for the next kid to grab…with his feet, too! Then the object is passed on. Try this with kids in a circle and half as many objects as kids. This way, every kid is either passing or receiving objects.

4. Potty Squats: Kids stand in front of their chairs, arms straight out in front of them, back straight. Sloooowly they sit down, arms still out and back still straight. Give them a 5 second count to lower all the way to the chair. Then, sloooowly the get back up with another 5 second count. Can they keep doing this for a whole 2 minutes?

 5. Planking and Cranking: Toes to the floor, elbows and forearms on the floor, and hold your body as straight as possible for 30 seconds. Then, roll over on your back and put your legs up in the air. Touch your feet, and then roll back into the planking position. It’s harder than it sounds.

6. Elephant Migration: Walking on all fours–hand and feet to the ground, knees as straight as possible. One kids gets to be the boss elephant, and other kids follow him or her. Try going to the library this way. Don’t forget to make elephant sounds!

7. Crabwalk: Walking on all fours…upside down: Belly up, butt towards the floor. The teacher (or a student) calls out a location, such as the teacher’s desk or the hallway door, and all the kids crabwalk there.

8. Double-trouble Butterflies: Kids lie on their backs, knees up in the classic sit-up position. They raise their feet off the ground, heels together, and flutter them like butterflies for 10 seconds. Feet back down, they raise their arms in the air, palms touching. Kids raise their shoulders off the ground, reach high, and flutter their hands like butterflies. 10 seconds, then back to feet. Use longer intervals for older kids. Can they do both at once?

Keep Kids Moving

Some of these are better for younger kids, say elementary through mid school. And their quick. How about a couple of things you can do to get kids moving throughout the day (or class period). The point is to keep kids moving. Moving bodies produce learning minds.

No desk day: This will keep kids moving ALL DAY (ok, maybe 1/2 the day, or maybe a class period for older kids). Spend a day with no desks, no tables, no chairs. Want to work on something? Lower yourself to the floor. Want to ask the teacher something? Get up off the floor and ask!

Walking/Running quizzes: When your students are taking a quiz, give everyone the first question out loud. Then, each time a student completes the answer, he or she needs to come to get the next one from you, where ever you are in the classroom. The student says, “I need question number …,” and you provide it. The student goes back to his or her desk, responds to the question, and then returns for the next one. It will help if you have the questions on individual slips of paper so you can show or give just one question at a time. For more fun, more exercise, and lots of giggles, combine this with “Big Walk,” “Crab Walk,” or “Elephant Walking.”  Try this in the gymnasium or some other big space, with you on one side and the kids on the other.

Have fun and KEEP MOVING!