30 Fun and Engaging Activities for Elementary Students - Teaching Expertise (2023)

FAQs

What interactive activities keep learners engaged during a lesson? ›

First Class Activities

Asking students to introduce themselves, ask you a question, talk about their expectations for the course, or introduce a partner are all good activities for the first day of class. Try to keep all the activities you do in the first lesson fun and light.

Today, the Montessori method is most popular in preschools, kindergartens, and lower elementary grades. In this method, the teacher prepares an ideal classroom environment full of activities that children may pick from to work on.

Some qualities of a good teacher include skills in communication, listening, collaboration, adaptability, empathy and patience. Other characteristics of effective teaching include an engaging classroom presence, value in real-world learning, exchange of best practices and a lifelong love of learning.

Fun Learning is a holistic approach to early education created by Fun Academy. It helps teachers to promote key life skills to children, and nurtures the passion for learning through play and exploration.

For example, in one school observable behaviors such as attending class, listening attentively, participating in discussions, turning in work on time, and following rules and directions may be perceived as forms of “engagement,” while in another school the concept of “engagement” may be largely understood in terms of ...

Teach your kids new life skills

Simple things like learning how to type, how to do simple cooking, doing basic cleaning around the house, or if you have an indoor pool – swimming.

The four core learning styles in the VARK model include visual, auditory, reading and writing, and kinesthetic. Here's an overview of all four learning style types.

How do you stimulate and encourage students to learn better? ›

Elementary students generally learn best from hands-on activities. For instance, students will most likely have difficulty understanding the concept of multiplication if it is just explained to them.

Now, I can share my learning styles findings with future teachers and let them know that yes, visual is the most commonly used learning style in the elementary school classroom.

Experiential learning is a great teaching method because it encourages creativity, helps students learn from mistakes, fosters reflective thinking, and prepares students for future experiences. It can be effective for several subjects, especially during science experiments, sports coaching, and group projects.

What should teachers do to improve students learning? ›

The three basic types of learning styles are visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. To learn, we depend on our senses to process the information around us. Most people tend to use one of their senses more than the others. The following will be a discussion of the three most common learning styles.

Understanding the 12 Ways of Learning:

They include visual, auditory, tactile, kinesthetic, sequential, simultaneous, reflective/logical, verbal, interactive, direct experience, indirect experience, and rhythmic/melodic.

Use methods that involve play, creativity and imagination to engage children and promote participation. Examples include visual arts, storytelling, role play and pretend play. Observe and listen while children create and play – the process is as important as the final product.

Active participation is the consistent engagement of the minds of all students with that which is to be learned. The following strategies must utilize the key attribute that every student must show their signal, card, slate, etc. at the same time.

A core element of SCSD's Strategic Plan is a focus on the skills and conceptual tools that are critical for 21st Century learners, including the 5Cs: Critical Thinking & Problem Solving, Communication, Collaboration, Citizenship (global and local) and Creativity & Innovation.

As a starting point, they need to look no further than the 4Cs of education — communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity.

Before we break down specific strategies you can use to enhance participation, it's important to understand that there are five different types of engagement: social, behavioral, emotional, intellectual, and physical.

Creative learning is not memorizing information. It's building knowledge and developing skills using creative techniques. Rather than dictating how information should be absorbed, creative education— guides the learner through the instruction process using creative methods.

What are examples of activity learning? ›

Other examples of active learning techniques include role-playing, case studies, group projects, think-pair-share, peer teaching, debates, Just-in-Time Teaching, and short demonstrations followed by class discussion. There are two easy ways to promote active learning through the discussion.

Besides this, puzzles, games, role play, skits, story-telling, demonstrations using real objects, taking students on an educational tour, playing a subject-related video, and showing a documentary in the classroom are all examples of activity-based learning/teaching methods.

You get to watch students learn and grow.

Some students are going to struggle more than others, but there's nothing quite like witnessing a student have that light-bulb moment when everything finally clicks. Watching student growth, successes, and improvements is a rewarding process.

To boost your own popularity, focus on finding common interests with other kids, being kind to everyone, and having great conversations. Don't forget to stay true to yourself along the way, because you're great just the way you are.

Teachers love sincere messages of thanks and appreciation. One teacher says, “I love notes from students and parents. I keep them in a folder so I can read them when I have a difficult day. They help keep me positive.” Others noted they enjoy gifts that students are involved in.

We see teachers as people with a set of responsibilities, including asking questions, evaluating students, lecturing, praising or critiquing, assigning homework, supervising and grading examinations, and, at the end of the semester or year, grading each student.

Caring, positive student-teacher relationships boost student engagement, motivation, and achievement and have a positive effect on teacher motivation, effort, and teaching quality. Meaningful relationships also provide a sense of well-being, and student and teacher well-being are inextricably linked.

What is the most satisfying in teaching? ›

Try a new program with your students, like reading workshop, literature circles, or math stations. Explore a new online tool like Plickers or Kahoot, and make a plan for implementing it in your classroom. Join teacher Facebook groups where you can ask for ideas and advice about new strategies and technologies.

Decide on a verbal and physical signal. One common and effective signal is to firmly say, “Give Me Five,” while raising your right hand. Each student should respond to the Attention Signal by stopping activity, looking at the teacher, and raising one hand in the air or responding in a way the teacher requests.

To become popular in elementary school, focus on being friendly and sociable to all of your classmates. Introduce yourself, say “yes” when other kids ask you to play with them, and don't be afraid to ask a classmate to hang out with you, too.

Practice good posture by walking tall, keeping your head up, and keeping your shoulders back. Be genuine and sincere when you talk to others, and assert your opinions with confidence. You can also look cool by dressing in clothes that help you feel confident, attractive, and positive about yourself.