Research has shown that movement in the classroom helps a student to engage in his/her learning. In our classroom one of the simple ways we incorporate movement is during transition time. This occurs when we move from the carpet back to our desks, line up to leave the classroom or take a break from instruction. I also try to include movement in our lessons. We learn some of our vocabulary through movement. Why is this important? Because when you engage your body in your learning, you are sending messages to and from your brain and storing that information in your long-term memory through repetitive motion. One example of this is learning the months of the year using the motions to the Macarena song (see below for an example). I am also adding Snail the Whale to my classroom to help the students concentrate. I have found over my years of teaching that students will often become fidgety in order to continue to learn.
GoNoodle
We use the website GoNoodle for movement breaks and learning. You can also access this at home by setting up your own account or searching youtube.