Active Classrooms
Active kids learn better!
Classroom physical activity helps students feel better, work together as a team, reduce anxiety and maintain focus.
Did you know? Classroom teachers can contribute to their students’ need for movement while simultaneously teaching and reinforcing academic concepts.
There are several ways to incorporate movement into classroom learning:
- Morning wake up activities
- Activity breaks, brain boosters and energizers
- Active learning and academic instruction
- Flexible seating such as sit-stand desks, pedal desks and balance boards
- Remember, if a child is sitting too long, they are missing out on vital movements that could help them learn.
Active Classrooms Week
Get the teachers in your school to participate in Active Classrooms Week. Use social media, #ThisIsYourBrainOnMovement, to showcase ways you integrate physical activity into your classrooms and highlight the positive impact movement has on your students. It takes place in early December.
Integrating movement into classroom learning can be intimidating. Active Schools and our partners work year-round to encourage and support schools across the country in creating active classroom environments.
Make the case and make a plan for providing active classrooms with these research-based but user-friendly documents from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Springboard to Active Schools:
- Classroom Physical Activity Overview
- Strategies for Classroom Physical Activity in Schools
- Strategies for Classroom Physical Activity in Schools – Infographic
- Integrate Classroom Physical Activity in Schools: A Guide for Putting Strategies into Practice
- Integrate Classroom Physical Activity in Schools: Data Brief
Implementation resources available from our partner organizations:
- Activity Works
- Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s Classroom Physical Activity – FREE
- BOK Bursts – FREE
- Brain Breaks powered by HOPSports – FREE
- Fitbound – FREE
- Focused Fitness
- GoNoodle
- HYPE (Helping Young People Energize) – FREE
- My School in Motion
- OPEN’s Tools for Active Classrooms – FREE
- PLYOGA Fitness
- UNICEF Kid Power Ups – FREE
- Yoga Foster
Integrating Movement into Classroom Instruction
- Active Academics – FREE
- EduMotion: SEL Journeys
- Math & Movement
- Power Deck Cards
- The Walking Classroom
- Walkabouts
Equipment for Flexible Seating and Movement
- Action Based Learning
- FluidStance
- Learn Fit by Ergotron
- Moving Minds by Gopher
- Pono Ola
- S&S Worldwide
- School Specialty, Sportime
- StandUp Kids
Parent Engagement
Engaging parents in your school’s physical education and physical activity program will provide many benefits. Get ideas and tips on how to engage parents from these resources:
- Active Schools’ Guide to Engaging Parents in School Physical Education and Physical Activity: Resources and Examples
- Involve Families in Physical Activity in Schools – Data Brief from Springboard to Active Schools
- Parents for Healthy Schools: A Guide for Getting Parents Involved from K-12 – from CDC
- Parent Engagement: Strategies for Involving Parents in School Health – from CDC
- Promoting Parent Engagement in School Health: A Facilitator’s Guide for Staff Development – from CDC
- Parents for Healthy Schools e-Learning Course – from CDC