Morning meeting games are a great way to start the day in any elementary school classroom. Use morning meeting games to start each day on the right foot. Get students engaged and put them in the right mood from the very start!
Fun Morning Meeting Games to Use in the Classroom
The most important part of each school day is the morning. It’s the time of day that sets the tone for the rest of the day. Therefore, starting each day in the classroom on the right foot is essential for students to learn to the fullest.
Imagine a classroom where a teacher starts the day by asking students to pull out work and get started on a task. You can probably picture the glazed-over faces now.
On the other hand, think of a classroom where a teacher starts the day with an inviting warm-up activity that gets everyone excited and connecting.
Now, which classroom would you rather be a part of? Likely the latter. Fun games and activities help you start the morning in a way that gets kids engaged and ready for the day.
Why You Should Use Them During Morning Meeting
Morning meeting games are a fantastic way to begin the day and give students a focus on the academics ahead of them. In addition, games are an entertaining way to learn about each child and to set them up for success.
While a worksheet or academic task has benefits, a game in the morning will get their minds thinking critically and allow them to have some fun before the work begins.
When is the Best Time to Use Games
As you gather your class to start the day, consider using morning meeting time and a game to get them going. Since morning meetings are usually the first task conducted in the classroom, they are a perfect time for a warm-up activity.
Prep morning meeting activities for each day of the week. They give the kids something to look for when they enter the room. Work them into your routine so students know when to expect them. If you can manage, provide one game daily to get their bodies moving and their minds working.
Morning Meeting Games and Activities
Morning meeting games don’t have to be complicated with rules and point systems. Instead, these games can be super simple. Here are a few fun morning meeting games your kids will love.
Calendar Time: Calendar time is a great time to work on days of the week, months of the year, and emotions. Go over all of these each day in an actionable way with students.
Broken Telephone: Give one student a sentence to pass around the group and watch how distorted it becomes as it travels. This game helps kids practice their listening skills, too!
Act It Out: Get kids moving and having fun with different “act it out” tasks. They must get up and “act out” the actions presented to them. Much like a game of Charades.
Me Too: Have kids take turns saying something that is true about themselves. If that statement is true about another student, they should stand up and say, “Me too”! It’s a great way to see how similar we truly are.
Categories: Give the class a category, such as colors, and go around the circle letting every child name a color. Try not to repeat one that has already been said.
Sing a Welcome Song: Kids love songs and learn from them, so use them to your advantage when learning about ALL skills. Make it a game by having students fill in the blank at the end of a verse. Songs about feelings are great for this type of activity.
Stand Up, Sit Down: Say different phrases to kids they might relate to. If they identify with that phrase, they stand up. For example, “Stand up if you have a brother!” These done-for-you game cards can help!
Fingertip Hula Hoop: Give each group of students a hula hoop to balance on their fingers. They can’t hook their fingers around the ring. As a group, they must slowly lower the hoop to the ground. Tell them to try it without talking.
Play a Game of Four Corners: Give each corner of the room an answer to a question and have students answer your question by walking to the corner they choose. This is a great way to practice graphing and comparing responses as well.
Questions with a Hoop: Ask students meaningful questions about life and school. Let them toss a miniature basketball into a hoop or waste basket as a fun after-question activity.
Exciting Greetings: Use fun greetings for morning meeting to get kids talking to one another. Instead of a quick hello, have them share something about themselves or complete an action with a partner. Then, switch up the greeting as much as possible.
Resources to Help You Run a Morning Meeting
Free Week of Morning Meeting Materials
Want to start impactful morning meetings but don’t know where to start? Try a FREE week of Morning Meeting slides and cards. This done-for-you resource includes daily questions, greetings, and activities to engage kids in a meaningful morning meeting each day.
Click the image below to grab a copy.
Morning Meeting SEL Bundle
Try the Morning Meeting SEL Bundle by Proud to be Primary. It includes 11 months of morning meeting slides that your students will love. No more brainstorming about what to do during the morning meeting; you have everything prepped and ready with this bundle.
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