​This spring we had an awesome team of teachers attend our S.M.A.R.T. workshop from North Tama in Iowa. Among their many creative ideas and suggestions, this one stood out as a great end of year practice activity.

​Anne (our One S.M.A.R.T. Teacher feature this month) inspired us to think of how to incorporate core S.M.A.R.T. activities into academic review as the school year starts to wind down.
 
Thanks to a few generous S.M.A.R.T. trained teachers, here are a few downloads to kickstart this idea and inspire you to come up with some of your own.

Let’s be honest. The school year is winding down and we all just want to be outside.
 
Take some inspiration from this older post on how to incorporate S.M.A.R.T. movements outside on the playground.
 
Playground: https://www.actg.org/smartnews/one-smart-teacher8402604
Black top: https://www.actg.org/smartnews/one-smart-teacher2846866

​How does skipping correlate to reading?
 
Skipping and other cross-lateral movements, like Cross Patterning, do more than build coordination—they strengthen communication between both sides of the brain. This supports key reading skills. These movements help children develop eye tracking, allowing them to smoothly follow words across a page. They also build body awareness and understanding of directionality. This means they understand the concept of left-to-right and top-to-bottom, essential skills for reading and writing. Incorporating a “simple” movement like skipping into daily play can support both strong bodies and strong minds for school readiness.

​Tactile Trackers can take on a playful and innovative twist inspired by Kim, an early childhood educator in Minnesota. Kim likes to  place visual pursuit activities underneath a table, having children lie on their backs and engage in smooth, controlled eye movements while tracking objects above them. 
 
This unique setup transforms skill-building into a fun, engaging experience that naturally supports the development of smooth pursuit eye movements and strengthens eye–hand coordination. It’s a simple shift in the classroom environment that creates an exciting new way for young learners to build foundational visual skills.
 
Here are a few spring Tactile Trackers examples and one for you to download!

​Have you tried the Swinging Ball vision activity with your students yet? 

Looking for a little inspiration to refresh your S.M.A.R.T. Core routines? 

​What activities should we include in a calm corner?
 
Many classrooms are being set up with a calm corner, specifically designed as a space for students to go to and practice regulation techniques. These spaces are often cozy with pillows, stuffed animals, fidget toys, and breathing techniques. All of these tools are wonderful for regulation. We want to share some other strategies that can be incorporated into this area that might not already be there.
 
Many behaviors reveal that children need heavy work to help them regulate their body systems. While we might shy away from adding in large movement activities in our “calm” corners, they are in fact what might be exactly what our students need to find their calm.
 
Students who are constantly getting up, have lots of energy, calling out, or are feeling restless need to push, pull, sway, spin, and squeeze. 
 
Proprioceptive input helps regulate the nervous system and support emotional control. Proprioception—the body’s sense of muscle and joint movement—provides deep pressure and resistance that can be very organizing for the brain and grounding for children. When students push, pull, squeeze, carry, or press against something, their bodies receive calming input that can reduce stress, improve focus, and restore a sense of control.
 
Download these proprioception activity suggestions for use in your classroom today! 

​February is a great time to step back and assess if your activities are ready to level up.
 
Here is an activity we practice in our workshops that is a kid favorite…
 
Stick Scotch!!
 
Watch this quick video to refresh yourself on how fun and easy it is to learn the activity that adds engagement and increases the level of difficulty to the Hopscotch. All you need are some paintsticks or strips of tape to create a jumping pattern all are sure to enjoy.

Download the activity on our webpage! HERE


Got some winter Olympic enthusiasts in your class?? Tell them to pretend they are pro snowboarders taking on a new course!