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S.M.A.R.T. workshops emphasize how crucial visual development is. Vision is a complex process involving over 20 visual abilities and more than 65% of all of the pathways to the brain. But do you remember this shocking statistic? Some optometric and pediatric sources estimate that roughly 25% of schoolchildren have vision problems that have not been formally diagnosed and that potentially impact learning, reading, or classroom performance. That’s right…1 in 4 of your students may be quietly struggling! We have shared this resource before and we will share it again because it is just too good.  Katy, 2nd grade teacher from Janesville, WI, drew up some winter themed Visual Mazes for her students and has kindly shared them with us for you all to benefit from a low prep activity. Thanks Katy!
These mazes are our Tactile Trackers from the S.M.A.R.T. PreK CORE guide page 64 and a variation of Wagon Wheels in the S.M.A.R.T. Elementary Guide on page 150. This activity helps to develop smooth pursuit eye movements and eye-hand coordination in a fun and engaging way. Refresh yourself on how to guide students in the activity as this one tends to have students rushing through. The guides contain some helpful directions and tips! Download: winter_visual_mazes.pdf
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Have you noticed that kids tend to rush through S.M.A.R.T. movements when doing the activities in a circuit with their classmates? We have had several write-ins asking how to address this situation.
Movements such as crawling, rolling, balancing, and hopping are most beneficial when they are done with intention, control, and efficiency rather than speed. These foundational movements help organize the nervous system and build strong neural connections between the body and the brain. When students rush, they often rely on momentum instead of muscle engagement, which limits the brain’s opportunity to integrate sensory input, coordination, and motor planning. Slowing the movements encourages focus, body awareness, and accuracy, allowing the brain to strengthen pathways that support attention, self-regulation, and learning. Emphasizing “smooth and steady” over “fast” helps students gain the full neurological benefit of the activity. How do you explain this to a student in a supportive and corrective way? Try something like this - “When you move your body slowly and carefully, your brain gets stronger. If you rush, your body is moving but your brain can’t keep up. Going slow helps your brain and muscles work as a team—like best friends. Smooth, steady movements help your brain practice balance, focus, and control. So slow doesn’t mean easy or boring—it means your brain is doing important work!” We strongly advocate for more movement during the school day. While S.M.A.R.T. is an excellent way to do this, using it as more of a free for all, “get your energy out”, kind of movement break, can diminish some of the neurological potential and growth. Smooth and Steady in 2026 🌟 Are your students zipping across the Balance Beam like pros? That’s a sign—they’re ready to level up! When it’s time for a simple challenge (no extra prep required), add in a Flamingo Pose right on the beam or invite students to close their eyes as they walk forward. These tiny upgrades instantly deepen the experience and keep kids engaged while strengthening their balance and confidence. Simple changes, big impact!  Here’s why it matters: Balance is a powerful tool for social-emotional learning. As students practice steady, controlled movement, they build focus, self-regulation, body awareness, and perseverance—skills that support emotional calm and classroom success. After plenty of balancing with eyes open, closing the eyes gently increases the challenge by activating the vestibular system. Try it yourself: stand on one foot for 5 seconds with eyes open, then repeat with eyes closed. Feel the difference? That boost in sensory input helps strengthen both the brain and body—making balance practice a win-win for learning and emotional growth.  Looking for some winter themed fun in your S.M.A.R.T. program? Here is a quick little throwback to a blog where we highlighted thematic twists for December! https://www.actg.org/smartnews/archives/12-2016  As winter settles in and outdoor play becomes limited, movement breaks become more important than ever for keeping students focused, regulated, and ready to learn. This is the perfect season for S.M.A.R.T. teachers to add fresh activities that keep the program engaging while giving students the sensory input their bodies need. Have you explored some of the powerful balance activities from the program?
One fun way to maximize your movement time is with what we call a “double whammy”—combining two CORE skills into one exciting game. Try Musical Tables from the S.M.A.R.T. Pre-K CORE Guide (page 37)! Students begin in the Stable Table position, then creep on all fours as music plays. When the music stops, they freeze back in Stable Table. This playful routine layers creeping + balance, creating a burst of sensory input that supports focus, body awareness, and self-regulation—just what students need during cold-weather months indoors. Don’t forget to explore the progression options in your program guides to keep this activity growing with your learners. Small increases in challenge keep students engaged while strengthening the skills that support both learning and emotional regulation. Winter may keep us inside, but it’s the perfect time to turn up the movement and help students thrive! Winter is setting in, it can be tempting for kids to hibernate—but movement is more important than ever during the long winter break! Keeping bodies active helps boost mood, focus, and energy, even when outdoor play is less accessible. To make movement fun and motivating, turn it into a game with Movement Bingo! We’ve gathered some of our favorite developmental movements to help families stay active, connected, and energized while chasing away the winter blues. For an extra splash of adventure, bundle up and take the challenge outside—fresh air plus movement makes it even more fun! Download Here  Do you have students who are constantly moving? In and out of their chair, constantly changing their body position, falling over even? Or maybe you are noticing students who are slumped over in their chairs, almost spilling their body across their desk?
These classroom behaviors are indicating the need for vestibular stimulation! Why vestibular? Our vestibular system governs movement, balance, and body awareness and is deeply connected to our ability to remain attentive and stay regulated. If your students are showing you that they need vestibular movement, here are some quick in the moment movement breaks that can work for you and them! 👉 Download Movement Snacks – Vestibular Poster Month three of our school year S.M.A.R.T. newsletter is all about vestibular stimulation. What CORE movement should be incorporated into your daily schedule? Pencil Roll! The Pencil Roll is essential for helping students build the vestibular endurance they need for balance and coordination, along with the ability to be still and focused in the classroom. This simple yet powerful CORE movement activates the brain systems responsible for body awareness and self-regulation. When practiced consistently, the Pencil Roll strengthens students’ ability to process movement, leading to improved posture, attention, and readiness to learn. How do you keep it fun? Scatter leaves (real or cut out) to mimic rolling in the leaves, add a texture like bubble wrap or small bean bags to roll across for added tactile input, roll down inclines, or do some puzzle rolling.
Drop puzzle pieces at the beginning of your Pencil Roll area and the empty puzzle board or box with a photo of the complete puzzle at the end. As each student rolls, have them hold a piece about their head and work together to complete the puzzle.
If you have been slowly adding CORE activities to your course, this activity should now be in a circuit of movement along with the Alligator Crawl and Slap Track.  We recently completed our final S.M.A.R.T. workshop of 2025! We have had an amazing line up of educators, therapists, and support staff this year.
One S.M.A.R.T. Teacher, Priscilla from Warren, MN, shared a simple yet effective variation of Rainbow Tracing. With this activity, we recommend tracing a word, letter, number, shape, etc with many colors, providing inputs into the brain for correct spelling or formation. Priscilla said her students have really enjoyed writing their sight words multiple times when they get to trace with a colored pencil, a pen, and a marker. Offering a variety of writing tools makes this activity new and novel to the students, adding to the intensity to the brain. Bonus…it helps to keep them on task 🙂 Not sure how to incorporate Rainbow Tracing? Use your reference guides to refresh your memory on how this activity can be a great way to practice spelling words, sight words, names, and letter formation. Reference: S.M.A.R.T. Curriculum Guide page 88 S.M.A.R.T. PreK More Guide page 97 Our vestibular system governs our sense of balance. It is how we learn good posture, balance, concentration, and alertness. We work to stimulate our vestibular system by incorporating specific movements in our day. We spin, we roll, and we often seek to be upside down. Do you know much about this system? Watch this short video that highlights the importance of the vestibular system and the behaviors it can show up as. |
AuthorSCheryl Smythe Archives
March 2026
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