s.m.a.r.t. spaces

Spring is here! Will we see more sun or more rain? Is it going to be a coat on or coat off recess? We have some sunny news for you! There is a space you can create where the sun can always shine, and the signs of spring can be celebrated. Let's build a spring S.M.A.R.T. space! With a few creative and colorful tweaks, you will watch the energy and positivity the students have shine as they go through these spring S.M.A.R.T. activities.

Two S.M.A.R.T. schools in Minnesota, Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial and Kasson-Mantorville Elementary, put a little spring into S.M.A.R.T.. Using PVC pipe to build arches, Ms. Alisha wrapped crepe paper to create a beautiful rainbow for children to crawl under. You should have seen their faces! Ms. Alisha kindly shared the dimensions she used to accommodate students ages 4 to 6 years below.

In Kasson-Mantorville, students celebrated spring by slapping cards, prompting them to say “green grass.” One pocket contained a large green square, and the other contained a Ziploc bag of green Easter grass, which can be found in local dollar stores, Walmart, or Target.

Creeping and crawling are key developmental movements that help to solidify the foundational skills students need for academic success. We love seeing how each school offers variations to these vital activities, keeping students engaged in the movement.

PVC Pipe Archways
We recommend building four arches to cover your 16 feet of crawling space. The ideal width is about 30” to accommodate student bodies, and the ideal height is about 24”.

You will need:

• 8 pieces cut 24” for the sides
• 8 90-degree elbow joint fittings
• 4 pieces cut 30” for the top
• 16 pieces cut 6” to create the base 
• 8 fittings to hold the base together