10 Ways To Beat the Winter Blues in Your Classroom

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Have the winter doldrums made their way to your students? With cold temperatures, snow-covered playgrounds, and a classroom full of sniffles and sneezes, it’s probably feeling kind of tough right now. Check out these ideas for beating the winter blues and upping the good vibes in your classroom—and remember that spring break is around the corner.

 

1. Get moving

It might be too cold to go outside, but research about kids and exercise has shown that when kids move around during the school day, their concentration levels, classroom behavior, and overall mood get a major boost. If your students’ energy levels are starting to drag, call for a brain break and try one of these easy movement activities:

Play a game of freeze dance. Just throw on some tunes like Color Freeze Dance or any of these popular Kidz Bop songs.

Play a tried-and-true movement game like musical chairs or charades.

Try a site like GoNoodle for some great interactive movement videos you can do as a class.

Roll these fitness dice and have kids try each fitness movement that comes up.

Via Elementary Matters

 

2. Take a virtual trip to somewhere new (and warmer)

Get in a virtual airplane and travel to the warmth of Mexico or a tropical island! Try out a virtual field trip site like this one from Discovery Education to take a virtual tour and learn fun facts about your destination. Have students bring in beach towels so you can all sit on the beach and discuss the different creatures you might see or activities you might participate in while on your trip. This is a great opportunity to incorporate geography, science, and different ecosystems you may already be studying. Via ABC News

 

3. Mix up your classroom routine

As teachers, you probably have your days scheduled down to the minute, but to liven things up, try flipping science to the morning, reading to the afternoon, etc. Everyone will welcome the change of pace (including you). Via Elementary Matters

 

4. Allow students to teach a lesson

If you notice students are particularly sleepy or lacking in focus, ask a volunteer to come to the front of the class to demonstrate a new concept, or ask a student during a video lesson. Students will perk right up at the sight of one of their peers being the “expert.”

 

5. Brighten up your classroom (or background)

The winter may be dull and dreary, but your classroom doesn’t have to be. To turn your teaching space into one that wakes you up and makes you feel good, try brightening up a boring wall with some colorful paper to showcase your students’ artwork. All you need is:

Construction paper

Hot glue

Hot glue gun

Clothespins

Lamination machine

 

Or, create a rainbow reading corner like this one by grabbing the following supplies:

Rainbow pattern rug

Rainbow crepe paper streamers

Rainbow bulletin board letters

Colorful throw pillows

Via Mind Sparks

 

6. Take part in a class project that helps others

It’s no secret that helping others makes people feel good, and with Valentine’s Day and Random Acts of Kindness Day both falling in February, it’s a great month to bring some warm fuzzies into your classroom. Here are some simple activities that promote kindness:

Have students write thank-you notes to the school custodians, and keep the classroom extra clean to make their jobs easier. Via The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation

Make a kindness chain. Take small strips of paper and have students write down an act of kindness they’ve witnessed recently, then link together all the strips. Put up the paper chain in the classroom, and whenever students experience a kind act, they can add another link to the chain. Try to make the chain go all the way around the room! Via Sugar, Spice and Glitter

If you can’t make the chain due to being physically apart, modify the activity by having students write down a way of being kind they’ve witnessed or hope to do themselves.

 

For Valentine’s Day, have kids write a kind note to each other, then take it one step further by decorating valentines for patients at your local children’s hospital or nursing home. Via The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation

Have students deliver a goody bag of treats to every school bus driver at the end of the school day. Via The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation

 

 7. Turn on some music

Music has been used since the beginning of time to lift people’s spirits and make gatherings more fun, so why not use it in your classroom for the same reason? You can play upbeat music for kids when they arrive at school, then switch to slower classical tunes to help them focus when it’s time to work. No matter what genre you choose, music is one of the simplest ways to make the day more enjoyable. Via Elementary Matters

 

8. Try alternate seating options

Traditional desks can be uncomfortable and make some kids antsy. Alternate seating options allow for more freedom of movement and give students a fresh classroom perspective. Here are some different seating options to try:

Stabili-T-Stools

Wobble stools

Wobble cushions

Bean bag chairs

Stay-N-Play balance balls

Inflatable chairs

Lap trays

Desk cycle

Via The Wright Nook

 

9. Embrace the cold and spend some time outdoors

Whenever possible, give students the chance to bundle up and get outside the classroom. Whether for recess or for a special lesson, breathing in the fresh air can often revive sleepy kids and improve their moods. Here are some lessons that incorporate the winter elements:

Melting magic: Collect some snow and ice for a hands-on lesson about chemistry and molecular structure. Via STEAM Powered Families

 

Snowball launchers: Explore design and physics by having students create snowball launchers with basic supplies you have around your home or classroom. Then get outside to test your creations! Via Little Bins for Little Hands

 

Snow volcanoes: Check out this chemical reaction while spending time out in the snow. Via Science Sparks

 

Fish for ice: Find out why salt melts ice (and test it out with some of the real stuff outside). Via Science Kiddo

 

10. Plan a special activity

It doesn’t take much to add some excitement to a regular old school day. Plan a fun activity that kids can “earn” through hard work or good behavior—it can be super simple or more elaborate depending on how much you time you want to spend. Via Elementary Matters

Make snow ice cream: This snow ice cream recipe is super easy and loads of fun. Try it out the next time there’s a good amount of fresh snow on the playground (it’s a great excuse to get outside, too!). Via Babies to Bookworms

Host your own winter Olympics trivia game show: Many students are interested in the Winter Olympic Games, so why not hold your own Olympics trivia game in the classroom, complete with a moderator, teams, and a grand prize for the winners? Via We Are Teachers

Plan a pajama day: Have kids wear their PJs to school and serve hot cocoa during story time.

Turn one of the many holidays in February into a special lesson or mini-party that you and your students can look forward to:

100^th day of school (varies)

Groundhog Day, Feb. 2

Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14

Presidents Day, Feb. 17

Random Acts of Kindness Day, Feb. 17

Mardi Gras, Feb. 25

 

Have more tricks for beating the winter blues? We want to know about them! Share them with us in the comments section.

 

 

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