30 Fun and Engaging Activities for Elementary Students - Teaching Expertise (2024)

This comprehensive list is amazing for elementary teachers. Each list focuses on a different concept or type of activity that teachers can include in their classroom. Even better, each list is high interest and engaging for students. These educational activities are tried and tested by teachers and students alike. Teachers can use the lessons to bolster lessons they already have, or they can use the lessons on their own. Here are 30 amazing activities for elementary students.

1. Team Building Activities

30 Fun and Engaging Activities for Elementary Students - Teaching Expertise (1)

From Escape Rooms to human knots, these indoor and outdoor activities for kids are great for bringing your classroom together. Kids will work together and use quick thinking to problem solve and build trust among each other. The classroom bonding activities are perfect for any time of year.

Learn More:The Teacher's Cafe

2. Language Arts Activities

30 Fun and Engaging Activities for Elementary Students - Teaching Expertise (2)

Teachers know that there is a heavy focus on language arts, especially at the elementary level. This list of 50+ activities will give you lesson ideas that will meet rigorous academic standards. From grammar to reading and writing, this list of activity ideas is the perfect classroom resource.

Learn More:Really Good Stuff

3. Mindfulness Activities

30 Fun and Engaging Activities for Elementary Students - Teaching Expertise (3)

In today's digital age with access to so much information online, teaching children to be mindful is more important than ever before. Each of these activities focuses on a different method and reason for being mindful. These lessons challenge elementary students to slow down, control impulses, and think before acting.

Learn More:Resilient Educator

4. Hands-On Activities

30 Fun and Engaging Activities for Elementary Students - Teaching Expertise (4)

Elementary teachers know how busy K-5 kids are. These hands-on activities are great for helping kids develop an outlet for their creativity and energy. From making sock puppets to making maps, your students will love these creative activities.

Learn More:Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers

5. First Week of School Activities

30 Fun and Engaging Activities for Elementary Students - Teaching Expertise (5)

The first week of school is arguably the most important time for teachers and students. This list of community-building activities is great for establishing rapport and developing a fun learning environment for your kiddos.

Learn More:Twinkl

6. Active Learning Activities

30 Fun and Engaging Activities for Elementary Students - Teaching Expertise (6)

This list of active learning activities focuses on engaging students in tactile activities. This list is broken into large groups, small groups, and individual activities for kids so you can pick the lessons that fit best for your classroom and your goals.

Learn More:Queensu.ca

7. End-of-Year Activities

30 Fun and Engaging Activities for Elementary Students - Teaching Expertise (7)

The end of the year brings a lot of joy and energy to the classroom. As kids celebrate moving into the summer and moving up in grade level, kids need high-energy activities to stay engaged. These activities from teachers are the perfect way to keep kids learning at the end of the year.

Learn More:Minds In Bloom

8. SEL Activities

30 Fun and Engaging Activities for Elementary Students - Teaching Expertise (8)

Social-emotional learning and development are at the forefront of education today. These SEL activities for kids teach the value of social-emotional skills, as well as how to develop social-emotional awareness. These are cross-curricular activities that you can use any time of year.

Learn More:Commonsense

9. First-Day Ice Breakers

30 Fun and Engaging Activities for Elementary Students - Teaching Expertise (9)

The first day of school can be daunting, especially for our youngest learners. This list of creative craft ideas and fun games will set the tone for the year. Kids will love bringing home the first day of school craft or getting to know their classmates.

Learn More:Good Housekeeping

10. Aviation Activities

30 Fun and Engaging Activities for Elementary Students - Teaching Expertise (10)

This unique list of aviation educational activities is perfect for a mini-unit in your classroom. Teach kids about flying while challenging students to problem-solve and ask questions. This list of activities comes with printable activity sheets to minimize your prep!

Learn More:FAA

11. Transition Activities

30 Fun and Engaging Activities for Elementary Students - Teaching Expertise (11)

Transition activities are great for filling unstructured time in the classroom. These high-energy activities only take 1-2 minutes, but they will do wonders for the structure of your classroom and the learning environment. Plus, kids will love how fun each activity is.

Learn More:Twinkl

12. STEM Activities

30 Fun and Engaging Activities for Elementary Students - Teaching Expertise (12)

This list of STEM activities is another great list of science experiments that challenge students to think critically. Each activity engages students in learning and using the scientific method and analytical skills to solve problems.

Learn More:Science Buddies

13. Responsibility Activities

30 Fun and Engaging Activities for Elementary Students - Teaching Expertise (13)

Elementary school is an important time for kids to learn responsibility. Each of these activities focuses on an element of responsibility in order to foster a growth mindset, cooperation skills, and self-reflection. Each skill also focuses on setting goals and following through on them.

Learn More:Social Emotional Workshop

14. New Years Activities

30 Fun and Engaging Activities for Elementary Students - Teaching Expertise (14)

Speaking of goal setting, New Year is a great time to encourage students to self-reflect and set SMART goals for the new year. Each of these activities has a fun, engaging element that also relates to celebrating the new year.

Learn More:What I Have Learned Teaching

15. Music Activities

30 Fun and Engaging Activities for Elementary Students - Teaching Expertise (15)

You can never go wrong with music activities in elementary school. Whether you use music to introduce a concept, practice a concept, or help students memorize a new concept, elementary kids will love the musical element in the classroom.

Learn More:Solfeg

16. Spring Activities

30 Fun and Engaging Activities for Elementary Students - Teaching Expertise (16)

When the weather breaks, and kids finally get to go outside after a long winter, these spring activities will add an element of fun outdoor engagement to your lesson plans. Students will love the fresh air and they enjoy these spring-themed activities.

Learn More:HMH Co.

17. Growth Mindset Activities

30 Fun and Engaging Activities for Elementary Students - Teaching Expertise (17)

A growth mindset is an important concept in education right now, and the earlier students learn how to focus on improvement, the sooner they will experience success. These activities are perfect for any time of year, but they also pair well with first-day activities and New Years' lessons.

Learn More:Proud To Be Primary

18. Movement Activities

30 Fun and Engaging Activities for Elementary Students - Teaching Expertise (18)

Do you have a high-energy class? Let's face it--what elementary kids aren't high-energy? These movement activities can be incorporated into any lesson to help break up the day and encourage students to burn off some energy.

Learn More:Kappan Online

19. Cultural Diversity Activities

30 Fun and Engaging Activities for Elementary Students - Teaching Expertise (19)

Cultural diversity is another important concept that kids should begin to learn about early on in their academic experience. These diversity activities will help you create culturally effective lessons that teach diversity, inclusivity, and acceptance.

Learn More:Fun With Mama

20. Map Skills Activities

30 Fun and Engaging Activities for Elementary Students - Teaching Expertise (20)

This set of lessons is perfect for both indoor and outdoor learning. Kids will learn valuable mapping, direction, and spatial awareness skills that will help them navigate their world. These lessons are also great because they teach kids to be independent thinkers.

Learn More:National Geographic

21. Reading and Writing Activities

30 Fun and Engaging Activities for Elementary Students - Teaching Expertise (21)

These reading and writing activities focus on literacy skills for elementary learners. Students will use their literacy skills to decode information and practice critical thinking skills to write about what they read.

Learn More:Reading Rockets

22. Social Skills Activities

30 Fun and Engaging Activities for Elementary Students - Teaching Expertise (22)

Learning social skills is important, especially early on in elementary school. This list of activities focuses on introducing and practicing social skills in the classroom. Incorporate these activities into your daily lessons, or use them on their own.

Learn More:Education And Behavior

23. Compassion Activities

30 Fun and Engaging Activities for Elementary Students - Teaching Expertise (23)

In today's world, it seems like kindness and compassion have gone by the wayside, but these activities will teach kids how to be compassionate. These are easy lessons and activities to include in your weekly plans and they will directly impact the learning environment of your classroom.

Learn More:Everfi

24. Project Activities

30 Fun and Engaging Activities for Elementary Students - Teaching Expertise (24)

Project activities are important even at the elementary level. Students need to learn how to complete multi-step learning tasks in order to prepare for middle school and high school. These project activities are multi-faceted and encourage long-term learning.

Learn More:Student Treasures

25. Dinosaur Activities

30 Fun and Engaging Activities for Elementary Students - Teaching Expertise (25)

What elementary kid doesn't love dinosaurs? Almost every school and curriculum includes a unit on dinosaurs. These dino activities are engaging, high-interest, and hands-on. Kids will love them!

Learn More:Firstie Land

26. ESL Activities

30 Fun and Engaging Activities for Elementary Students - Teaching Expertise (26)

The ESL population is growing each year, which means you likely have a population of ELs in your classroom. These activities are great for all learners, but they focus specifically on culturally inclusive lessons that help ELs learn.

Learn More:Go Overseas

27. Comprehension Activities

30 Fun and Engaging Activities for Elementary Students - Teaching Expertise (27)

These activities focus specifically on reading comprehension. These lessons encourage students to practice decoding, active reading, and summary skills to better comprehend rigorous texts. These activities are great for any reading level and text.

Learn More:Education To The Core

28. Flipped Classroom Activities

30 Fun and Engaging Activities for Elementary Students - Teaching Expertise (28)

Do you want to include more flipped classroom activities in your student's learning? The flipped classroom offers benefits for students, but the lessons and activities take a lot of prep time and effort to create. Here are several activities to get you started!

Learn More:View Sonic

29. 5-Minute Activities

30 Fun and Engaging Activities for Elementary Students - Teaching Expertise (29)

Sometimes we just need 5 minutes for a brain break, or we have 5 minutes to spare in between lessons or at the end of the day. These 5-minute activities are the perfect way to fill time without losing instruction or rigor.

Learn More:The Teacher Next Door

30. Kindness Activities

30 Fun and Engaging Activities for Elementary Students - Teaching Expertise (30)

Like compassion, kindness is an important element in the elementary classroom. Although these concepts are similar, this list is unique and focuses on teaching individuals to be kind to one another as well as to themselves.

Learn More:Sweet Tooth Teaching

30 Fun and Engaging Activities for Elementary Students - Teaching Expertise (2024)

FAQs

How can I make teaching fun and engaging? ›

How to Have More Fun Teaching
  1. Discover new things together. ...
  2. Incorporate mystery into your lessons. ...
  3. Be goofy; show you care. ...
  4. Participate in projects. ...
  5. Avoid “going through the motions.” ...
  6. Flip your lessons. ...
  7. Review–but don't repeat–material. ...
  8. Share your passions.
10 Oct 2015

How do you engage your students and make learning fun for them? ›

Promoting student engagement through active learning

Strategies include, but are not limited to, question-and-answer sessions, discussion, interactive lecture (in which students respond to or ask questions), quick writing assignments, hands-on activities, and experiential learning.

What kind of activities should be offered by elementary schools? ›

Most primary school-age children need plenty of unstructured play and activity like running, chasing and playground games. Everyday physical activity can also include walking to school, riding bikes or scooters around your neighbourhood, and playing outside in your backyard or local park.

What are the engaging activities? ›

Here are 14 creative ways to engage students in discussions, problem-solving, critical thinking, and more:
  • Assumption Busting. ...
  • Brain-sketching. ...
  • Brainstorming. ...
  • Concept Mapping. ...
  • Exaggeration. ...
  • Fishbone. ...
  • Laddering. ...
  • Negative (or Reverse) Brainstorming.

What are six ways to engage students? ›

Motivation Matters: Six Simple Ways to Engage Students
  • Clarify your expectations (often). Students are unlikely to succeed if they do not know what is expected of them. ...
  • Allow for mistakes. ...
  • Give specific, positive feedback (and fewer empty compliments). ...
  • Keep it real. ...
  • Break the cycle. ...
  • Mix your media.

What are interactive learning activities? ›

Interactive classroom activities are activities that forgo one-way communication, or individual learning in favor of getting students involved and engaged with the lessons or material.

What are 5 social activities? ›

The best social activities
  • Going out to eat. We all have to eat, and enjoying a meal with friends can be one of life's greatest pleasures. ...
  • Board games. Grab your friends and host a board game night. ...
  • Meeting up for coffee. ...
  • Movie nights. ...
  • Pick-up sports. ...
  • Volunteering together as a group. ...
  • Video games. ...
  • Hiking.
4 Jan 2021

What is the best activity for students? ›

Whether your classes are in person, online or somewhere in between, here are 15 active learning activities to try with your students this semester.
  • Think-pair-repair. ...
  • Improv games. ...
  • Brainwriting. ...
  • Jigsaw. ...
  • Concept mapping. ...
  • The one-minute paper. ...
  • Real-time reactions. ...
  • Chain notes.
2 Apr 2020

How do you engage elementary students? ›

7 Strategies for Connecting in the Classroom
  1. Really Get to Know Your Students. ...
  2. Establish Expectations for Participation. ...
  3. Answer the “So What?” in Everything You Do—and Say. ...
  4. Create Meaningful Prework. ...
  5. Pace Your Lessons Well. ...
  6. Make Learning Experiences Active and Varied. ...
  7. Show Students That You Care.
9 Apr 2021

What are examples of student engagement? ›

For example, in one school observable behaviors such as attending class, listening attentively, participating in discussions, turning in work on time, and following rules and directions may be perceived as forms of “engagement,” while in another school the concept of “engagement” may be largely understood in terms of ...

What are the three types of student engagement? ›

Engagement in the classroom falls within three categories: behavioral, cognitive, and affective (Fredericks, Blumenfeld, & Paris, 2004). These three types are distinct yet interrelated.

How do you engage elementary students? ›

7 Strategies for Connecting in the Classroom
  1. Really Get to Know Your Students. ...
  2. Establish Expectations for Participation. ...
  3. Answer the “So What?” in Everything You Do—and Say. ...
  4. Create Meaningful Prework. ...
  5. Pace Your Lessons Well. ...
  6. Make Learning Experiences Active and Varied. ...
  7. Show Students That You Care.
9 Apr 2021

What are some fun afterschool activities to do with students? ›

Our Favorite Indoor Activities
  • Go Noodle. When it's rainy season and we don't have the opportunity to go outside with the kids, we are always trying to find new ways to keep the kids active while staying indoors. ...
  • Cooking. ...
  • Art Projects. ...
  • Dance Battle. ...
  • Puppet Show. ...
  • Board Games/Card Games. ...
  • Construction/Building Projects. ...
  • Reading.

What activities help students learn? ›

15 active learning activities to energize your next college class
  • Think-pair-repair. In this twist on think-pair-share, pose an open-ended question to your class and ask students to come up with their best answer. ...
  • Improv games. ...
  • Brainwriting. ...
  • Jigsaw. ...
  • Concept mapping. ...
  • The one-minute paper. ...
  • Real-time reactions. ...
  • Chain notes.
2 Apr 2020

What's popular with elementary students? ›

There are always those things that, no matter what, students will be undeniably excited about.
...
Check out our list of totally relatable things your elementary students go googly-eyed over.
  • Stickers! ...
  • Writing on the Whiteboard. ...
  • Snow Days. ...
  • Recess. ...
  • Takis? ...
  • No Homework. ...
  • Movie Day. ...
  • Choosing Their Own Partner.
7 Apr 2022

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