4 Quick Activities (with Minimal Prep) You Can Try in Your Classroom to Incorporate Movement

Written By Dora Acosta

We all know that sitting still for hours isn't just challenging for kids—it can actually hinder their ability to learn effectively. Research shows that movement boosts brain function, improves alertness, enhances memory retention, and simply makes learning more enjoyable. But as busy educators and parents, finding time to plan elaborate movement activities can feel overwhelming.

The good news? You don't need complex equipment or hours of preparation to get those bodies moving and brains firing. Here are four quick, minimal-prep activities you can implement as early as tomorrow.

1. Review Charades

This classic game gets an educational twist that works for virtually any subject. All you need is a hat or container and some small slips of paper.

  • Prep (5 minutes): Write key vocabulary terms, historical figures or ideas, scientific concepts, or math terms on small slips of paper. Fold the slips of paper and place them in a container (i.e, jar, box, hat)

  • How to play: Students draw a term and have 30-60 seconds to act it out while classmates guess.

  • Why it works: This activity reinforces content knowledge while engaging multiple learning styles. Students must understand concepts well enough to represent them physically.

  • Bonus tip: Award points to both the performer and the correct guesser to maximize engagement!

As one teacher shared, "My students beg for Review Charades before tests. They're having so much fun they don't realize they're studying!"

2. Last-Minute Groups

This zero-prep activity gets everyone moving while creating opportunities for collaborative learning.

  • How it works: Call out a number (like "3"), and students have 10-15 seconds to form groups of that size.

  • Learning extension: Once in groups, give students a quick task related to your lesson—discussing a question, sharing one thing they learned, or teaching each other a concept.

  • Movement benefit: The quick scramble to find group members gets blood flowing and reactivates attention.

This activity is perfect for transitions between lesson segments or when you notice energy levels dropping.

3. Four Corners Response

Transform your ordinary classroom into an interactive opinion space with this simple activity.

  • Setup: Designate the four corners of your room as "Strongly Agree," "Agree," "Disagree," and "Strongly Disagree."

  • Activity: Read a statement related to your lesson content, and students move to the corner that represents their opinion.

  • Discussion: Have students explain their position to others in their corner, then share out with the class.

This activity not only incorporates movement but also encourages critical thinking and respectful debate—skills that extend well beyond the classroom.

4. Gallery Walk

Transform your classroom walls into an interactive learning space.

  • Quick prep: Post questions, images, or problems around the room on large paper or whiteboards.

  • Activity: Students circulate the room in pairs or small groups, discussing and adding their responses at each station.

  • Variation: For younger students, simplify by posting pictures related to a theme and having them write or draw responses.

This activity combines the benefits of movement with collaborative learning and provides a visual record of thinking that students can refer back to.

Why Movement Matters

Incorporating movement isn't just about making learning fun (although that's a wonderful benefit). Movement actually enhances the learning process in several key ways:

  • Increases oxygen flow to the brain, improving cognitive function

  • Helps students who struggle with attention to refocus their energy

  • Creates novel learning experiences that make content more memorable

  • Reduces behavior issues that stem from physical restlessness

As one elementary teacher noted, "The days we incorporate movement are the days I see the most engagement and the least behavioral problems. It's not extra—it's essential."

Getting Started

If you're new to movement-based learning, start small. Choose one activity to try this week, and observe how your students respond. Keep a mental note of what works well and what might need adjusting for your specific group of learners.

Remember, the goal isn't to turn your classroom into a gymnasium, but rather to harness the natural connection between physical movement and cognitive development. Even small bursts of movement throughout the day can yield significant benefits for learning and engagement.

For parents supporting learning at home, these same principles apply. Learning doesn't have to happen at a desk! Allow children to move, stand, or even bounce gently while working on challenging material.

The Bottom Line

Making learning more enjoyable doesn't mean sacrificing rigor or classroom management. By thoughtfully incorporating movement into your lessons, you're actually optimizing conditions for learning while meeting children's developmental needs.

Which of these activities will you try first? Or do you have other favorite ways to get students moving? I’d love to hear your experiences!

Dora Acosta