Elementary teachers know that young children need breaks in between lessons, but sometimes it’s difficult to come up with new ideas that keep kids engaged and excited during the school day. The activities, games, and lessons below are great for all levels, but kids in elementary schools will benefit from them the most. The activities are fun, quick, and exciting for students and easy to organize for teachers. Here are 25 transition ideas for elementary students that teachers can use daily.
1. Number Circles
In this transition activity, students stand in a circle and count in multiples of a number assigned by the teacher. The teacher picks a number to end the counting, and the student who lands on that number has to sit down. The game continues until only one student is left standing.
Learn More: Moving Minds Blog
2. Phrases
This is a favorite activity for times when students transition between classrooms. The teacher says different phrases that cue an action. For example, when the teacher says, “Floor is lava”, students have to stand on the one-floor tile.
Learn More: Moving Minds Blog
3. BackWords
This is a fun transition activity that is also educational. The teacher picks a word and begins to spell it backward, letter by letter on the board. Students have to try and guess what the secret word is as it is spelled.
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4. Three the Same
This game encourages students to think about similarities among students. The teacher picks three students that have something in common. The students then have to guess what the commonality among the students is.
Learn More: Naaweb.org
5. Freeze in Motion
This is a classic fun transition activity that gets kids up and moving. They will have fun while moving around and then freeze when the teacher yells, “freeze!” This game can also be played with music.
Learn More: Classroom Synonym
6. Repeat the Sound
For this fun activity, the teacher picks a sound to demonstrate to students and the students repeat the sound. The teacher, for example, can tap three times on a desk or clap two books together. The more creative the sound, the more challenging it will be for students to mimic!
Learn More: Classroom Synonym
7. Scarves
Using scarves in the classroom allows students to get some motor activities done during the day. Ideally, teachers have a class set of scarves and students use them to play during a transition. The scarves allow for motor movement and brain breaks.
Learn More: Sing Play Create
8. The Snowman Dance
The “Snowman Dance” is a fun motor movement activity that gets kids up and engaged. Students will love learning the dance. This is a great way to start or end the day especially in the Winter when kids can’t go outside as often for recess.
Learn More: Sing Play Create
9. Sensory Break Cards
Sensory break cards are great for teachers to use on a whim or when they are struggling to come up with other creative ideas. These cue cards provide sensory activities that kids can do in a short amount of time.
Learn More: The Chaos And The Clutter
10. Visual Timer
A visual timer is an effective way to help students think about transition times, especially those students who have difficulty with transitions. The timer only needs to be set for a couple of minutes to help kids get through a transition.
Learn More: The Chaos And The Clutter
11. Balloon Volleyball
Balloon volleyball is a fun and easy game that kids love. The teacher will blow up a balloon that students then need to keep off of the ground. Students work together to keep the balloon afloat, and if a student misses the balloon then they are out.
Learn More: Prodigy Game
12. Animal Actions
This is a great activity to help kids stay active and burn off energy. Students will practice motor skills and teachers will love that the dice create variety in the activities. Some of the actions create a more challenging transition for kids as well.
Learn More: Prodigy Game
13. The Atom Game
This game encourages students to listen as they get up and move around the classroom. Students will move around the room in a way dictated by the teacher; for example, the teacher may say, “move like dinosaurs!” Then, the teacher will yell, “atom 3!” And students will have to get in groups of 3 as quickly as they can.
Learn More: Class Craft
14. Silent Ball
This silent ball activity is a classic transition game. Students will pass a ball around silently. If they drop the ball or make any noise, then they are out of the game. This is a good game to use often to create a common transition routine.
Learn More: Class Craft
15. Classroom Yoga
Yoga is just as relaxing for kids as it is for adults. Teachers can incorporate yoga into classroom management transitions to create a sense of calm and stillness in the classroom.
Learn More: We Are Teachers
16. Make it Rain
This is a great activity for the class during transition periods. Students will begin by tapping one at a time on the desks and then slowly build until the tapping sounds like rain. This break will help kids get the wiggles out while providing sensory stimulation.
Learn More: We Are Teachers
17. 5-4-3-2-1
This is an easy physical transition. The teacher has kids do a physical activity five times, then another one four times, etc. For example, the teacher may say, ” Do 5 jumping jacks, 4 claps, 3 spins, 2 jumps, and 1 kick!”
Learn More: Minds In Bloom
18. Trading Places
This transition activity encourages students to listen, observe, and move. The teacher will say something like, “kids with blonde hair!” Then all of the kids with blonde hair will get up and switch places with another student with blonde hair.
Learn More: Minds In Bloom
19. Secret Handshakes
This is a fun transition for kids to start at the beginning of the year. Students will move around the classroom and create a secret handshake with a fellow peer. Then, throughout the year, teachers can tell kids do to their handshakes as a transition.
Learn More: Proud To Be Primary
20. Activity Cards
Activity cards are a great way for kids to take breaks and get moving. These cards also give each student a different activity to add some variety to your transition sessions.
Learn More: Proud To Be Primary
21. Heads and Tails
For this activity, teachers will call out a true or false statement to students. If students think it’s true then they put their hands on their heads, and if they think it’s false they put their hands on their rears. This is a fun activity for elementary-aged children.
Learn More: Teach Starter
22. The Bean Game
This activity is a favorite transition game. Each type of bean has a different action. Students will draw a bean card, then have to complete the action for that bean. Kids love the themed movement cards.
Learn More: Teach Starter
23. Real or Fake?
For this transition lesson, teachers tell the kids a crazy fact and the kids have to decide if they think the fact is real or fake. Teachers can have kids vote, they can have kids move to different sides of the room, or they can have kids come to a consensus.
Learn More: Performing In Education
24. Play-Doh
Play-Doh is a classic playtime activity for all ages. The teacher can have students create something specific within transition time like a dog, or teachers can give kids free time to create what they want.
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25. Doodle Time
Sometimes just giving kids free time is a good way to allow them to take a break and refocus. Providing students with doodle time allows them to express themselves while also taking time to relax and breathe.
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