Entertaining middle school students can be challenging. During this developmental period, they are trying to explore their social space.
Lunchtime creates opportunities for schools to organize preferred lunch activities targeting different student profiles.
Erin Feinauer Whiting, an associate professor who teaches multicultural education at Brigham Young University, conducted student surveys that revealed several benefits of informal activities.
These include increased involvement in the school community, a sense of belonging, and changes in the dynamics of school organization and school ecology.
1. Ask Me!
Set guidelines about the questions and then provide spaces for students to talk to fellow students, teachers, and even school district representatives. This simple activity that requires no materials can enhance student experiences and help them feel like they belong to the school community.
Learn More: ID Tech
2. Lunch Bunch Games
It will be good if part of your school inventory includes lunch bunch games that the students can borrow during lunchtime. Several lunch bunch games like Save the Drama Social Responsibility Game, Conversation Starters, and Pictionary can be a much-needed break on a rough school day.
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3. Lunchtime Yoga
For quieter activities, you can opt for lunchtime yoga to help students stretch and relax during an otherwise hectic lunch break. You can tap any yoga teacher or parent willing to guide the students. If you have space similar to elementary school playgrounds, have all interested students find their spot.
Learn More: Youtube
4. Play Board Games
Make simple board games available during lunchtime so students can eat and have a quick fun game. Make the board games dynamic, with games like scrabble and checkers, and not just limited to a two or three-player game. This is an excellent way to spend lunch, especially during rainy day recess breaks.
Learn More: A Grade Ahead Blog
5. Freeze Dance
Although middle schoolers might need more prodding than others, once they see some of their friends being part of the game, they would want to let loose, dance, and get rid of all that pent-up energy. Make it better by having a fellow student DJ the sounds.
Learn More: Playworks
6. Set Up A Foosball Tournament
Make lunch hours more competitive by setting up a foosball table in several corners of your lunchroom and holding a tournament. The students can make up their teams and compete based on the tournament bracket you come up with.
Learn More: Youtube
7. Lunch Trivia Hour
At the start of the week, put on display a series of trivia questions for the week in one part of your cafeteria. The students have until Friday to submit their answers, and the student with the correct answers gets school memorabilia.
Learn More: Mom Junction
8. Reading Café
Some students are not just hungry for food but also for books. Make reading cool for middle school students. Transform one of the classrooms into a café where students can read and dine during their lunch hour. The most loyal patrons get some cookie rewards by the end of the week.
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9. Would You Rather?
Distribute conversation starter cards that would only have two choices. This is a good communication and social interaction skill that the students can learn from. Sample questions would be: "Would you rather get up early or stay up late?" or "Would you rather have telekinesis or telepathy?
Learn More: KitchEncounter Chronicle
10. Ship To Shore
This is called Shipwreck, a variation of the Simon Says game where students "hit the deck" and then imitate the "man overboard."
Learn More: Empowered Parents
11. Four Square
This is almost the same as a kickball game, sans the kicking. You need four large numbered squares and some witty and silly rules. You are out if you break any rules, and another student takes your spot.
Learn More: Rookie Road
12. Red Light, Green Light
This is Squid Game Middle School style! This is the perfect game for lunchtime since several students can play simultaneously. When on the green, head to the finish line, but never get caught moving when the light is red.
Learn More: Wired
13. Limbo Rock!
Middle school students still have their inner child. A pole or rope and some music can bring that child out as they limbo and test their flexibility.
Learn More: NY Metro Parents
14. Categories
This is another word game that students can play at each table during lunch, where you provide categories. All participating students write down as many unique words as possible related to that category. They score a point for every word on their list that's not on the other team's list.
Learn More: Wikipedia
15. Grade Level Jeopardy
Assign days for Grades 6, 7, and 8, and use the school's LED TV to project the jeopardy game board. Categories can include their actual subjects and current lessons.
Learn More: IUP.edu
16. Marshmallow Challenge
Have several students team up against each other to create a marshmallow structure supported by spaghetti and tape.
Learn More: Youtube
17. Anime Drawing
Have your student anime fans brush up their artistic skills with a drawing contest during lunch. Ask the student to draw their favorite anime character in under 5 minutes, display them, and have their fellow students vote for the winner.
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18. Move if you…
Similar to the line game, students who want to participate in this engaging game can sit in large circles. In every circle, a person stays in the middle and will call out particular instructions for only specific people to do. For instance, "Shake your hand if you have blond hair.”
Learn More: BMC.org
19. Giant Jenga
Commission a giant wooden Jenga to be made for the students and, on every block, put in a question. Each time the students pull a block, they must also answer a question. Combine non-academic and curricular time questions to make this classic game fun.
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20. Giant Knot
Build a shoulder-to-shoulder circle and have every student grab two random hands from the loop. With everyone knotted, the team should find ways to untangle themselves without letting go of the hands they are holding.
Learn More: Youtube
21. Who Am I?
Note down five interesting facts about a person in any field, like history to pop culture, and the students guess who this person is.
Learn More: Consensus Support
22. Line It Up
See how fast two groups can arrange themselves based on the first letter of their names, height, or birthday. This is a good boys vs. girls game you can hold for 15 minutes before it's time to get back to class.
Learn More: Synable
23. Movie Hour!
While eating, set up an hour-long movie with a storyline that the students can relate to or something that has educational value on it.
Learn More: Commonsense
24. Lunch Jam!
Have your resident school DJ play out some tunes so students can sing along and relax while eating.
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25. Pows and Wows
Have everyone in the cafeteria share one good and bad thing about their day. This will teach the students to be more empathetic and to celebrate small wins.
Learn More: AAC Mentors
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