Energisers are quick (30 second to 2 minute) movements or activities that can be used to break up long periods of sitting and refocus the mind for learning.

Many classroom teachers have found energisers useful for student concentration and behaviour. Try out some of the quick and easy energisers below in your classroom!

Energisers for Kinder - Grade 2

Energiser 1: Hold that pose

What to do:

1. Standing behind their desks players attempt a series of teacher or student led poses.

2. The challenge is to hold the pose for as long as possible.

3. Those who falter must re-start but may not win the round.

4. Try a range of balancing poses, for example:

• a 'v' sit (sitting on bottom with legs and hands off the ground)
• a stork stand (balancing on one leg, one foot on the opposite knee, arms extended up)
• the flamingo (one leg straight back, arms out to the side)
• the crab (hands and feet on the floor, torso facing the ceiling).

Energiser 2:  Over, Under, Around and Through

What to do:

1. Have students stand a couple of steps behind their desks or in a line to follow the teacher around the  classroom.

2. The teacher decides on a pattern where students go over, under, around and through imaginary or real objects.

3. The teacher then talks the students through the pattern and students copy, for example:

• Over: mountain, steep hill, thorny bush, large rock
• Under: underground, water, tree, bridge
• Around: fire, steep rocks, quick sand, building
• Through: swamp, cave, tunnel, haunted house

Energizer 3: Air Writing

What to do:

1. Students begin by moving on the spot behind their desks or around the room, jumping, marching or hopping.

2. The teacher calls out letter, number, word or shape and players stop moving.

3. Players  draw the letter, number, word or shape in the air using their hand, arm, leg, head, elbow, knee, bottom or any combination of body parts until teacher calls out another activity.

4. Students continue new activity until teacher calls out another letter, number, word or shape.

Energizer 4: It’s a Zoo in Here

What to do:

1. The teacher selects an animal or has students select an animal, for example

• Bear
• Elephant
• Giraffe
• Kangaroo
• Lion
• Tiger
• Monkey
• Snake

2. Players must imitate the way the animal walks or moves beside their desks or around the classroom.

3. Players continue until teacher signals to move like the next animal.

4. Try using the activity with picture flash cards and ask students to read out the animal.

Energisers for Grade 3 - Grade 6

Energiser 1: Hearts Clubs Diamonds Spades

What to do:

1. Have students stand a couple of steps back from their desks.

2. The teacher selects and demonstrates 4 different moves or poses that relate to the different symbols on the playing cards (see examples below).

3. The teacher then selects a card and calls it out e.g. “8 of hearts”.

4. Students then perform the move or pose associated with hearts.

Examples:

• Hearts: Star jumps, jumping jacks, wrapping arms around the body (as if hugging yourself)
• Clubs: doing a tree pose with arms spread wide like branches, shoulder roles
• Diamonds: Stretch hands up and over head and clasp hands together, hands on hips
• Spades: Squat, tuck jump

Energiser 2: Sports Galore

What to do:

1. The teacher calls out the following sports skills for players to  mimic standing behind their desks:

• Kicking a soccer ball
• Serving a tennis ball
• Downhill skiing
• Tapping  a volleyball
• Balancing on a gym beam
• Swinging a golf club
• Handballing a football
• Shooting an arrow
• Swimming free style
• Kicking a football for goal
• Slam dunking  a basketball

2. The teacher can also integrate skills into word problems and have students repeat the number he or she calls out, for example:

• If Sam kicked the football for goal 6 times and missed 2, how many goals did Sam get?
• If Carly swam 5 lengths of the 50 meter pool how many meters did she swim?

Energiser 3: Stop and Scribble

What to do:

1. The teacher calls out a physical activity for example: jumping, jogging, playing air guitar, marching and players perform the activity on the spot behind their desks.

2. The teacher calls out a spelling word and players form pairs.

3. The pairs work together to try to spell the word correctly on a piece of paper.

4. After 10 to 15 seconds, the teacher calls out new activity.

5. Continue until all spelling words are used.

6. As students cool down, teacher will write correct spelling on board and students will check their work.

Energiser 4: Frozen Vocab

What to do:

1. Begin by having players do an activity standing at their desks: jumping, hopping, marching or stretching.

2. Players  continue activity until teacher calls out a vocabulary word at which point the players freeze.

3. The teacher calls on volunteer to use the vocabulary word properly in a sentence.

4. Resume activity or begin a new activity when a student uses the vocabulary word properly in a sentence.

5. Players may like to use the word in a sentence, spell the word or define the word.