Make K-2 Learning Fun and Effective with these 10 Simple Tips

K-2 teachers….

I know exactly who you are. 

You are the Kindergarten, first, and second-grade teachers who want to make learning fun and effective for your students.

The only problem is that as primary teachers you have a ridiculously long list of demands and very little time for research and planning.

You need simple ways to make K-2 learning fun and effective with minimal effort for the teacher and maximum results for your students.

Keep reading to find 10 simple tips to make K-2 learning both fun and effective.

We know students do best when learning is fun

Read Why Should Learning Be Fun in a K-2 Classroom? for a more detailed look into why learning should be fun.

Basically, when primary students are enjoying the process of learning, there are many positive outcomes, including:

• being able to focus on the task at hand
• retaining information
• actively participating
• taking risks with learning
• pushing themselves to expand their thinking
• loving school

10 Simple Ways to Make Learning Fun

There are lots of ways to make learning fun but let’s talk about 10 simple ways to add fun to your early elementary class.   

Games

Adding games into your daily routine is one of the quickest ways to add fun. 

Early elementary students love to play games which means they are perfect for practicing new skills in a low-stress way.

Furthermore, learning games provide opportunities for meaningful practice. 

Primary students can play whole group games, like sight word bingo or partner games, such as these Roll and Spin Math Games.

Another advantage to using games in the early elementary classroom is that you can review a variety of skills. For instance, you can review math skills or ELA skills. 

Click the button to get the password to a Free Members Only Resource Library. This library has games, like the one above, that you can use for fun, partner game review.

Movement

Movement in the primary classroom can help reduce student stress and improve student behavior. 

Interestingly, movement can take many forms in a classroom, including:

• quick brain breaks, such as stretching by your desk
• changing locations, like when students move from their desks to an activity on the floor
• actions added to review, such as quick chants when reviewing spelling words or review songs with actions
• whole group movement games, like Simon Says
• deep breathing exercises
• dancing (try the site GoNoodle for lots of free dance and activity videos)

Change Locations

Changing locations can add a little excitement and revitalize student engagement.  Certainly changing locations could be as elaborate as going on a field trip. No one can argue that field trips add fun to learning. However, field trips can take a lot of work and preparation.  

An easier way to change locations is to utilize every space in your classroom. For instance, students can work at their desks, on the floor, or even under their desks!  

In addition, going outside is a fun way to change locations. Maybe your class can go on a nature hike around the school or practice math facts with sidewalk chalk on the basketball court.  

Technology

Technology can add fun to any lesson. 

Above all, utilizing technology can build background knowledge and/or strengthen understanding of a concept as students take virtual field trips, watch video clips, or play online learning games. 

Boom Cards™ can be a great way to gamify learning. These digital task cards are easy to use, self-checking, interactive, and fun! Teachers, you can get a free or paid subscription (http://bit.ly/BoomTrial).

Additionally, other fun, free sites include National Geographic for Kids, Starfall, Funbrain, PBS Kids, and Primary Games.  

If you would like some free Boom Cards, click the button for the Free Resource Library. The resource library has several Boom Cards available. 

Choice

Choice can be a great motivator and a simple way to add fun to a lesson.  Whenever possible, give your students choices. For example, let them choose where they sit during an activity (changing locations) or choose how they demonstrate learning (i.e. a song, picture, or writing about a topic).

  

When primary students feel in control of their own learning, the activity can become much more engaging and enjoyable. 

Collaboration

Providing students with the opportunity to work with others can also add fun to learning. 

Although some children may prefer to work alone, it is important to help early elementary students learn how to work with others. 

Partnerships or small groups can be beneficial as students share the workload and capitalize on each others’ strengths. Also, students can brainstorm ideas and work together to complete projects or activities. 

Art and Music

Adding art and music can provide lots of fun for students.

Allowing students to create art in the classroom can improve motor skills and language development, relieve stress, encourage another form of expression, and help students make connections in their learning. 

Music can improve auditory skills, relieve stress, improve creative thinking, and develop reasoning and language. Furthermore, songs can also aid in memory retention and help students review skills. 

Global Elements

Adding global elements to your classroom or lesson can also add to the fun. 

Early elementary students are naturally curious. Therefore, feed that curiosity by teaching them about other people, cultures, and places. 

Easily add global elements with maps, virtual field trips, video clips, global read-alouds, and guest speakers. 

Read, Read, Read

Expose students to a variety of texts, authors, and genres.

Books are powerful tools and can be used for many purposes:

What’s more, books can also add lots of fun to your classroom! Students can have fun by reading a book, partner reading, listening to a read-aloud, or viewing an ebook on the ActivBoard or Interactive TV.

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Hands-On Learning

Finally, to add fun to the classroom, you must include opportunities for hands-on learning.  

Students need the opportunity to build, create, make, and explore.  

The great thing about hands-on learning is that students learn through experience. Thus, they learn by doing and actively participating.  

Hands-on learning can be as simple as adding manipulatives to a math lesson or providing materials for building.

Students can participate in science experiments. 

They can role-play scenarios or act out scenes from their current reading assignment.

Students can complete printables that add color by code to the review. 

The Members Only Free Resource Library contains several color-by-code printables. Click the button to access them. 

Conclusion

K-2 teachers, we want our students engaged and actively participating in their learning. We want them to be excited about coming to school. 

We want learning to be fun! 

Making learning fun does not have to be a difficult process. When you are planning your lessons, think of small changes you can make that will have a big impact. 

Try these simple ways to make K-2 learning fun and effective. 

When learning is fun, everyone benefits – including the teacher!