Be a Rubber Band!!

I always loved doing this when I taught kindergarten! It works anywhere. You all know when that moment is coming … the kids are getting antsy. They’ve sat enough and need a change of pace.

Here’s a simple idea. Whip out a rubber band! (Okay, maybe there isn’t one “on” you, but it doesn’t hurt to keep one handy just in case an “emergency” arises!)

So, pull out a rubber band and tell the kids to act like this rubber band. Wiggle it. Stretch it. Squeeze it. Throw it up in the air (so they jump). Throw it up higher. Make it still, very still so they freeze! Throw it on the ground!  … Now, that was fun! They got all jiggled up and used up some restless energy.

Try it with other things they can “be” —  pretend. Hold up a make believe sweater. Tell them you accidentally put it in the dryer and make a tossing motion. Push a button. Tell them it’s twirling all around. Take it out of the dryer and, oh no, what happened?? It shrunk! Watch the kids shrivel up. Of course, be sure to emphasize it’s only pretend.

What else do they want to be? If they can be a rubber band, they can be anything!