Spelling Stroll: An Energizer for K-3 Students

Energizers are usually more about giving children quick movement and breathing breaks than they are about academics. Still, it’s possible to work in a little academic practice, as long as the focus remains on fun, refocusing, and relaxation. As a lively variation on musical chairs, the Spelling Stroll energizer fits that bill very nicely, especially for children in grades 3-6.

Spelling Stroll Directions

1. Before you begin, establish what “strolling” will look like. Talk about what to do if two people reach a chair at the same time.
2. Children stand up at their desks.
3. Choose a spelling or sight word with which all students are familiar. Tell the class which word you have selected.
4. Together, you and the students spell the word aloud, taking one step for each letter as you move about the room.
5. At the last letter, each person quickly and carefully sits down at the seat they’re nearest to.
6. One person will be left standing. That person becomes the caller and chooses the next word for the group to spell together. He or she rejoins the stroll as the word is spelled.
7. Repeat as many times as you’d like.

Variations

You can do this energizer with skip-counting and math facts, too! For example, the caller says “7×12”! The group then skip-counts by 12’s as they take 7 steps: 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 94.

For More Energizers

Spelling Stroll can be found in Energizers! 88 Quick Movement Activities That Refresh and Refocus, along with 87 more engaging activities that give students mental and physical breaks from rigorous academics, provide a fun way to transition between activities, help students refocus their attention, and create opportunities for students to connect with their teacher and each other.