You know that the day usually starts with a flurry of activity. But is there was a better way? That’s where these soft start ideas for upper elementary classrooms come in! Use these soft start ideas to help students ease into the day with some calming activities and social time with their classmates.
What is Soft Start?
Soft start is a concept that is gaining popularity in education as more and more schools are seeing the benefits. Soft start is a period of time at the beginning of the school day (usually 20-30 minutes) when students have the opportunity to do some calming activities before getting started on academics. This can be anything from reading to coloring to playing games.
Why Use Soft Start?
The goal of a soft start is for students to come into the classroom feeling relaxed and ready to learn. It also gives them a chance to get into the best proximal zone for learning. Since this is a time of more choice and social activity, kids are motivated to get to school on time as well. And since we all know that happy students are better learners, it’s really a win-win for everyone involved!
My Favorite Soft Start Ideas for Upper Elementary
While you want to allow students to have some choice about what to do during soft start time it is still important to have some type of structure or plan in place for soft start time that takes the unique age of 3rd-5th graders into consideration.
This could be as simple as having certain centers open on certain days or having a relationship-building morning meeting every day. Having a routine will help your students know what to expect and what is expected of them during soft start time. It will also help you stay sane during those first few hectic minutes of the day!
But if you’re thinking “OK, I’m sold… but what do I do with my kids during that time?” never fear! Below are some fun soft start ideas for upper elementary to get you started.
- Reading books or comics
- Coloring and drawing activities-GRAB THESE FREE COLOR-BY-CODE MULTIPLICATION PAGES
- Doing puzzles
- Playing cards
- Vintage games (like checkers and dominoes)
- Writing in journals
- Brain teasers and logic puzzles
- Music and stretching station
- Working on crafts
- Building blocks such as legos
- STEM bins
- clay or playdough
- math games
- story cubes or cards
- puppets
A Few Tips for Soft Start Success
Make sure you have enough engaging activities available for students to choose from. If students are bored during soft start time, they’re going to get antsy and that’s when the trouble starts. So have a variety of activities available for students to choose from. Garage sale bargains are great for stocking up on a variety of supplies for soft start activities.
One helpful rule is to choose ONE spot and stay there for the entire soft start time. I learned this the hard way, so I’m passing it on. Plus this a natural way to help students build stamina and focus as they stick with one activity for the whole 20 minutes.
Use soft start time as an opportunity to build relationships with your students. This is probably the most important tip of all! Taking the time to talk with your students one-on-one or in small groups during soft start time will go a long way in building positive relationships with them. And we all know that positive relationships are key to having a successful classroom!
There are so many benefits to using a soft start in upper elementary classrooms! Not only does it give students a chance to relax and transition into the academic day, but it also fosters social and emotional skills like cooperation and communication. Hopefully, this list has given you some fun soft start ideas for upper elementary to get you started!