To do morning meetings well, you need a variety of morning meeting activities that engage students plus tap into their social-emotional and academic needs.
Here you will find a variety of fun activities for morning meetings that will serve that purpose, in addition to shifting students’ mindsets into ready-to-learn mode.
These fun ideas get students to interact, stretch their creativity, think critically, review skills, and empathize with others.
What’s more, they take little time to prep, are great for younger and older students, and can be easily performed in the classroom.
Whether you teach elementary or older students, use these high-interest morning meeting ideas and activities to wake up students’ minds.
Morning Meeting Activities
The following morning meeting activities fit into the Responsive Classroom framework.
1. Lineup By Birthday.
One of the simplest morning meeting activities is having students do a fun cooperative activity such as this one.
Challenge students to order themselves by birthday month without talking.
2. Clap and Snap Syllables.
Standing in a circle, the first student says his name, clapping the syllables of his first name and snapping the syllables of his last name.
Then the entire class repeats the student’s name along with his clapping and snapping gestures.
Continue the process with the next student in the circle.
3. Brainstorm Words.
Put students into groups of three or four. Provide a word to the entire class. Groups collaborate to determine how many words they can create from the larger word.
For example, how many two-letter, three-letter, four-letter, five-letter, six-letter, seven-letter, eight-letter, and nine-letter words can students find in the word auditorium?
After giving groups two to three minutes to brainstorm, have groups compare their findings.
4. Play How Many Can You Name?
Provide students with the name of one category such as school supplies, bodies of water, states, amphibians, body parts, adjectives, etc.
Put students into small groups, selecting a recorder and a speaker.
Based on the category, groups will have three to five minutes to brainstorm as many words as possible that would fit into that particular category.
Afterwards, groups compare lists.
5. Find Some Who…
This morning meeting activity is great for the beginning of the school year because it gives students an opportunity to get to know one another.
First, create a 5 by 5 “Bingo” sheet on an 8.5 x 11-inch piece of paper.
With the center square representing a “free” space, write facts in the other 24 squares, facts that could apply to several students in the class. Examples include…
- Find someone who has a pet.
- Find someone who has lived in another city.
- Find someone who has two siblings.
- Find someone who speaks a language other than English.
- Find someone who rides the bus home.
- Find someone who is left-handed.
- Find someone who has blond hair.
After completing the 5 x 5 “Bingo” sheet with a variety of facts, provide students with a sheet.
They will then go around the class, finding someone who matches one of the facts.
Once they find a person, that other person initials the square signaling that he/she identifies with the statement.
The finder student then goes on to seek other students who match the other facts. There may only be one initial per square.
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6. Name Fruits.
Great for both young and older students, this activity develops listening skills.
In a circle, students take turns naming different fruits. No fruit may be repeated.
7. Cause a Chain Reaction.
Gathered in a circle, the teacher asks the students a question. The first student turns to the person on his right, replying to the question.
Now the second student turns to the child on her right and replies to the question.
This process continues as such until every student has replied to the question.
8. Create an Alphabet Story.
Students will tell a story while sitting in a circle.
The first student starts the story by saying a sentence that begins with the letter “A” such as…
“Around two o’clock, I saw something strange.”
The next student adds a sentence that starts with the letter “B”.
“Benjamin, my best friend, saw it too.”
The third student adds a sentence with “C”: “Curious, we approached the object.”
The story continues as such until every child has added to the story.
9. Play Pop.
The teacher asks a question centered around a topic, concept, or lesson.
Examples:
- What’s the method for adding fractions?
- How do you figure out an unknown word when reading?
- What’s the capital of Texas?
- Which planet has more than two moons?
- What is an example of a transition word in writing?
In order to answer, a student must say POP when no one else does.
If two students say POP at the same time, neither of them answers at that moment. Only one POP should be heard before an answer is given.
This can get tricky, but it’s fun!
10. Interview Classmates.
This is a great beginning-of-school-year activity.
Pair students, and give them three questions to ask each other. Question examples include…
- What’s your favorite subject?
- Do you have siblings? How many?
- What is your favorite food?
- Which sports do you enjoy watching?
Students jot down responses in a notebook.
After interviewing a partner, they will interview several other students, recording answers.
At the end of the activity, students sit in a circle. The teacher asks, “What do you all know about _____ (insert child’s name)?”
The class will view their notes, sharing any information they have about that particular student.
Each student should be spotlighted.
11. Buzz the Multiple.
If you’re seeking morning meeting activities that are more academic-focused, this one fits well and is great for older students.
Choose any digit except 0 or 1.
While sitting in a circle, students, one by one, count from one to a hundred. Whenever the chosen number or its multiple is counted, that student shouts, “Buzz!”.
For example, if the number is 3, the sequence will look and sound like this…
“1, 2, Buzz!, 4, 5, Buzz!, 7, 8, Buzz!, etc.
12. Tell Two Facts and One Fiction.
One at a time, students share two facts and one fictional thing about themselves.
Taking turns, the other students try to guess which ones are real and which one is false. Whoever guesses correctly gets to go next.
13. Choose Between Two Corners.
Write YES and NO on two separate pieces of paper. Place each in a corner of the classroom.
As you ask students yes/no questions, they will walk to the corner that corresponds to their choice.
Question examples:
- Have you ever played an instrument?
- Is your birthday in the spring?
- Are you left-handed?
- Do you have blue eyes?
- Are you eating in the cafeteria today?
14. Act Out Movements.
The teacher will describe a series of actions that she “sees”. For example,
- “I see a kangaroo hopping”. – Students will hop like kangaroos.
- “I see a swimmer in the ocean.” – Students will move their arms like they are swimming.
- “I see a celebrity autographing photos.” – Students will pretend to sign autographs.
Try to choose a variety of actions.
15. Guess the Number.
The teacher chooses a number between 1 and 100. The number range will depend on the age and/or grade of students.
In a circle, students take turns asking “yes” or “no” questions in order to figure out the unknown number.
Whenever a correct guess is given, the teacher starts again with a new number.
Final Thoughts On Morning Meeting Activities
Now you have a variety of fun morning meeting activities to use during morning meetings.
To save yourself time and energy, try customizable morning meeting slides. The set includes templates for greetings, activities, sharing, and messages.
Download more great morning meeting activities in PDF form.