There’s been lots of hype in recent months over the website GoNoodle.
I’m always game to try new things, so at the end of last term (10 weeks ago) I signed up, had a bit of a play at home, created a class account and road-tested it with my Prep/Ones in the last week of term.
Boy, was it a hit.
Since then, we’ve graduated 3 Champs, are on to our fourth, and a day without at least one GoNoodle break is a sad day indeed!
This is my home screen – with my Demo Class (where I road test new activities!) and my class. Squatchy Berger is our fourth Champ, and well on his/her way at the moment.
What is GoNoodle?
It’s a brain break website. Which means it hosts a variety of activities that allow students to move and recoup themselves after periods of focused learning.
How often do you use GoNoodle?
Usually 2-3 times a day. We run 6 sessions a day, each in double 50-min blocks. Each block is separated by recess and lunch, giving us 3 double-sessions a day. I try to incorporate a brain break at the end of each 50min block to break it up and give the kids a chance to wiggle and move!
We also like to use an activity called Airtime (deep breathing) straight after lunch time. This activity is great because the kids take deep breaths in and our for 90 seconds. They particularly like learning about different places in the U.S. (because it’s so far from here!).
What are your favourite activities?
SO many!
Honestly, my class’ favourite activities are anything that involves a lot of movement. We love Shake Break and Dino Stomp. The newest favourite is Ninja Training (of course!). Dancing around to Happy makes everyone… HAPPY! And singing along to Let It Go gives the singers in my class a chance to do something they love. (Incidentally, this has also let to a lot of discussions on tolerance of other people’s preferences!)
Why do you love GoNoodle?
For one… it’s brought my class together. We had a lot of issues for the first term and bit about getting along and functioning as a class. (Which, to be honest, is a natural issue in a Prep/One classroom.) This has really helped them to develop tolerance and acceptance of others, helped to encourage them to praise and encourage one another and to negotiate which activities we’ll do.
It’s fun. It doesn’t take long – we try to pick activities that take between 1-5 minutes.
It’s bright and colourful and there are incentives for the kids. They WANT their Champs to grow and Graduate.
How do you know it’s been effective?
About half my class went home and had their parents sign up. They keep us informed of their Champs progress and any new brain breaks that have been added.
GoNoodle was also requested to be added to our classroom coupons as a prize – so whoever holds a GoNoodle coupon now gets to choose the brain breaks for the day. (Boy, has this one been popular!)
What next?
I’ve been singing it’s praises to other colleagues at work and so far we have a Grade 3/4 and a Grade 5/6 having a go. (I sense a bit of friendly competition about to occur!)
What about you, do you GoNoodle, too?
