1. Model healthy behavior by participating. Modeling physical activity is also a best practice.
2. Be mindful of different abilities and provide alternatives. Let students know that it is okay to engage in a different physical activity — the idea is to take a break and move.
3. Communicate with parents and caregivers about the importance of physical activity. Share the types of activities being integrated to keep students active so they know what to expect, understand the purpose, and parents can support and reinforce participation.
4. Notice patterns of student participation (i.e., who is participating and who is not). Explore reasons why they may not be engaged and find opportunities to more inclusively engage these students.
5. Ask students to share their physical activity ideas and give them the opportunity to choose the physical activity idea and/or to lead the activities.
6. Mix it up — all the ideas are flexible and can be customized. Make it work for you and your students by varying the length of the activity.
7. Use classroom physical activity as an opportunity to build community and get to know one another.