One of the topics we cover in Kindergarten is being flexible (download my free curriculum map here). This is a 2-part lesson for me just because the set up takes a bit of explaining, but that’s okay! This Kindergarten lesson on being flexible really helps to encourage students to put skills into practice like choosing something else, trying something new, and being okay with small mistakes.
Kindergarten Lesson on Being Flexible
1 – Yoga & Affirmations
First, we do a movement-based activity to get some wiggles out but get our minds focused on the topic! I do a quick yoga sequence with flexibility affirmations like
- I can handle changes
- I can try new things
2 – Instruction
We covered a couple of things here. First, we talked about what it looks like to be flexible:
- Be okay with not getting the activity/toy/item/group we wanted
- Be okay with not being first
- Be okay with changes
- Be okay with mistakes
Then, we talked about times we might need to be flexible:
- When a center is full already
- When a game has already started and we need to wait until it’s over to join
- When we don’t get to go/be/pick first
- When plans change
- When a mistake or accident happens
3 – Song
We compare being flexible to a palm tree because we’re surrounded by them in Hawaii, and it’s easily relatable to my students.
4 – Centers
Students rotate through 5 centers over the course of 2 lessons:
- Flexible building: students choose a LEGO design to build. They might need to be flexible in choosing colors/shapes since they are sharing the blocks!
- Paper scrap masterpiece: Students use scraps of construction paper to make anything they want! They cannot cut the scraps to make them “perfect”
- Doodle drawing: Students turn doodles into something awesome
- Flexible pattern blocks: students choose a pattern block design to build. Again, they might need to be flexible in choosing colors/shapes since they are sharing the blocks!
- Looks/sounds like: In a counselor or adult-led center (if students are not reading yet), students sort, cut, and paste what flexibility looks like and sounds like.
