As educators, we understand the importance of setting the tone for the day in our classrooms. Soft start morning activities allow students to ease into the learning process, fostering a positive and calm atmosphere conducive to engagement and productivity. Incorporating purposeful activities during this time can help students transition smoothly into the school day and promote social-emotional development, build relationships, and enhance academic skills. Here are some activities you may want to integrate into your soft start morning routine.

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Soft Start Morning Activities

The great thing about soft start mornings is they don’t have to be complicated. Here are activities I have out for our soft start mornings in kindergarten.

Books

One of the most simple activities I have available is looking at or reading books. Our classroom library is always an option for my students. They tend to look through our library book basket the most. In kindergarten, our students don’t take home library books. They stay in the classroom for all to share.

Puzzles

I always have a few students who love puzzles. At least one soft start morning activity is a puzzle. I have collected many various puzzles over the years. You can also ask parents to donate any puzzles they are done with. Puzzles can be bulky to store. One solution I have found is to store the puzzle pieces and a picture of the completed puzzle in mesh bags. Here are some puzzles that my students enjoy.

Dough Activities

Dough is a powerful tool for developing fine motor skills in young children. The tactile nature of Play-Doh encourages kids to pinch, squeeze, roll, and shape, all of which are crucial for building strength and dexterity in their hands and fingers. Dough activities help students with their motor skills, improving their ability to write, draw, and manipulate objects as they grow. Here are some of our favorite dough tools.

Math Manipulatives

Math manipulatives are great because you probably already have some in your classroom you can use. Math manipulatives build fine motor muscles. Here are some of our favorite math manipulatives.

STEM Toys

STEM toys are always a big hit. They are great for building fine motor skills and inspiring creativity within your students. Here are a few of our favorite STEM toys.

Legos
Hashtag blocks (I get mine at the Target Dollar spot)
Magnetic Blocks
Brain Flakes
Building Discs

After our soft start morning activities, we clean up and then move on to a morning meeting before beginning our literacy part of the day. A great way to build your supply of soft start activities is to check thrift stores or shop garage sales. Another option is to look into writing a DonorsChoose project. Last, you can ask friends or family with young children if they can donate unused toys.

Do you begin your day with soft start morning activities? If so, what are some of your favorites?