Best Activity for Morning Meeting in the Classroom
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I love Morning Meeting.
It’s my favorite way to start the day (in addition to having my cup of coffee!)
I appreciate the way that Morning Meeting in the classroom sets the tone for the day. Setting aside this time in the morning makes sure that students are informed of the day’s happenings and that they are starting the day feeling a part of a community.
But…
Finding the right morning meeting activity can make or break your day. Being ill-prepared or choosing the “wrong” activity can easily derail your day, sort of like that feeling when you “get up on the wrong side of the bed”.
Whether your district provides you with Morning Meeting activities for your classroom or you make it up as you go, creating consistency is important. That’s why I love having an activity that I can use every day that fits into a routine without being boring. This activity has to grab your student’s attention, spark conversation, and keep students engaged all day long.
That’s where cute, baby animals come in!
The Importance of Finding the Best Morning Meeting Activity for Your Classroom
You’ve had that feeling where you felt like you “got up on the wrong side of the bed”.
That feeling where nothing seems to go the way that it should…
It just sets an icky tone for the entire day.
This is why, choosing the right Morning Meeting activity for your classroom is important. And being the master teacher you are, you know that this activity needs to set a positive, inclusive, and energetic tone for the day. But finding an activity that checks all the boxes can be a challenge. They are either too long, too energetic, or they lack structure - all of which are things that can create the opposite of what you were hoping for.
Most commonly, I’ve seen teachers opt for structured greetings or perhaps a sharing time. With my students, I’ve found the most success in showing my students cute baby animals every morning.
Yup, you heard me right. We start our day immersed in cute images of baby animals.
I’ve found that, including this activity in my classroom daily not only boosts focus and engagement, but it also fuels meaningful classroom discussions that all my students could participate in.
Not only that, there is actual science behind looking at images of cute baby animals!
Here’s how bringing cute baby animals into your Morning Meeting classroom routine can be a game-changer!
Why Including Cute Baby Animals is the Best Morning Meeting Activity
The key to a successful Morning Meeting activity in the classroom is simple. It needs to be:
Fun
Engaging
And low prep
Bringing in cute baby animals checks ALL of the boxes!
My students and I loved this routine so much that I created slides for every day of the school year so I’d have this activity ready for years to come. And, over time, I took this activity one step further from just looking at baby animals, but actually learning about them by including interesting facts about each baby animal.
The way this simple activity grabbed my students’ attention and set a positive tone for the day was an absolute game-changer for ALL of the grades that I’ve taught.
Capturing Attention and Sparking Joy
Let’s be real…
Who doesn’t love baby animals?
I’ve used this activity in my kindergarten, first-grade, and even fifth-grade classroom, and no matter the age, every student lights up when they see a cute, fluffy face.
In my classroom, I have the Teacher's Helper choose the baby animal for that day while the entire class waits eagerly to see what cute creature they get to start their day learning about. It’s a simple way to build anticipation while also creating a joyful start to the day.
I started this routine when I taught kindergarten and first grade. It was such a hit that I continued to use the activity when I moved to fifth grade. Even older students enjoy this change of pace and start their day with a smile.
Improving Focus and Reducing Stress
Beyond the “aww” factor, there’s science behind looking at cute baby animals.
Looking at these adorable images can improve focus AND reduce stress. I mean, how could you ever be in a bad mood after looking at a cute, little, fluffy face?
Studies have shown that looking at images of cute baby animals boosts dopamine levels, helping students concentrate better throughout the day. I’ve seen firsthand how students settle into a productive mindset after our “Baby Animal of the Day” routine during our classroom’s Morning Meeting.
I have set ground rules to ensure that the excitement doesn’t turn into chaos. My students know that they are allowed to say “Aww!” but they know to keep their voices down.
On Fridays, we add an extra layer of fun with a baby animal video for Fun Friday that is not ONLY for entertainment but also to spark creativity and engagement beyond Morning Meeting. For example, after watching a tiny hamster video, one of my students created a maze for our pet hamster!
Promoting Classroom Discussions and Writing Activities
Besides booting focus, my second favorite thing about adding the Cute Baby Animal of the Day activity to my Morning Meeting routine is the interesting conversations it prompts. AND, I’ve also found that these slides have enhanced our writing block during Daily 5 time.
I’ve found that my students are WAY more enthusiastic about writing when they can talk about animals, which keeps them engaged and motivated during their entire Work on Writing time.
Also, this Morning Meeting activity has served as a great springboard into our whole-group writing lessons.
You see, on each slide, I’ve included two fun facts (in addition to an “aww” worthy photo) which either lead to discussions about similar animals the students already know about or questions that they’d like to know more about.
I’ve been able to weave these facts into our informational writing lessons as they provide an entry point since they are something that the entire class can connect to, making the lesson accessible to all students.
How to Include this Baby Animal Routine into Your Classroom’s Morning Meeting Routine
I know you’re super excited about adding my Baby Animal of the Day routine to the Morning Meeting in your classroom.
And I’ve made it super easy for you to get started!
I’ve created slides for every day of the school year, so you just have to download and go! This ready-to-go resource includes 180 daily slides with two fun facts for each cute baby animal.
This low-prep solution will not only engage your students but also save you time planning for Morning Meetings in your classroom.
See How I Use the Baby Animal Slides in My Class
Wanna see what my Cute Baby Animal Routine looks like?
Check out this post that I made over on Instagram where I share exactly how I use this resource in my own class. (Make sure you say “Hi!” when you do!)