Morning Meeting Ideas: 10 Tools From Amazon You Didn't Know You Needed
Morning meetings are my JAM, but I didn’t always feel that way. Elementary teachers already have to plan so much to make each day effective, so adding the task of planning a five-part daily meeting can be a little (okay, a lot) overwhelming before you get the hang of it. I’m so passionate about the transformation morning meetings can make in a classroom that I’ve spent the better part of 5 years designing and perfecting morning meeting resources for teachers. i just finished this FREE morning meeting toolkit and I can’t wait to share it with you. What’s inside?
Getting Started with Morning Meeting eBook
Clickable Morning Song Playlists
Editable Morning Message Slide
Weekly Planner
Ready-to-Print greetings, activities, and share ideas
Today I’m sharing some of my favorite finds from Amazon!. The following items have enhanced my morning meeting routine-- whether that be in terms of organization, engagement, or just straight-up cuteness. I hope these ideas bring some simplicity to the planning and execution of your morning meetings!
Please note that this post contains affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Chime
I received this chime as an end-of-the-year gift from the school I student taught at - and it will always be my favorite classroom tools. It’s such a peaceful sound, perfect for sensitive little ears. You can use the chime in many ways during morning meetings. For example, You could ding the chime to indicate that it is time for students to circle up on the carpet to commence the meeting. It comes in handy when leading students in mindfulness meditations or yoga. The sound is very peaceful and gives them the signal without disrupting the energy by having to use words. It could easily indicate a transition as well. If we are partner-sharing or brainstorming, the sound of the chime could mean it is time for the other partner to share.
Pointers
Is this classic pointer not an absolute teacher essential?! I remember my middle school teachers having them and every student always trying to get their hands on them. One of my class jobs is "Announcements Extraordinaire." At the beginning of the morning meeting, I have a PowerPoint slide on the SmartBoard that says anything out of the ordinary going on that day, as well as a preview of the rest of the week. The Announcements Extraordinaire leads us through this and can use the pointer to point at the events they refer to. It's a fun job, and the reminders are beneficial for the students since many of them completely zone out during the school announcements that happen over the intercom. The pointer can also work as a talking stick, or a way for students to guess which student I am talking about during some of our games, such as "Who Has the Beanbag?" and "Guess Who?". Of course, students could just as quickly point with their fingers, but I find that using the pointer leads to better engagement and participation.
Floors Stickers & Carpet Spots
Carpet spots are a lifesaver for primary teachers! It can be frustrating when our kiddos can't seem to stay seated where we want them. However, we have to remember that at their age, sometimes they need a physical reminder to remember where they need to be. The first option is adhesive and ideal for tiled floors. The second option is velcro that will work on carpet. You can arrange them in a circle for morning meetings, or in any arrangement you need for the particular greeting/activity you have planned for that day.
Reversible Plushies
These plushies are adorable, but they serve a purpose. They go along with the WOW and POW sharing activity for morning meetings. You can read my entire post about why this is my favorite morning meeting share idea here, but here’s a quick summary/
Each day, two students get the opportunity to share either a WOW or a POW. A WOW is something exciting that the student wishes to celebrate with their classmates. On the other hand, a POW is something not-so-great that has happened recently that a student would like to discuss. This is where the plushies come into action. I used to use two different stuffed animals for this routine (one for a WOW and one for a POW), when these reversible plushies went viral on TikTok I knew I they would be PERFECT for morning meetings. If a student is sharing a WOW, they turn the plushie to the “happy” side. If they are sharing a POW, they turn the plushie to the “sad” side.
IKEA Storage Bin
As teachers, we all know that organization can make or break us. That's why I love this storage bin to keep all of my morning meeting props and materials in so I don't get frustrated and utter that line that is no stranger to any teacher, "I swear I just had that." It doesn't have a lid, so you might not like this option if that is a dealbreaker for you. I like it because it is a perfect size, keeps me organized, and the handles make it very easy to carry for those days where you decide to spice things up and host the morning meeting outside. Plus, I love that the white keeps it clean, crisp, and aesthetically pleasing!
Binder Rings
To continue on the organization theme, how cute are these binder rings? As a self-proclaimed organization guru, I have always loved binder rings, but I must say that the rose gold brings it to the next level. I use these to store my greetings, activities, and share prompts. Keep them in a storage bin like the one above, or hang them on 3M hooks next to your morning meeting space. These FREE ideas are part of the morning meeting toolkit I mentioned above - don’t forget to grab it!
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morning meeting ideas
Dry Erase Clipboards
Clipboards are a lifesaver in the classroom for when kids are working away from their desk--which in my room is a lot. I also enjoy utilizing these occasionally for morning meetings. These are perfect for whole-group discussion questions. In this case, I have instructions on the board when the students come in to grab their clipboard and dry erase marker and write down their answer in a complete sentence. If they wish, they can also draw an illustration that goes along with their response. Some of my students don’t like to be put on the spot and have a hard time thinking of an answer on the fly, and this gives them an opportunity to think through their answers.
Bean Bags
When I was in elementary school, my music teacher had us play a game called "Who has the Beanbag?" and it was a schoolwide favorite. So much so that my childhood friends and I will laugh about some of the hilarious memories we have from the game. The first year I integrated morning meetings, I knew this game had to be on my rotation of activities. My students LOVED it. I am smiling as I am writing this, thinking of all the times we laughed until we cried playing this game. Here's how it goes: One student is chosen as the guesser and has to close their eyes while I pick another student to give the beanbag to. The guesser then says, "Who has the beanbag?" and the other student is supposed to disguise their voice and respond, "I do." If the guesser doesn't guess the first time correctly, they have more chances to ask the question, and the other student can choose to disguise their voice the same way or change it up every time. This game builds classroom community so much because it helps the kids loosen up and feel comfortable showing their goofy side around each other. You only need one beanbag for this game, but I always find a use for the extras for math stations or the indoor recess supplies.
Yoga Chips
I like incorporating yoga into morning meetings from time to time. Sometimes we will do a whole video, but sometimes I don't want to dedicate the bulk of our time to yoga, and that's when I break out these handy yoga chips! There are twenty-four different poses. I like to introduce these by leading them and modeling how it should be done. A couple of months into the school year, I give the reigns over to a student to lead the others in poses, participate with the other kids, and act as timekeepers. I find this activity helps focus them and put them in an excellent mindset to jump into some learning. Plus, they love showing off their new yoga poses to their families at night!
Mindfulness Cards
A few years ago, the school district I worked for provided a day-long workshop on mindfulness meditation. They challenged us to do two things-- find time every day to practice mindfulness meditation as individuals and find multiple occasions a week to lead our students in this practice. I wanted to do it because the research was overwhelming that people who consistently practice mindfulness meditation experience various benefits. Yet, I was still intimidated! I've always liked the idea of meditation, but I always felt like I wasn't doing it right. I have a Type A personality and a tendency to overthink, so meditation isn't the easiest concept for me to wrap my mind around. I pushed through and did find it effective for myself and my students. These activity cards were awesome-- especially at the beginning when I didn't feel 100% confident with meditation and felt intimidated to lead twenty others in it. The cards are practical, engaging and helped my students who were hesitant to get involved.
I hope you leave here feeling more confident about morning meetings, and hopefully with some fun new tools and ideas to add to your arsenal. If you haven’t already, be sure to grab the FREE morning meeting toolkit that I’ve designed especially for teachers getting started with morning meetings in the classroom!
