5 Things To Engage Kiddos Virtually

I think most of us would agree that this whole teaching online thing is a real challenge. It happened so quickly in 2020 with little guidance and/or training. Do we even have the equipment for online education?

On top of all of that, there was and still is a pandemic happening in the world. Talk about stressful.

Rest assured as this post will make things just a bit easier as I give you 5 ways to engage kiddos virtually.

1. Get up and get moving! A common misconception about digital learning is that students need to sit in front of their computers and be observers. One way to engage online learners is to get them moving. Get them up out of their seats and have them move their bodies.

I recorded multiple hours of online courses this weekend (for adults, but it still applies) and part way through I realized that the content needed movement. So, I asked them to do a check-in and see how they felt. If they felt low in energy, they were asked to do some type of high intensity movement such as jumping jacks, wall push-ups, or squats. If they were high in energy, they were asked to do stretching or yoga. Kids can do this too. In fact, they should! We should be checking in with our bodies regularly to see what it needs. That’s one of the first steps in practicing self-care.

Keep the party going and…

2. Game it up! We, as parents and educators, often think creating virtual games is beyond our knowledge base, but what if you could bring aspects of those games into the virtual learning field without having to create the game?

Maybe consider adding virtual badges to your sessions to recognize accomplishments or milestones. Make sure to share the true meaning behind the digital badge, so we’re building intrinsic motivation, too.

One option is to make these badges yourself. Another option is to use a website like Fiverr to hire a virtual assistant to make them for you. Might sound far fetched, but you can hire an assistant online starting at $5/hour. When I have a million things on my plate, passing a task like this off to someone else for a few bucks is totally worth it.

Speaking of passing things off…

3. Pass the wand of power and control. With all the chaos and stress in the world right now, our brains are seeking certainty, power and control. This means giving up control is a great way to keep kiddos motivated and engaged.

Give students choice in assignments…how to do them, where to do them, when to do them. Or, give students an opportunity to give you feedback about an assignment or activity. Even young kids can do this by rating it on scales of 1 to 5 or Olaf to Sven.

Movie characters makes me think to…

4. Deliver it diversely. Think video, text, audio, graphics, GIFs, presentations — all the things! Bring in guest speakers by pulling out your Halloween costumes (given they are appropriate) and dressing yourself up as someone else. Bonus points for anyone who changes their voice or accent to match the costume. Too self-conscious for that approach? Maybe try a puppet or personify an object.

But, don’t ignore the HUGE effect of audio/voice recordings! Most cell phones have a voice recording app already installed, but if not, here are a few free ones:

• Easy Voice Recorder
• LectureNotes
• Music Maker Jam
• Otter Voice Notes
• Smart Recorder
• Voice Recorder by HIGH TECH
• Voice Recorder Pro

Use these apps to send your families voice messages.

Or…use an app like Marco Polo that has video and audio capabilities (also FREE).

And when sending these video or audio files…

5. Be a magical and mystical storyteller. We love stories and our hunter-gatherer selves get so much joy from hearing them…cue release of all the best hormones (dopamine/pleasure and oxytocin/love and empathy).

Because stories tap into hormones related to emotions, we’re far more likely to remember concepts delivered in story form. Think of all the professional development you’ve attended. What do you remember most from the lectures…THE STORIES!

And, my friends, don’t be afraid to use video recordings to tell the story. A hilarious video of teachers acting out a story might be just what those kiddos need to learn. Emotions like laughter, when used for learning, help our brain better store information.

For those of you who aren’t sure how to record a video, open up a Zoom meeting (or whatever video platform you use) and just record yourself as if you were recording a meeting. Then, upload that video to Google Drive and share it as a link for all to view. Usure how to do this? Check out this link.

My challenge for you is to pick one of these concepts and try to embed it into your lessons over the course of the next week. Once you feel comfortable with the concept, come back to this post and choose another concept. Keep going until you work the entire way through the list. After you’ve done that, do some of your own research to learn more about engaging learners digitally.

Want to really take your digital game to the next level? Try this course from Coursera. It’s free! #givemeallthefreethings

I’ll wrap up with this…

Times are weird, things are stressful, and you are doing the best you can with the circumstances you are facing. Give yourself some grace and exhale. #makezenyourfriend