Math Engagement StrategIes: Why Structured Gross Motor Activities Accelerate Math Fluency

In this episode, Deedee Wills and Hilary Statum we talk about how gross motor activities can work inside kindergarten math lessons. Movement doesn't just get kids up and moving — it affects engagement, motivation, and how well students actually hold onto math concepts. If you're looking to make math lessons more effective without adding a lot of prep, this one is worth a listen. In this episode: The research behind movement-based math activities and their impact on engagement and motivation Examples of gross motor activities tied to specific math skills, like snowball addition, shape identification, and number line hopping How to structure movement lessons so they connect directly to standards and reinforce learning Practical ideas like paper plate skating, body shape formation, and scooter board number activities How movement can build automaticity of math facts and lower student anxiety Tips for working these strategies into your daily math routine with minimal prep How to use online resources and tools like ChatGPT to generate new activity ideas Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction: Making research accessible for teachers 00:29 - Overview of the movement in math study 00:55 - Key details of the research design and objectives 01:27 - Examples of gross motor activities tied to math objectives 02:25 - Student engagement and motivation outcomes 03:11 - Why structured lessons matter when integrating movement 03:49 - Connecting activities back to standards and assessment 04:19 - Impact on student automaticity and confidence 05:04 - Teacher insights on benefits and student anxiety 05:31 - Fun ways to bring movement into math beyond traditional activities 06:07 - How movement builds skills 06:36 - Creative adaptations from Hilary: throwing activities and movement patterns 07:19 - Using number lines on the floor for addition and subtraction practice 08:03 - DIY ideas for outdoor and indoor movement activities 08:41 - Large-scale number bonding and shape formation ideas 09:06 - Using everyday classroom tools like scooter boards and sidewalk chalk 09:38 - Bounce and target games, body shapes, and more 10:08 - Pairing movement with fluency practice for automaticity 10:34 - Indoor recess ideas like paper plate skating 11:07 - Combining physical activity with math recognition using tally marks and numbers 11:34 - Using social media and AI to find new ideas 12:04 - How movement supports focus and automatic responses in math 12:36 - Activities using body shapes and collaborative shape construction 13:05 - Using curriculum resources for multi-sensory practice 13:32 - Using ChatGPT for activity ideas tailored to your class 13:50 - Final thoughts on creativity in math learning 14:05 - Closing remarks and upcoming episodes Source Article: Movement in Math: A Look at Integrement in Math: A Look at Integrating Movement-Based Activities into a Kindergarten Math Classroom Where can you find us? Hilary Statum: ⁠⁠⁠https://pencilstopigtails.com/⁠⁠⁠ Deedee Wills: ⁠⁠⁠https://mrswillskindergarten.com