| I'm sure you figured out by now that kids laugh more | | | | that, the class settles down, their excess energy is |
| than adults. | | | | "shaken off" and the class is now more manageable. |
| You've seen it over and over in your classroom, in | | | | Have you ever considered getting the "giggles out"? |
| the schoolyard, cafeteria, hallway and buses. Kids | | | | When you enroll children into doing something they |
| laugh 300-400 times a day and grown-ups only laugh | | | | love to do and do naturally, your class will become |
| about 15 times a day. Why is that? Is it because we | | | | enjoyable and you will have less problems. Kids will |
| "grew up"? Were we told too many times to "wipe | | | | look forward to coming to school, participating and |
| that smile off your face" or to "stop laughing"? | | | | learning more in the class this way. |
| Once my sister came over to my house and our kids | | | | Dr. Madan Kataria, a medical doctor from India, |
| got too loud and were not listening to any directives. | | | | started Laughter Clubs and Laughter Yoga which |
| Finally, out of desperation, I told them all that we | | | | now spans across the globe. The physiological |
| were having a 5 minute moratorium on noise and that | | | | benefits of laughter combined with the benefits of |
| there would be no talking allowed. To emphasize the | | | | light stretching yoga techniques, has literally improved |
| point I added, "And I don't want to hear anymore | | | | the quality of life. The structured laughter sessions |
| smiling!" At that my sister and I looked at each other | | | | can reduce stress which is the cause of more than |
| and burst out laughing running into the other room. | | | | 70% of all illnesses. |
| Sometimes we just can't help ourselves but laugh. | | | | Include a mini laughter session in your curriculum daily |
| Kids can't help it either. It's the same with staying still. | | | | and see what kinds of changes occur in your class. |
| Kids can't stay still either. One teacher I know does | | | | The kids will feel better and so will you. |
| an exercise before class starts and has the kids | | | | Let the giggles begin! |
| stand up and get all the wiggles out. Having done | | | | |