Wake up Shake up in schools

[NicNac10]

Hi Everyone,
I am a degree student currently studying an Early Years degree. I am doing a research project on ?can wake up shake up benefit children?. I would like your honest opinion if anyone?s child does wake up shake up or a similar programme (basically 10-15mins of exercise before lessons start)
I would like to know
Are you happy with your child taking part in wake up sake up? Yes/No and Why?
Do you think it helps your child, if so how?
If it?s new into your school, have you seen any changes in your child?
Does your child communicate positive feedback to you from it?

Any information and opinions that you feel on this topic is gratefully received, all the information is non judgemental and confidential. This has no bearing on any school it is just a research project for a degree.

Kind regards

My DCs had it in their school in Suffolk, they loved it. Teachers said it got the whole settling down thing out of the boys. We then moved to the states and they didn't have it, the whole morning routine was different, I suggested (as they were having hyperactive children issues in the mornings) introducing wake and shake, the teacher took it on board and came up with her own "shake your booty" version. It was great, teacher was so much happier with kids attitudes in the morning that she introduced a second one after lunch break. Certainly all my kids loved it, shame they don't have it now at their new schools.

They do it at our primary.
I've lived on Japan where it's normal for kids to do it and even some offices!!

My children enjoy physical exercise and are happy to do it which is the biggest positive argument for me.

Teachers at our school(especially in juniors where there is more sitting at desks) say that they notice a big difference too.

we had something similar in small school in lincolnshire, can't for life of me remember what it was called ...kids loved it

We Wake and Shake in a Pre-school setting, we've been using it a few months and have found the children to really enjoy it, I'm not sure it has made a huge difference to the way the children are in the setting but they seem to enjoy it and it is good for us staff to have an energetic time too.

The kids at DS1's school do it. I don't think it matters a jot educationally but when, in 12 years time he hits the dance floor, he's going to be ace if they ever play YMCA, It's raining men or the Locomotion.

DS, 9 Y4, doesn't to it at the mo, as he currently spends this time doing targeted handwriting practice with a TA in a small group.

He doesn't mind and I really don't care as we usually walk a mile and a half to school and I've read that the mental health benefits are short lived anyway.

No they do about 100 handstands and cartwheels before school anyway

O2 - I thought my DC would have the edge on any Village People/ Steps song :o)

OP - at DC's primary school nearly 500 kids, from Nursery-Y6 congregate in the big playground for 'Wake and Shake' every Wednesday morning after Register is taken, and then dance to YMCA/ Steps/ Scissor Sisters etc etc. They dance to one song, played twice, and then they all troop back to class. The song changes every few weeks. Lots of parents/ carers stay to watch, and teacher gives home points to students who join in or dance particularly well, while those who aren't enthusiastic are reminded about the importance of exercise, fitness etc :o)

I am very happy with my children (age 7 and 5) taking part. After some initial reluctance from DC1, he now loves it, and enthusiastically bounces around to Queen... I found it helped his confidence and inclination to join in when we got the latest song on the mp3, and practiced in the kitchen. I am English, but grew up in Taiwan and Japan, where communal exercise in schools is quite commonplace, so nothing new to me, and I quite like it.

Not sure if it really does wake my DC up (it's 1.2 km walk to school!), but I think that it helps build feeling of community, for the watching parents as well as the kids, and that important 'whole school' ethos. And the Ofsted inspector loved it! :o)

Positive feedback: yes, now both DC love it, highlight of week along with pizza/ fish fingers on a Friday...They sing the song together and do as much of the dance as they can.

they have just started this in my dc's school in Fife. its purely voluntary however, and the uptake has been quite low-my ds1 and ds2 are the only boys in a group of 20 or so girls (roll is around 250). all my dc's quite enjoy it. ds1's class teacher runs it and dd's teacher has also helped out. some of the pupils have also been asked to lead the children so its helping them to become more confident, whilst giving them some exercise. my own children are driven to school as we live out of catchment so im glad they get a bit of a physical workout of a morning as they can tend to be a bit lazy if i let them-and i love watching them learn dances i can remember doing at primary school (think Whigfield! )

Thank you everyone for all your replies, its being very helpful. Please keep your comments coming in

No personal experience but my stepdaughters did it at juniors and enjoyed it (despite not really enjoying PE lessons)

I'm hoping to be a primary teacher and will definitely try to implement it in my future class :)