Creative Soft Starts: Building Minds before the Bell

The goal of this project is to create a structured, screen-free "Soft Start" program that allows students to begin each school day with hands-on, collaborative learning experiences. Instead of immediately transitioning into academic instruction, students will engage in activities that promote creativity, critical thinking, communication, problem-solving, and positive peer interactions through board games, puzzles, STEM building materials, and creative challenges. This initiative will establish a calm, welcoming classroom environment where students feel emotionally prepared and mentally engaged before formal instruction begins.

Research shows that the first 15–20 minutes of the school day significantly impact students' focus, behavior, and readiness to learn. Many students arrive carrying stress, anxiety, or excitement from home. Soft Starts provide a purposeful transition that helps students regulate emotions while strengthening essential life skills. Each morning, students will choose from several engaging learning stations that require no technology. Activities will rotate throughout the year to maintain excitement and challenge. Students will participate in: Strategy board games Logic puzzles Jigsaw puzzles Building challenges with LEGO® bricks Magnetic building tiles Marble runs Wooden block construction Tangrams Brain teasers Pattern blocks STEM engineering kits Card games that develop critical thinking Cooperative team-building games Students will work independently, with partners, or in small groups while practicing communication, perseverance, teamwork, and respectful collaboration. After approximately 15–20 minutes, students will transition into core instruction feeling calm, focused, and ready to learn.

The Creative Soft Start program will help students: Increase focus and attention before academic instruction Reduce morning anxiety and classroom stress Build positive peer relationships Strengthen communication skills Improve problem-solving and critical thinking Develop perseverance through challenging tasks Encourage creativity and innovation Strengthen executive functioning skills Practice teamwork and collaboration Foster a positive classroom culture Reduce behavior concerns during morning transitions Improve overall classroom engagement Because the activities are screen-free, students also have the opportunity to develop interpersonal skills that technology often cannot provide.

Funding will be used to purchase durable, reusable classroom materials that support daily soft-start activities for years to come. These resources will provide engaging learning opportunities that encourage creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking without the use of technology. Materials will be organized into rotating morning stations so every student has access throughout the school year Funding will provide students with meaningful opportunities to begin each school day engaged in purposeful, hands-on learning that supports both academic success and social-emotional development. Unlike passive morning activities, Creative Soft Starts encourage students to think critically, solve problems collaboratively, and exercise creativity before formal instruction begins. These experiences build the executive functioning skills necessary for success across all academic subjects while creating a welcoming classroom atmosphere where every child feels connected and ready to learn. Because the materials are durable and reusable, the grant will have a lasting impact for many years, benefiting future classes of students and maximizing the value of the investment

475

Magnetic blocks ( 2 sets)

80

Marble run

40

Magnetic tiles

65

board games

50

chess

30

large connect 4

60

bead making

50

crochet animals

50

play doh

40