As in most things, a routine helps everyone know what is expected and what comes next. We practiced right after school once a week for about two hours. I live about a mile from Miller Middle School so the kids walked to my house as a group. It gave them a little exercise and social time. Once they arrived, here was the routine:
Snack – Parents rotated providing a healthy snack for the group
Warm up – There are a lot of short creative mind exercises such as “good news, bad news”, “Charlie”, “Answer a question with another question” and “the number game”. Play one or two until they are settled mentally. They enjoy these and will develop favorites.
Instant Challenges – Do one or two instant challenges. The amount of time spent on these depends on how the main challenge is progressing but at least one should be done every practice.
Brainstorm – The mental work comes now. They’re warmed up and ready to think. Sit in a circle and let them make decisions.
Work on the Main Challenge – Their attention span tends to be around 20 minutes. After that, you may need to refocus them. I usually gave them a 10 minute break in the middle of the remaining time. They went outside with a soccer ball or played tag or did something active. When they come back in they should be able to work for another 20 minutes.
The End – Do an instant challenge, let them evaluate their progress, do a warm-up exercise or let them work on the Main Challenge until the end if they’re still focused. The end of the meeting will vary depending on whether they stay focused or not. Remember, they should be having fun so end on a good note.
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