There are lots of reason to have fun in your classroom but here are a few that you may not have thought of:
1. Our brains are wired that way
When a lesson starts with humor, there is more alerting, and the subsequent information When as lesson starts with humor or a fun activity students are more likely to link the learning experience with other positive, fun activities.
2. Sense of community (it’s not just about “me”)
Having traditions at school that include humor and fun out-of-the-box activities can help student think beyond themselves and see the joy of living with other, different people.
3. Better classroom management and behavior
Sometimes students just need a break from the academic rigor of their school day. Like anyone, they can be less productive the longer they are kept working on a task. Having fun activities spread throughout the day can help them focus.
My perspective:
We’ve all had fun teachers and we'll have opportunities to become fun teachers ourselves. Maybe we've seen those moments, seeing an interest in students’ eyes, hearing the bell ring and no one wants to end the period because the energy is so high. How do we extend and make more of these moments?
One simple was is to have fun yourself. If you are having a good time, chances are your students are to and, as research shows, if you can put your students in a good mood, they'll learn more too. So put on a performance, laugh at your students jokes, be goofy, but avoid going through the motions and don't take yourself, or your subject, too seriously.