"Brain Breaks are physical activities that can help kids re-focus and improve attention span. The point of giving a brain break is to help kids get out of their wiggles and to get their blood pumping. Brain breaks need to be quick and energizing so that too much instructional time is not taken away. They can be administered anytime during the day, when kids seem to be getting antsy and losing focus." - http://readyteacher.com/brain-breaks-ideas/
Below are different ideas for brain breaks. Some give instructions of what to do while others are just school appropriate videos where I have kids walk around the room or dance to while I play the music.
Below are different ideas for brain breaks. Some give instructions of what to do while others are just school appropriate videos where I have kids walk around the room or dance to while I play the music.
ECC Pop See Koo
GoNoodle
GoNoodle uses short periods of physical activity - dancing, running, jumping, deep breathing, and more - to help kids channel their abundant energy. Kids wiggle. GoNoodle gets the wiggles out, so we can keep on learning! GoNoodle is great when: we need to focus, we're transitions from one subject to another, we're feeling stressed or anxious or we've has a great day and need a reward. |
Brain Breaks
This is a website that our school purchased for us (you need a log-in). It has videos that has movements that help students brains rest & take a break. They range from yoga to dancing & different exercises that help students work their muscles.
This is a website that our school purchased for us (you need a log-in). It has videos that has movements that help students brains rest & take a break. They range from yoga to dancing & different exercises that help students work their muscles.
20 Brain Break Clips: Fight the Fidgeting!
Hands Brain Break
This brain break seems simple. However, you will find out soon that you will have a hard time mastering it.
1. Stand up
2. Start by waving your right hand in front of you left to right. Your palm should be facing away from you while keeping your hand with your fingers pointing up.
3. Now stop that hand and have your left hand in front of you waving it up and down.
4. Now practice moving them at the SAME TIME. Do not move your hands going diagonally.
5. Now switch to have your right hand up and down and your left hand left and right. Do this faster and switch often to make it more difficult.
6. Lastly, to increase the difficulty, have your arms crossed while doing this.
http://brainbreaks.blogspot.com/
This brain break seems simple. However, you will find out soon that you will have a hard time mastering it.
1. Stand up
2. Start by waving your right hand in front of you left to right. Your palm should be facing away from you while keeping your hand with your fingers pointing up.
3. Now stop that hand and have your left hand in front of you waving it up and down.
4. Now practice moving them at the SAME TIME. Do not move your hands going diagonally.
5. Now switch to have your right hand up and down and your left hand left and right. Do this faster and switch often to make it more difficult.
6. Lastly, to increase the difficulty, have your arms crossed while doing this.
http://brainbreaks.blogspot.com/
Ear and Nose Switch
1. Stand up.
2. Take your right hand and grab your left ear. Keep your right arm close to your body.
3. Now take your left hand and touch your nose.
4. Uncross your arms and move your left hand to your right ear and your right hand to your nose. Your left arm should now be closest to your body.
5. Switch back and forth as fast as you can.
http://brainbreaks.blogspot.com/
1. Stand up.
2. Take your right hand and grab your left ear. Keep your right arm close to your body.
3. Now take your left hand and touch your nose.
4. Uncross your arms and move your left hand to your right ear and your right hand to your nose. Your left arm should now be closest to your body.
5. Switch back and forth as fast as you can.
http://brainbreaks.blogspot.com/
Number Spots Addition
1. Stand up & find a partner.
2. Here are the values:
Right shoulder = 1
Right ear = 2
Nose = 3
Left ear = 4
Left shoulder = 5
3. Without talking, one person will touch two of their own number spots and the otehr person will have to say the numbers out loud and then add them together.
4. Once one person has done a few problems, the other person can give some problems.
http://brainbreaks.blogspot.com/
1. Stand up & find a partner.
2. Here are the values:
Right shoulder = 1
Right ear = 2
Nose = 3
Left ear = 4
Left shoulder = 5
3. Without talking, one person will touch two of their own number spots and the otehr person will have to say the numbers out loud and then add them together.
4. Once one person has done a few problems, the other person can give some problems.
http://brainbreaks.blogspot.com/
ABC/123
1. Stand up.
2. Use your index finger and write a large "A" in the air out in front of you and at the same time say out loud the number "1"
3. Now use your index finger and write a large "B" in the air out in front of you and at the same time say out loud the number "2"
4. Continue writing the letters in the air and saying the numbers our loud as far as you can go or until the end of the alphabet.
Extra Challenge: Alternate saying the letter and then the number.
http://brainbreaks.blogspot.com/
1. Stand up.
2. Use your index finger and write a large "A" in the air out in front of you and at the same time say out loud the number "1"
3. Now use your index finger and write a large "B" in the air out in front of you and at the same time say out loud the number "2"
4. Continue writing the letters in the air and saying the numbers our loud as far as you can go or until the end of the alphabet.
Extra Challenge: Alternate saying the letter and then the number.
http://brainbreaks.blogspot.com/
Toe Tapping
1. Stand up & face your partner.
2. Both you and your partner put out your right leg and tap your right feet together 1 time and day "one" out loud.
3. Tap your left feet together 3 times and day "three" out loud.
4. Tap you right feet together 2 times and day "two" out loud.
5. Continue the 1, 3, 2 toe tapping pattern alternating feet.
6. See how fast you can go.
http://brainbreaks.blogspot.com/
1. Stand up & face your partner.
2. Both you and your partner put out your right leg and tap your right feet together 1 time and day "one" out loud.
3. Tap your left feet together 3 times and day "three" out loud.
4. Tap you right feet together 2 times and day "two" out loud.
5. Continue the 1, 3, 2 toe tapping pattern alternating feet.
6. See how fast you can go.
http://brainbreaks.blogspot.com/
Hand Shake 1
1. Stand up & find partner
2. Shake right hands. Shake left hands.
3. Right hand fist bump. Left hand fist bump
4. Right hand hammer tap. Left hand hammer tap (fist bump with tops and bottoms of fist).
5. Cross arms and give eachother a high 10.
6. Double fist bump.
7. High 10.
8. Repeat and see how fast you can do it.
http://brainbreaks.blogspot.com/
1. Stand up & find partner
2. Shake right hands. Shake left hands.
3. Right hand fist bump. Left hand fist bump
4. Right hand hammer tap. Left hand hammer tap (fist bump with tops and bottoms of fist).
5. Cross arms and give eachother a high 10.
6. Double fist bump.
7. High 10.
8. Repeat and see how fast you can do it.
http://brainbreaks.blogspot.com/
Hand Shake 2
1. Stand up & gather in circle of 5-6 people.
2. Cross arms and shake hands with the person next to you.
3. When holding hands, try to un-tangle yourself as best as possible.
1. Stand up & gather in circle of 5-6 people.
2. Cross arms and shake hands with the person next to you.
3. When holding hands, try to un-tangle yourself as best as possible.
Forward & Backward Circles
1. Point your arms toward the ceiling.
2. Keep your elbow straight and move your right arm forward creating a large circle. Continue making forward circles with this arm. Now do the same with your other arm except go BACKWARD. Continue with both arms moving at the same time. Make sure you have this pattern working before you continue.
3. While both arms continue to move, lift your right foot off the ground and make a ninety degree angle with your knee. Hold this for a few seconde.
4. Now extend your right knee out to make your leg parallel to the ground. Hold for a few seconds.
5. Stop.
6. Repeat the same process again with your left leg.
http://brainbreaks.blogspot.com/
1. Point your arms toward the ceiling.
2. Keep your elbow straight and move your right arm forward creating a large circle. Continue making forward circles with this arm. Now do the same with your other arm except go BACKWARD. Continue with both arms moving at the same time. Make sure you have this pattern working before you continue.
3. While both arms continue to move, lift your right foot off the ground and make a ninety degree angle with your knee. Hold this for a few seconde.
4. Now extend your right knee out to make your leg parallel to the ground. Hold for a few seconds.
5. Stop.
6. Repeat the same process again with your left leg.
http://brainbreaks.blogspot.com/
Airplane
1. Point your arms toward the ceiling.
2. Lift your right leg and put it behind you. Try to keep your knee straight.
3. Lean forward with your body. Try to make your body, arms and leg parallel with the ground. Hold for 10 seconds.
4. Now try the same sequence with your left leg behind you.
http://brainbreaks.blogspot.com/
1. Point your arms toward the ceiling.
2. Lift your right leg and put it behind you. Try to keep your knee straight.
3. Lean forward with your body. Try to make your body, arms and leg parallel with the ground. Hold for 10 seconds.
4. Now try the same sequence with your left leg behind you.
http://brainbreaks.blogspot.com/
Don't Fall
1. Point your amrs toward the ceiling.
2. Lift your right leg and put it to the side of you. Try to keep it straight.
3. Point your body in the opposite direction. Try to make your body, arms and leg parallel with the ground. Hold for 15 seconds.
4. Now try the same sequence with your left leg to the side.
http://brainbreaks.blogspot.com/
1. Point your amrs toward the ceiling.
2. Lift your right leg and put it to the side of you. Try to keep it straight.
3. Point your body in the opposite direction. Try to make your body, arms and leg parallel with the ground. Hold for 15 seconds.
4. Now try the same sequence with your left leg to the side.
http://brainbreaks.blogspot.com/
Snap Wink
1. Stand up.
2. Wink your left eye and snap your right hand index finger and thumb at the same time.
3. Wink your right eye and snap your left hand index finger and thumb at the same time.
4. Switch back and forth as fast as you can.
http://brainbreaks.blogspot.com/
1. Stand up.
2. Wink your left eye and snap your right hand index finger and thumb at the same time.
3. Wink your right eye and snap your left hand index finger and thumb at the same time.
4. Switch back and forth as fast as you can.
http://brainbreaks.blogspot.com/
Shake Your Sillies Out
Stretching
Shake Break
Boom Chicka Boom
Happy - Minions
Teaching Yoga in the Classroom
I Like to Move It
Just Dance - Despicable Me
Just Dance - Crocodile Rock
The Sid Shuffle - Ice Age: Continental Drift
Minions - Banana
A Pep Talk from Kid President to You
Let It Go - from the movie Frozen
Just Dance - What does the Fox Say?
I'm Happy! :) (Grand Rapids version)
Take a minute listen to this funny version of a winter traffic report!