Brain breaks can improve attention, mood, memory, and therefore achievement by increasing blood and oxygen flow to the body and brain. Not only do they provide a break from academic tasks, but they give a chance to increase physical activity and some of the activities will help build impulse control. Print and glue the labels onto popsicle sticks for a great random choice of brain breaks!
- Dance Party- play a song and just dance!
- Quick tic tac toe- students turn to a partner and play a quick game of tic tac toe on their paper
- Spin around then sit back down
- Push Ups- roll dice or just have a student pick a number for how many!
- Burpees
- 5’s to 5- students give high fives to five people
- Thunderstorm- start by tapping one finger on the desk with a light sprinkle, then tap more fingers all the way to pounding on the desk for a thunder storm
- Telephone- old school telephone- do by table group, mixed groups, or whole class
- Categories- pick a category (colors, countries, science words, dessert foods, etc…) and go around the room having each student say one item in the category- no repeats!
- Order Up- give students an order and make them line up (ABC order, height, age,)… for an extra challenge do it silently!
- Repeat After Me- do a repeat after me song like Boom Chicka Boom (Click here for examples)
- Be Banana
- Sign Language ABCs
- Singing in the Rain-
Chorus: Singing in the rain, Just singing in the rain. What a wonderful feeling. I’m chu, chu, chu, chu, chu, chu, chu, chu, chu, chu, woo! Chu, chu, chu, chu, chu, chu, chu, chu, chu, chu, woo!
Teacher says the action: Thumbs out Students repeat and do the action: Thumbs out then sing the chorus
Repeat the teacher say students say with elbows back (keeping thumbs out), then chorus, knees together (keep all previous actions), chorus, bottoms out, chorus, head back. Chorus, tongues out, chorus, eyes closed, chorus
- Whatalahatcha–click the link to watch the song but the key of this song is to get cross body movement going and then once the kids have the moves down, speed it up!
Whatalahatcha, Whatalahatcha
Doodley Do, Doodley Do
Whatalahatcha, Whatalahatcha
Doodley Do, Doodley Do
Some folks say that there’s not much to it
All you gotta do is doodley do it
Whatalahatcha, Whatalahatcha
Doodley Do, Doodley Do
Whatalahatcha, Whatalahatcha
Doodley Do, Doodley Do
I like the rest, but the part I like the best is
Doodley, Doodley, Doodley, Doodely, do
- Rock Paper Scissors- pair up and play, loser sits and winner pairs up with another winner. Go until only one winner left & do a quick class cheer
- 10 Jumping Jacks
- I Spy Speed- give a color or description and students have to move quickly to an item that fits. Ex. Stand next to something red, hop next to something smooth, …
- Freeze Dance
- Name Moves- each student says their name and gives a signature move then the class repeats it. Ex. I’m Jenny (claps once and jumps)
- Boom Chicka Boom
- Tooty Ta
- Hip Names- students have to write their names in the air using their hips
- 10 Windmills
- Jog in Place- Set a timer and as students jog, pick someone to describe the imaginary scenery! You might jog through the mountains or the arctic!
- Crawl and Sneak- you are imaginary spies! Crawl or sneak somewhere without hitting the imaginary laser beams
- Simon Says
- Seat Swap- 10 seconds to move to someone else’s seat, check the last problem the other person worked on, then 10 seconds to go back
- Sky Writing- students draw a picture in the sky and a partner guesses
- Shoulder to Shoulder- call out a command and students find a partner, then call another command and they have to do it with a new partner (knee to knee, elbow to knee, hand to foot, etc)
- Circles- call out a number or roll a die and students get in groups of that number
- Rock Band- turn on a song and everyone plays an air instrument!
- Memory Moves- give a command for a move and students follow, then add another command (don’t repeat the first) and students do the first move, then second. Build until they can’t remember the moves!
- Boom!Count but when you get to certain skip counting numbers say boom. Ex. Count by 5’s- Students go around in a circle counting 1, 2, 3, 4, BOOM!, 6, 7, 8, 9, BOOM!
- Walk like a ______for 20 seconds
- Do the Wave
- Hot Potato! – grab a bean bag or stuffed animal and play hot potato
- Moonwalk for 10 seconds
- Doodle time- doodle on paper or whiteboards for 60 seconds
- Red Light Green Light
Don’t forget to add some of your own. Can’t think of any? Ask the kids and let them take ownership of their brain breaks!
Spin around then sit back down / Push Ups
Burpees / 5 to 5
Thunderstorm / Telephone
Categories / Order Up
Repeat After Me / Be Banana
Sign Language ABCs / Singing in the Rain
Whatalahatcha / Rock Paper Scissors
I Spy Speed / Freeze Dance
Name Moves / Boom Chicka Boom
Tooty Ta / Hip Names
10 Windmills / Jog in Place
Crawl / Simon Says
Seat Swap / Sky Writing
Shoulder to Shoulder / Circles
Rock Band / Memory Moves
Boom! / Jumping Jacks
Walk like a ______for 20 seconds / Do the Wave!
Hot Potato! / Moonwalk for 10 seconds
Doodle Time / Red Light Green Light