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How do Brain Breaks for Kids improve focus? Input to the muscles and joints increases attention. No equipment needed for these exercises!
What are Brain Breaks for Kids?

Expecting a student to sit still and pay attention all day to lessons will not yield good results!

It's not how your student's brain works.

The body and brain need different types of input. This improves memory and learning. It shifts focus and re-sets the brain.

Brain breaks for kids can include telling jokes / stories or playing a quick game. They can be as simple using breathing / calming activities or using the body through exercise. We Are Teachers shares 50 cool brain breaks for kids including these categories.

The brain breaks in this post focus on using exercise. Particularly proprioceptive input for the muscles and joints.

Kids need this input! It really helps with attention. They need it to help strengthen learning pathways in the brain.

Why are Brain Breaks for Kids Important?

My favorite brain breaks for kids are ones that use proprioceptive input - added input for the muscles and joints.

Why?

Because this type of input can be calming / organizing AND alerting at the same time! It helps every kiddo!

There are always a few students who have high levels of energy compared to the rest of the class. They benefit from this input periodically.

Every year when my one son was in school, we waited for the call from the teacher: "He's having a really hard time sitting still. He won't stay in his chair."

Or, "he seems to write better standing up- Mom, as a school-based occupational therapist, are you okay with this?!"

The years that my son's teachers could recognize, embrace and channel his energy were the best ones!

Why? As stated previously, giving his body the right kinds of physical activity TRULY helps him focus, attend, and behave better.

Often, teachers realized that even though my son needed this, it also helped all of his classmates!

Info for the muscles and joints is provided through 'heavy work', 'deep pressure' or 'joint compression' activities. This input needs provided to the student's nervous system throughout the day in order to have a more optimal effect.

25 Brain Break Exercises for Kids

Use these exercises before learning, in between lessons, when transitioning. Or, when you sense a break is needed!

Make sure students are breathing during all exercises!

1. Jumping jacks: 10-20

2. Seated chair lifts: while sitting, place hands near back of chair, lift body up and hold for 10-30 seconds, repeat as needed

3. High plank position: if space allows, on the floor on all fours and step each foot back, hold position with arms straight and palms flat on the floor. Hold for 10, break for 10 if needed or hold for as long as possible (up to 30 seconds.) (Modify by standing at desk and leaning into flat palms with straight arms, slightly and carefully lifting toes off the floor.)

4. Yoga / adapted yoga positions: table, downward dog, warrior, chair, etc

5. Crab kicks (hold a crab position and slowly kick each leg: 10-20 times)

6. Donkey kicks (bear walk position: keep hands still and slowly kick each foot, pause at the top: 10-20 times)

7. Marching: slowly march in place bringing knees up as high as possible - 10 strong marches and then 10 slow marches with focus on controlling leg movements and step with quiet feet.

8. Jump up and down: 10-20

9. Reverse table pose: sit on floor and lean back into straight arms / fingers pointing toward feet, lift body up keeping hands and feet on the floor. Hold for 10-30 seconds.

10. Stand on tip toes and stretch hands high above the head. Hold and squeeze for 20-30 seconds

11. Perform arm circles - large movements: 10 forward / 10 backwards then smaller faster circles: 10 forward, 10 backwards; follow with floating arms straight up to the ceiling and slowly return them back to the sides.

12. Push-ups: floor, desk or wall, 5-15 depending on location and ease of push-up.

13. Slow squats / fingertips tap the floor, 10-20

14. Jog in place.

15. Inchworm: keep feet still, walk hands out on the floor as far as they'll go (into a plank position.) Hold for a few seconds or do a push-up before walking hands back to the feet.

16. Hop on right foot 10 times, hop on left foot 10 times.

17. Plank position: on the floor if space allows, lie on stomach. Push up onto the forearms / keep toes on the floor. Lift the body above the floor. (Toes and forearms should be the only body parts in contact with the floor.)

18. Dance moves (ask a student to lead a current popular viral dance or share one of your own!)

19. Sit-ups, crunches, or bicycles (elbow to opposite knee.)

20. Scissor arms straight out in front of the body (right hand over left, then left over right.) End with a 'give yourself a hug' squeeze!

21. Toe touches (pause at the bottom for a stretch through the legs.) 10-15

22. Wall sits (or hover above chair) for 5-35 seconds.

23. Hold largest workbook above head, move slowly to each side (slowly back to center.)

24. Plank jumping jacks (hands remain in one spot on the floor. Feet alternate jumping in together then out / apart.) 5-15

25. Reciprocal jumps (starting position: right arm forward - left arm back - left leg forward - right leg back.) Jump to switch leg position while also switching arm position. These are challenging!

Related Posts with Brain Breaks for Kids

The FREE printable in the Brain Break Exercises contains extra exercises that activate the left / right, top / bottom and front / back areas of the brain. Share with teachers or homeschooling parents who may need this!

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Brain Breaks for Kids: Improve Focus and Attention

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How do Brain Breaks for Kids improve focus? Input to the muscles and joints increases attention. No equipment needed for these exercises! Expecting a student to sit still and pay attention all day to lessons will not yield good results! It's not how your student's brain works.

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This dreamy bundle includes 16 of my best selling and highest-rated mindfulness resources including crafts, lessons, workbooks and other activities. Use these with all grade levels to regulate emotions throughout the school.

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Mindfulness Activities Flipbook, Posters, & Bookmarks

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Introduce mindfulness with this interactive flipbook with sloth theme. Students will feel empowered to take charge of their happiness. They will flip for their new positive attitude. Once completed, they can keep the book as a stress relieving coloring book. Also includes zen mindfulness bookmar...

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PLEASE! Check this site out! It has lots of printables for SEL!

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These breathing bracelets are a great activity for those who need a hands on technique to calm down. Breathing bracelets help you remember to slow down and breathe during stressful or overwhelming situations.

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A breathing wand is a self-care tool that promotes children's emotional well-being by teaching them breathing techniques, positive affirmations and mindfulness. In this family fun craft, children will grow to understand that the power of the breathing wand is not in the wand itself, but within them.

Being in touch with one's emotions is an important skill set that helps us manage stress, control impulses, and overcome obstacles as we grow older, according to experts at the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues and the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL). You can help your little one understand and practice this skill with this activity.

We would suggest working on this craft - and the mindfulness exercises afterward - in the living room or family room, where the whole family can get involved. Having easy access to the wand after it's created is important so children can actually use it in situations when they need to calm down and find peace within.

Learning Goals

To promote mindfulness and self-empowerment by showing children that they're in control of their mind and body. Using the wand as a visual resource will encourage children to:

Use deep breathing to self regulate emotions and promote inner peace.

Body scan: learn how to check in with different places in their body to see how they're feeling.

Use positive "I AM" affirmations to instill confidence and boost self-esteem.

Materials

1 Pipe cleaner

12 Beads (small beads work better)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1.Starting with one side of the pipe cleaner, create a small circle by wrapping the end of the pipe cleaner around itself. This will secure a closure and allow you to thread the beads without them slipping off.

2. Thread all 12 beads on the pipe cleaner in any order you'd like.

Teachable moment: Use this step to incorporate learning concepts such as patterns, sorting, counting and identifying colors.

3. Secure a closure to the other side of the pipe cleaner just as you did in step one. Be sure to leave enough room on your wand to be able to slide the beads from one side to the other once both ends are closed.

4. Using one of the closure circles, sculpt a heart by bending the pipe cleaner in the middle.
Teachable moment: Have children find their own heart. Younger children may need assistance. Ask if they can feel their heart beating. Is it beating fast or slow? What might make the pace change?

Keep the Conversation Going

Making the breathing wand is only part of the fun. Once you have your wand, here are some ways in which you can use it.

Mindful Breathing: Starting with all 12 beads on one side, slide one bead across the wand as you inhale deeply and move another as you exhale slowly. Repeat this process until all the beads are on the other side.

"I AM" Affirmations: Affirmations are powerful statements that promote self-validation (i.e., I am kind, I am brave, I am peaceful). Appoint a bead for each word of an "I am" statement while gliding them from one side of the wand to the other.

Heart/Body Scan: The heart on the wand is a great visual reminder to check in on your own heart and emotions. How are you feeling? More importantly, explore how you feel after practicing mindful breathing and reciting affirmations. Take this opportunity to talk about, draw, or journal these thoughts and feelings.

Mindfulness Apps: Educational mindfulness apps for little ones can help you and your child continue the conversation as well. Here are some we recommend:

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How to Make a Breathing Wand to Practice Mindfulness

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Promote your little one's emotional well-being by making a breathing wand to teach breathing techniques, positive affirmations and mindfulness.

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Our P.E. teacher shares an amazingly simple breathing tool. You’ll love it!

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RAINBOW BREATHING ACTIVITY by Nancy Marroquin | TPT

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Rainbow Breathing Coloring Exercise by Miss Emma’s | TPT

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Interrupting Volcano Game -> Can use with My Mouth is a Volcano | TPT

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Elementary Friendship Activity Pizza Craft Social Skills Activity

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Friendship Pizza is a fun and hands-on activity for younger elementary students to identify the qualities of a good friend. This activity is perfect to use in an elementary small group, class lesson, or individual session.

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I think we can all agree that the hardest part of teaching kindergarten isn’t the academic piece, am I right ? While there is SO much to le…

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No-Prep Fun Counseling Lesson Activities - The Responsive Counselor

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Quick, fun, no-prep SEL lesson activities that are perfect for before and after breaks or any time you need an extra fun guidance lesson

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Calming tools are really wonderful for kids who are quick to anger or have a difficult time calming down when upset. In my post about tips for helping an angry child calm down, I added an infographic at the end with some ways kids can calm down anywhere, those tools were so popular I wanted to write a bit more about them, and offer you the opportunity to print them in a mini social story book for kids.

8 Ways Kids Can Calm Down Anywhere

There are so many wonderful ways that kids can calm down when upset. From sensory breaks, brain breaks, yoga, etc., but often there are times that kids need help calming down outside of the home, or in a situation where such opportunities are not available. These calming tools allow for kids to calm down anywhere, in the car, or even in a crowd.

Here are 8 simple ways kids can calm down anywhere:

Count to 5. Counting is a really great way to help kids slow their breathing down, and can ground them. If really upset, a child might need to do this multiple times.

Take a deep breath. Taking a few deep breaths can be so relaxing for kids, and can also help slow their heart rate down.

Blow into your hands. Blowing into hands gives kids the feedback of what deep breathing feels like physically, and can be a really calming process.

Place hands in pockets. When kids have a difficult time keeping their hands calm when upset, placing their hands in their pockets, or sitting on them, can give them an alternative to aggression.

Notice what your body feels like. In the infographic, I wrote 'notice antecedents to behavior' which is great for parents to do, but is also important for kids to begin to do. This is a fancy way of saying 'notice what comes first'. By recognizing what happens in your body when upset (such as a racing heart, sweaty hands, etc) kids can learn these cues and practice their calming tools before becoming too upset.

Make a fist, then relax the hands. This is another great feedback exercise, where kids have a way of feeling pressure and then practicing muscle relaxation. It is also another great alternative for kids who turn to aggression when upset.

Relax the muscles in your body. On the infographic, this is 'do a body scan'. Help kids learn to start at the top of their body and work down, purposefully relaxing all of the muscles they can think about and focus on.

Ask for a hug. Hugging is a really powerful calming tool, and can go a long way towards making kids feel better.

Find the infographic to print here.

What are Social Stories?

Social stories are social learning tools typically used to help individuals with Autism understand how to act or react in a variety of situations. While incredibly useful for this purpose, they can also be used for typically developing children to help them deal with a number of situations as well, and are great for helping calm down anywhere.

This printable mini book is a great tool for parents and kids. You can print this, fold the one sheet into a mini book, and keep it with you to use in any situation. I know for my spirited boy, these tools are very helpful, and this book is perfect to keep in the calm down kit in our calming corner.
*An important tip to remember, is that when using social stories, it is important to read and practice them when the child is calm, and when they don't need them. This ensures that in the 'heat of the moment', your child won't have to learn these, they will instead have them in their back pocket.
Get Your Printable Mini Book

Click here or on the image below to get your social story calming book now.

Pin this image to your board

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8 Ways Kids Can Calm Down Anywhere PLUS a Printable Mini Book

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Calming tools are really wonderful for kids who are quick to anger or have a difficult time calming down when upset. In my post about tips for helping an angry child calm down, I added

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One of the very best times to integrate social emotional learning practices into the day is first thing in the morning. It's a great way to help kids and teens start their day off feeling connected, respected, and valued. By putting social-emotional learning first, we have pave the way for kids and teens to do their best for the rest of the day. That's a win for everyone involved.

In addition to that, school days are just busy. We will the days with rigorous academic expectations and activities. Sometimes, it's hard to find the time to integrate social-emotional learning practices. Again, this is just another reason why SEL practices first thing in the morning just make sense.

I've put together a list of fifteen of my favorite simple, engaging, and meaningful SEL practices to try. Of course, it's important to remember that no teacher can integrate all of these practices all of the time. It's best to choose a couple that resonate with you, put them into practice, and see how they work for your students over time.

Just another note that I made sure to add tags to resources that are free. Hopefully that helps you find what you works best for you at the moment!
Here are 15+ simple SEL practices to start the day:
1. Daily Greetings. Research shows that daily morning greetings reduce challenging behaviors and increase on-task time in the classroom. These are one of the simplest and most meaningful SEL techniques to put into place. Before each student walks in the room, greet them by name. You can even give students the choice for their daily greeting. They might choose a fist bump, wave, elbow bump, smile, or bow. Use this free daily morning greetings list to post outside the classroom and get started.

2. Emotions Check-In. An emotions check-in is a quick way to help kids and teens identify how they are feeling and what they might need to feel successful for the day. Make an emotions check-in part of a daily routine as students enter the room. Use these free emotions check-in pages as part of your daily routine.

3. SEL Check-In Journal. Try a daily do-now journal that integrate social-emotional skills with an emotions check-in, affirmations, and mindfulness all in one. This daily SEL Check-in Journal has prompts for the entire year. It's a simple, structured, and meaningful way to start each day with a SEL focus.

4. Morning Meeting. A daily morning meeting can be the ideal time to integrate social-emotional skills. Morning meeting is a semi-structured time of the day to greet each other, chat, and complete an activity or two before moving on with the rest of the day. You can choose on social-emotional skill each day to highlight and discuss. Use this free morning meeting rules and expectations poster to start. I have also developed a yearlong morning meeting set filled with SEL skills discussions and activities for the full year.

5. Positive Affirmations. Positive self-talk statements are an empowering way to help kids and teens start their day. Have students create their own positive affirmation lists. Then, they can read these phrases each day. Some students might benefit from guided practice with positive affirmations. For example, the educator can start with a phrase and have students repeat it back. There are multiple techniques for using positive affirmations as part of your daily routine.

6. SEL Question of the Day. Write a SEL question of the day on the board each morning. As students walk in, they can independently write about the question or share ideas with a partner. Then, give time for a quick class discussion. Use this free SEL question list to spark some ideas in your classroom.

7. Mindful Breathing. Relaxing breathing techniques can help learners feel calm, confident, and focused before starting the day. Some of my favorite fun and engaging breathing exercises include Bubble Breathing, Apple Pie Breathing, and Shape Breathing. Check out these mindful breathing cards!

8. Mindful Morning Check-In. Start the day with a simple and engaging 5-step mindful morning check-in. This activity is a countdown from 5. It includes taking 5 deep breaths, noticing 4 things around you, listing 3 things you are grateful for, saying 2 positive self-talk statements, and identifying 1 thing you are looking forward to.

9. SEL Journaling. Provide a SEL journal prompt each morning. Have students write their own answer and then share with a partner to discuss. Use targeted questions to highlight skills like empathy, decision-making, friendships, and more. You can choose a journal prompt that best meets the needs of your students that day, or use this yearlong SEL journal with prompts and pages ready-to-go for you.

10. SEL Class Discussions. Use targeted social-emotional questions to spark meaningful conversations. Focus on one question per day or add in as many as you have time for. Use these SEL Task Cards with questions ready for you.

11. Read Alouds. Use a short story to read. Choose any story of your choice, or use a picture book that focuses on a particular social-emotional skill. Use this free list of SEL read alouds to give it a try.

12. SEL Choice Boards. Use SEL choice boards as a "do now" activity in the morning. Have students choose on activity to complete each day or assign the ones that are most important to you.

13. Skill of the Day. Choose a SEL skill for the day to discuss. Ask students to share what it means to them and why it is important. Use this free list of SEL skills from A-Z to give it a try. Students can color in each skill as you discuss them. If you love the idea of teaching the ABCs of Social Emotional Learning, check out this interactive mini-lesson set for SEL skills here.

14. SEL Whiteboard Messages. Post a question on the whiteboard and give space for kids to respond right on the board each day. Students will love getting to write their answer, but they will also get to see others' responses as well. Use this SEL Whiteboard Question set to start.

15. Practicing Gratitude. Have students write down five things they are grateful for today. These can be big things, like family or friends. They can also be seemingly small things to be thankful for, such as a comfortable chair in school or the way the fall air smells. This free gratitude poster is in the free resource library.

16. SEL Quote of the Day. Use various quotes to highlight social-emotional skills. Use this free SEL Quotes list for some ideas, but you can even have students submit quotes for discussion!

17. SEL Curriculum. Start each day with lessons from a complete yearlong SEL Curriculum to teach skills for empathy, problem-solving, conflict resolution, friendships, decision-making and lots more. This curriculum is designed specifically for elementary students to learn SEL skills in a fun, meaningful, and interactive way.

I hope these ideas have been helpful for you! If you love them, be sure to share with colleagues to pass the importance of SEL on to others.

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15+ Simple SEL Practices to Start the Day

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One of the very best times to integrate social emotional learning practices into the day is first thing in the morning. It's a great way to help kids and teens start their day off feeling connected, respected, and valued.

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5-Minute Faceoff is a quick, simple, brain break alternative that involves partners, creative thinking, writing practice, and FUN---but also, is a NO PREP and PAPERLESS option for today's busy teacher.
How to Play:
1. A prompt is projected on the whiteboard (for example: "Write a list of things you see at the beach.")

2. Partners sit back-to-back with dry erase boards and markers

3. In the 5 minutes given by the timer on the slide, each student writes as many words on his board as he can think of.

4. Once the timer is finished, partners compare answers. Each similar answer is crossed off, and each unique answer earns a student 1 point.

5. The player with the most points is the winner!
Why 5-Minute Faceoff?
*Brain Break Variety: A fresh alternative to regular brain breaks that students might tire of

* "Hidden" Learning: Students practice foundational skills like stretching out words, thinking in categories, sorting information-all while "playing"!

*Building Sportsmanship: Students exercise teamwork and sportsmanship skills as they learn to navigate winning and losing graciously with a partner or group.
Tell Me More About the Prompts!
This pack includes 180 unique prompts*. The slides can be viewed on a whiteboard using PowerPoint OR the slides can be printed and placed in a station or used for a "When I'm Done" activity. Please note that if the slides are printed, you will need to provide a timing device (sand timers work well!) for students to use in that station.

*The prompts are designed to be appropriate for most K-3 classrooms; 90 of the slides are "just for fun" category slides while the other 90 slides focus on a wide range of phonics, math skills, etc. (for example: make a list of words that rhyme with 'cot.'). Some of the skills targeted might be new to younger students earlier in the year and they may also be review for older students; however, the majority of slides will appeal to a wide range of ages. Slides that are "easier" or "harder" for a group of students can be used effectively in guided math or reading groups as well!
What Is Included?
*180 slides {PowerPoint file with timers}

*Printable PowerPoint version {without timers}

*A "Read First" teacher guide to using this product

*Student-friendly, visual, step-by-step directions about how to play
*Please read the ENTIRE "Read First" file before you e-mail me or enter questions on my Q&A tab. This file includes any and all information you will need to use this product. If you have read the file and still need clarification, please feel free to e-mail me or drop a question on my TPT Q&A page and I'd be happy to help!* Interested in MORE Paperless Products?!:
*Pre-K/Kindergarten FREE SAMPLE

*Pre-K/Kindergarten FULL YEAR

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*2nd/3rd Grade FULL YEAR

Thanks for visiting my store! I hope you come again soon :)
Erin Waters Elementary Education www.elementaryedu.com Join my free VIP Club

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5-Minute Faceoff - A Paperless Partner Brain Break Game

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5-Minute Faceoff is a quick, simple, brain break alternative that involves partners, creative thinking, writing practice, and FUN---but also, is a NO PREP and PAPERLESS option for today's busy teacher. How to Play:1. A prompt is projected on the whiteboard (for example: "Write a list of things you s...

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16 YouTube Videos for Morning Meeting - Tarheelstate Teacher

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Showing short YouTube videos and songs is one of my favorite activities to use during morning meetings.

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Facilitate Incredible Morning Meeting Sharing Time - Lessons By The Lake

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Morning Meeting Sharing makes up the most personal moments of your circle time. This sharing structure allows students to feel confident and

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One of the topics my 4th grade teachers wanted me to cover, per their needs assessment results, was responsibility. I've got to admit "Sorry I asked" and "Ugh, boring" were both thoughts that ran through my mind. I put that aside though and forged ahead in trying to plan engaging lessons for their second quarter unit, starting off with Choices and Consequences.

Shout out here to Kid President who had the most perfect video to use as a hook: " Making Tough Choices."

While watching, I stopped a few times to ask them:

Kid President said we make thousands of choices a day. What are some choices you've already made today?

Kid President said there are four choices for making choices. What are they?

Impulsive: What does this mean?

Do Nothing: He said "If you do nothing, you'll be nothing." What does that mean?

Follower: He said to "focus on being someone worth following." What does that look like? When is it ok to follow what others are doing?

Be Thoughtful: What does that mean?

What is a small choice that might have a big consequence? (my students, unsurprisingly, discussed the lottery here)

Of course, it's always good to have a backup when technology is concerned, so I also carried around my Chutes and Ladders game board. It's a great visual example of different choices and their positive and negative consequences.

I had originally planned on students matching specific consequences to a few different scenarios. Teachers had said 80%+ of their students could identify the consequences of their choices and I thought the activity would deepen some of that understanding and connection. I also created an "I Have, Who Has" as a closing activity.

After doing this in the first classroom however, I realized this was an example of teachers being wrong about where their students' social-emotional skills were at. Many groups had a tough time with the scenario consequence matching - they would have needed to do it, whole group, with me guiding. And the "I Have, Who Has" was really challenging for them, though I think this may have had more to do with the executive functioning skills needed (patience, processing, focus) for the activity than the content. So then I made some more specific puzzles and had small groups tackle matching choices to consequences. This was much more successful. Even though it was simpler, the students were still engaging in meaningful conversations about it as they were doing it. And then early finishers with that activity were given the scenarios with "fill-in-the-blank" consequences to work through.

As an exit ticket, I asked students to identify 1 good choice and 1 not-so-good choice they'd made lately, and a consequence of each.

This quarter, I've also been doing differentiated lessons with one of our 4th grade ELL pull out groups. They're normally in their homerooms for my lesson but some scheduling changes this year made that a bit different. Because these students' English proficiency levels are generally below "intermediate" (especially in regards to reading and writing), I've been doing different activities with them. With this group, we did some "fill-in-the-blank" with both choices and consequences whole group; I projected it using the document camera and they told me what to write.

I know my 4th graders are tired of adults talking to them about being responsible and about their behavior which is why I was a little nervous about this lesson just being one more "you better act right" speech to them. Thankfully, between the video and collaborative learning, they were able to have fun with it and I saw many students making connections they hadn't made before. For example, I find that many of their brains don't automatically think about how their choices affect others - they're still a bit egocentric. When questioned or prompted specifically, they can take the perspective of another and show empathy, but this isn't coming as naturally as it does with some cohorts. Certainly more work to be done with this!

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Choices and Consequences Lesson - The Responsive Counselor

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One of the topics my 4th grade teachers wanted me to cover, per their needs assessment results, was responsibility. I've got to admit "Sorry I asked" and "Ugh, boring" were both thoughts that ran through my mind. I put that aside though and forged ahead in trying to plan engaging lessons for their second quarter unit, starting off with Choices and Consequences.

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This blog uses affiliate links. Basically, I make a small commission when you use these links, at no additional cost to you.

Looking for ideas for Simon Says? Try these alphabet themed Simon Says ideas for kids and be sure to grab a copy of the free printable list.

Simon Says is a classic childhood game that has lots of benefits. It can help with body awareness, vocabulary, following directions, giving directions (if they get to be Simon!), listening and paying attention, sequencing (if you give multiple commands in one), and motor development. Just to name a few.

Essentially, playing Simon Says is a quick and easy way to work on a variety of social skills.

Now, when it comes to hyperlexic kids, it's best to use their interest (usually letters!) to entice them to try new things and work on new skills.

This list of alphabet themed Simon Says ideas is a perfect way to encourage them to join in and play because it combines their love for letters into a game, all while sneakily working on important skills.

Simon Says Ideas for Each Letter of the Alphabet

Here are 26 ideas for Simon Says, one for each letter of the alphabet. You'll also find a free printable list below.

1. Arms up

2. Balance on one foot

3. Clap your hands

4. Downward dog pose

5. Eyes closed

6. Flex your muscles

7. Give a thumbs up

8. High five someone

9. Imitate an animal (could be a noise or how they walk)

10. Jump up and down

11. Kick your legs

12. Lift your shoulders up towards your ears

13. March in one spot

14. Nod your head

15. Open your mouth wide

16. Pat your belly

17. Quietly shush (could even place a finger over their mouth as they shush)

18. Run in place

19. Stomp your feet

20. Touch your toes

21. Unicorn horn (use your hands to form a horn on your head)

22. Victory dance

23. Wave hello

24. X with your arms (cross your arms to form an X)

25. Y pose (stand with legs together and then arms out to form a Y)

26. Zigzag walk

Download the Free Printable List of Ideas for Simon Says

This one page printable outlines 26 alphabet themed ideas for Simon Says. To get a copy of this printable, click the link below:

>> Click here to download this free printable
Click here to get your copy of the Simon Says social story

This Canadian muggle might be a no-laugher (despite her energy vampire husband's jokesies), but Dyan's a fierce advocate for her two boys and passionate about all things hyperlexia and autism.

She's an avid book reader, lifelong learner, and former piano teacher. She likes Toad as her Mario Kart driver and prefers to listen to audiobooks and podcasts at 2.8x speed. Her idea of a perfect lunch is nachos. You can frequently catch her saying, "It's Dyan, not Dylan. There's no L."

She has a B.A.H. in Psychology, an ATCL diploma in Recital for Solo Piano, an RCM Grade 10 Piano certificate, and an RCM History & Theory: Intermediate certificate.

Connect with Dyan on: Instagram - Pinterest - Facebook - Threads or Join The Hyperlexia Hub community!

Teach Kids How to Play Simon Says with this Social Story!

Does your child need a bit of help understanding the rules of the game? Perhaps this Simon Says social story can help!

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Alphabet themed Simon Says ideas for kids - free printable list of ideas included!

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Icebreakers that Rock | Cult of Pedagogy

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Too many classroom icebreakers require students to take big social risks with people they barely know. Or they don’t really help students get to know each other. Or they are just plain cheesy.

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WOULD YOU RATHER - partner or group game cards for getting to know each other!

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It's time to start the day, and what better way to do that than with some fun and engaging morning meeting games? With these 10 creative ideas, you can focus students' attention, review important skills, build class unity, and create an exciting learning environment-all before diving into your daily lesson plans. So grab your coffee (or tea!) for a little boost of energy and let's jump-start the day with one of these awesome activities.

Morning Meeting Games

Here is a list of the games in this blog post:

Hidden Object

Would You Rather?

Groups of ___?

Categories

Stand, Sit, Hands on Hips

Step In, Step Out

Buzz

Line It Up

Memory Games

Common Thread

Hidden Object

How to Play: Send 1 student out into the hallway. Have the class decide on an object to hide (like a marker or stapler). Hide the object. Bring the student back in from the hallway. Use "hot, warm, cold" clues to guide them into finding the object. Once found, have the hallway student pick another volunteer to go out and repeat.

Would You Rather Exercise Videos

Okay, so this isn't quite a game but sometimes, you just need a break from being the cruise director. I love that it gets students up and moving while also sparking some classroom discussion. These videos are my favorite!

Groups of __?

For this game, students will wander around the room. You can play music or not. After a few seconds, bang on the table or other object. Students listen for how many "bangs" there are and form groups of that number. For example, if you bang 3 times, they need to form a group of 3. Anyone left standing who is not in a group of 3 must sit down. Keep repeating with different # of groups until a few students remain.

Categories

This one is simple but can prove challenging! Gather your students and set up a circle. Now, it's time to choose a category - whether it's restaurants or colors, the choice is yours! The challenge is on - each person should take turns naming something from the category without repeating any previously mentioned ones. Can you and your group make it all the way around the circle?

Stand, Sit, Hands on Hips

Get your students up and moving while learning with this interactive multiple-choice activity! Each answer choice corresponds to a physical movement that students will make, so they can share their responses through movement. After each question, discuss the results as a class. The first set of questions is all about fun, while the second set includes trivia with answers. This activity is sure to engage and energize your students while they learn! After each question, I like to ask a follow-up or talk about how many people chose each response. For example: "Bobby, you picked play outside, what do you like to do outside?" or "Wow! More than half the class chose ice cream over cupcakes!". The first set of questions is for fun. The second set is trivia questions with answers.

Step In/Step Out

Gather all the students in a circle and prepare to learn more about each other. Choose one awesome student to share something interesting about themselves, like "I have a brother" or "I love to play soccer." Get ready to move! If you agree with the statement, take a step forward in the circle. If you disagree, take a step back. Get ready to repeat this fun game 4 or 5 times. This is a great way to build connections and discover new things about your students!

Buzz

Buzz is a super fun, interactive game that can be used in many different ways! First, decide on a set or series for students to recite. Maybe you're practicing skip counting to 100 or spelling words with the long a sound. Once you've decided on what you are practicing, pick something to replace with the word "buzz". For instance, n the skip counting by 2s to 100 example, you might pick numbers that have an 8 in them. Now, let the fun begin! Encourage the kids to recite the items on the list or the series, replacing the designated number or letter with the exciting word 'buzz'! So, it might go something like this:

Student A says "2".

Student B says "4".

Student C says "6".

Student D would say "Buzz!" since their number is 8. If they don't say buzz, they sit down. If someone says "buzz" when they should've said a number, they are also out.

Line It Up

Looking for a fun and interactive way to engage your students? Try our awesome Lineup Challenge! This activity will have your students working together to line up, but here's the twist... they can't talk! With options like birthdays, height, or shoe size, this challenge is not only educational but also super entertaining. Set a timer for a few minutes and watch as your students creatively figure out the best way to form an accurate line. Get ready for some serious teamwork and laughter in the classroom!

Memory Games

This is one of my FAVORITE morning meeting games because my students are always SO excited to play. Display one of the memory pictures. Allow students to study it for 3-4 minutes. (Some teachers play a song!) Tell students to try to remember as much as they can about the picture. Afterward, display the questions and see how many you can answer correctly. Check your answers by moving the answer circles when you are done! Must use the question page in "edit" mode (not presentation or slideshow).

Common Thread

Put students in groups of 3, 4, or 5. They must chat with each other to figure out something they all have in common. After students discuss, have them share out what it is that connects them! This is the perfect way to initiate conversations about similarities and proudly share newfound connections with the rest of the class.

Need tips to keep your morning meeting highly engaging? Check out this blog post.

It's important to make sure that the first few moments of class get students in the right frame of mind for learning. With any of these morning meeting games, you can motivate students to think outside the box and engage with their peers in a warm and welcoming environment. Plus, it's a great way to review important skills while having a blast! So why not give one (or more!) of them a try? And don't forget-for an extra challenge, have your students download our free memory game! The game will help sharpen their recall skills and ensure that they stay focused throughout the day. Have fun everyone-and get ready for an awesome school year!

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10 Morning Meeting Games to Start Your School Day Right - The Sassy Apple

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Out of ideas for morning meeting games? Check out these 10 games to get your school day started off on the right foot!

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Greetings for Morning Meetings: 30+ Fresh and Fun Ideas

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Need some great ideas for greetings for morning meetings in your K-2 classroom? Try these 30+ engaging and creative “hello’s”!

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Morning Meeting Activities for Better Classroom Community

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Morning Meeting Activities will help students fall in love with school! Help students become life longer learners by implementing morning meeting!

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5 Second Rule Game: 200 Fun Questions for Kids and Adults

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The 5 Second Rule Game and questions will make everyone tongue-tied! Players must name three things in a category within 5 seconds.

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What I appreciate about this definition is that it shows the diverse nature of brain breaks. They might help 'wake students up' after a lull, or they might 'bring students down' after a wild or a stressful activity. I am confident that you have experienced the power of a brain break sometime in your professional career; even if it's a five-minute bathroom break offered during a workshop! Returning to a learning session after a break, we feel more alert and ready to tackle the next challenge.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD BRAIN BREAK?

In a dream world, a brain break requires students to cross their midline (the invisible line drawn from the top of their head straight down through the center of their body). I have written about this before, after first hearing it from Michele Whaley! Crossing the midline--meaning a left body part crosses in front or behind the left side of the body--encourages communication between the brain's left and right hemispheres. We want BOTH sides of their brains to be firing so that their full mind can participate in the learning.

BEST BRAIN BREAKS

Here are a few of my favorites--some new, and some old!

HOUSE ROCK TREE

1. Students move around the room, ideally to music.

2. Teacher [pauses music and] shouts out, "HOUSE ROCK TREE" (in the target language--in my case, this would be "CASA PIEDRA ÁRBOL").

3. Students QUICKLY form groups of three and as fast as possible each one takes on a unique role: (1) HOUSE: Stand with arms over head in triangular shape so that it looks like a roof (2) ROCK: Squat, tuck head, and put arms over head as if protecting it from falling debris; to look as rock-like as possible! (3) TREE: Stand with arms raised in the "Y" shape (like from YMCA) to form branches stretching upward and outward to the sky!

4. [Restart music and] students move around again.

5. Repeat Steps 2-4 for 1-2 minutes!

HIGH FIVE - POUND IT

1. Students pair up and stand facing each other.

2. Partners make a fist with left hands and hold up right hands, palm facing out.

3. Partners high five each other with right hands.

4. Partners fist bump left fists.

5. Partners make a fist with right hands and hold up left hands, palm facing out.

6. Partners high five each other with left hands.

7. Partners fist bump right fists.

8. Repeat for one minute.

TEN

I originally learned this game from Charlotte Meyer, who shared it on the FLTeach Listserv.

1. Students stand in a circle.

2. In order, clockwise around the circle, students count aloud the numbers 1-10. Each student can say one, two, or three numbers when it is their turn (they could say dos, or dos-tres, or dos-tres-cuatro).

3. Whoever says the number 10 is OUT and must sit down.

4. Play until one student remains!

Once your students have down the numbers 1-10, it seems that it would be wise to change how you count: either 11-20, 21-30, 10-100 by 10's, 5-50 by 5's, 100-1000 by 100's, etc.

ROCK PAPER SCISSORS TRAIN

1. Students pair up and play three rounds of Rock Paper Scissors. Best of three wins!

2. Loser gets behind winner and puts hands on winner's shoulders, forming a "train".

3. Winner (front of train) now finds another train and plays three rounds of Rock Paper Scissors. Best of three wins!

4. Entire losing train joins the end of the winning train.

5. Repeat Steps 3-4 until there there is one winner!

I learned this "Train" version from Annabelle Allen, who learned it from The Great Darcy Rogers of Organic World Language.
Unfamiliar with basic "Rock Paper Scissors"? Watch this video:

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All students are capable of acquiring language. Discover training and curriculum that empower teachers and learners to unlock potential.

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Free Resources - emotions, gratitude, strengths, and so much more!

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Free Resources - emotions, gratitude, strengths, and so much more!

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6 Interesting Morning Meeting Games to Play Any Time of Year - Erin Waters EDU

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In this blog post, I’ll be sharing some exciting and interactive morning meeting games that you can play with your students at any time of year. Whether you’re looking for a quick icebreaker or a longer team-building activity, I’ve got you covered. So, grab your coffee and let’s get started!

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Morning Meeting Games the BEST Part of the Day

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Morning Meeting Games is the BEST way to start the day. Check out these games for morning meeting that students are sure to love!

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One Word Morning Meeting Game & Morning Meeting Activity & SEL Activity

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In recent years, Morning Meeting has become my favorite part of the day. I believe it’s because I put more effort into learning about it a…

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Would you rather have 100 friends or 100 dollars?

That's the $100 question. For me, it's 100 dollars because 100 friends is a lot of maintenance. I'm all about quality over quantity. But I'm asking because this is the type of question posed to my students every Wednesday for our morning journal prompts. I'm not sure if it's the 50/50 nature of the questions that make them so desirable, but it's one of the reasons would you rather questions for kids really work in the elementary classroom.

This is also just one of the would you rather questions for kids that you can find in the list below. I found that it's nice to have a go-to list of questions to ask students-even if you have a different morning routine and forgo the morning journals, these questions make great options all year round for classroom discussion.

Would you rather questions for kids can be used during morning meeting, as "when I'm done" activities and time-fillers, or when you need to calm your class after recess.

Here's a list of 40 would you rather questions for kids:

1. Would you rather be a fish or a bird?

2. Would you rather stay inside or go outside on a rainy day?

3. Would you rather have an alligator or a shark for a pet? Why?

4. Would you rather have green hair or green feet?

5. Would you rather be really hot or really cold?

6. Would you rather have 100 dollars or 100 friends?

7. Would you rather be really tall or really short?

8. Would you rather eat only pizza or ice cream for every meal?

9. Would you rather jump out of an airplane or swim with sharks?

10. Would you rather jump in a pool of jelly or peanut butter?

11. Would you rather be able to fly or have x-ray vision?

12. Would you rather eat broccoli or spinach?

13. Would you rather be a mail carrier or a vet?

14. Would you rather be a teacher or a student?

15. Would you rather always walk backward or always walk on your hands?

16. Would you rather have lunch with the president or the principal?

17. Would you rather go to lunch or recess?

18. Would you rather do math or read?

19. Would you rather stay inside or go outside on a rainy day?

20. Would you rather be the principal for a day or get a day off?

21. Would you rather live in space or underwater?

22. Would you rather sleep for a year or stay awake for a year?

23. Would you rather have 3 hands or 3 feet?

24. Would you rather jump in a pile of leaves or snowballs?

25. Would you rather have a robot or a magic wand?

26. Would you rather watch a movie or read a book?

27. Would you rather be the strongest or the smartest person in the world?

28. Would you rather stay up late or wake up early?

29. Would you rather live in the desert or in the jungle?

30. Would you rather play a game or draw a picture?

31. Would you rather eat a worm or an ant?

32. Would you rather wear a winter coat or a bathing suit all year?

33. Would you rather climb a tree or jump in a puddle?

34. Would you rather be the only student in the class or have 100 classmates?

35. Would you rather eat tacos or a sandwich?

36. Would you rather have wings or a tail?

37. Would you rather eat cake or ice cream?

38. Would you rather play the guitar or the drums?

39. Would you rather eat an apple or a banana?

40. Would you rather go to the zoo or the aquarium?

You can actually download this whole printable list of would you rather questions for free here. I like to make things easy.

But also: Would you believe me if I told you there's an even easier way?

There's an easier way: I changed my teaching life when I was able to convert these questions (along with other prompts) into a year of morning journal prompts. It all happens on the whiteboard every morning, and it's crazy to think starting my mornings used to be way harder than the click of a button.

*But you can sit here. (If you know, you know.)

Anyways. I know what my answer is. You can check out the full year of journal prompts here.

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40 Free and Fun "Would You Rather" Questions for Kids - Erin Waters EDU

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Stop searching for random would you rather questions for kids when you can get them here for free! These questions for kids are fun, fast, + easy!

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52 Social Emotional Learning Prompts for All Ages 

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52 Social Emotional Learning Prompts for All Ages 

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Social Emotional Learning Activities & Lessons | SEL Power Pack

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Free PDF - 52 SEL Prompts - Social Emotional Learning Activities & Lessons | SEL Power Pack

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FREE PDF DOWNLOAD 52 Social Emotional Learning Prompts for All Ages Great for journaling, discussion starters, morning meetings and more.Topics include social skills, growth mindset, confidence, self esteem, kindness and empathy.Instant access. We’ll send you the PDF and you can print out as many copies as you want!Download Now! © SEL Power Pack

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101 Critical Thinking Questions For Kids

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101 Critical Thinking Questions For Kids

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101 Critical Thinking Questions For Kids

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Critical thinking questions for kids are a great way to get them to use their minds and think inquisitively about a variety of topics.

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Morning Meeting Questions (favorites, community building discussion questions)

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Keep these FREE morning message questions on hand when you are running your classroom morning meeting. These questions help lead thoughtful discussions with your students. If you are looking for more information on morning meetings, see our blog post, The Perfect Morning Meeting for Kindergarten. ...