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Winter break is in our sights! It is ALMOST here. The weeks between Thanksgiving and Winter Break are brutal. If your students are like ours, they are hyper, antsy, and dying to have a few weeks off. Little do the students know, teachers are more anxious and excited than they will ever be! Our couch, Netflix, and wine are calling our name!! The struggle during these next few weeks is holding students' attention. We have found offering brain breaks during a lesson can be a huge help. Sometimes getting a little energy out or focusing on something else can make a big difference. These brain breaks can also offer differentiation for your lesson if you slip a bit of material in. Do NOT just have class material in these activities. They are brain BREAKS, so we like to make half or more about pop culture, school, or the community. Here are a few ideas for Pre-Break Brain Breaks for your classroom:

Would You Rather?

These can be made really fun. The more random the better. It is important that students give a reason why, not just the answer. This can really turn into a fun discussion. The funny ones can really get students to loosen up and build relationships. What character would your student rather be in this week's Shakespeare play? Would your student rather suffer from trench foot or mustard gas? Would you rather put a locker room Band-Aid or "under the desk" gum in their mouth? You get the idea!

Backpack Scavenger Hunt

The hoarder and full backpack kid usually takes home a "W" with this game. Create a list of five items and the first student to have all five items on their desk wins. We like to use ideas such as an item with the school logo on it, homework assignment from last week, notebook, three pencils, etc... If you use this game often, it can definitely help students always have certain items on hand. (wink, wink)

This website is perfect for elementary and middle school. They have a mix of straight up brain breaks (no content), stretches, and songs about content that have dance moves and there is a video for each one. If YOUR brain needs a break, just use this site. It's easy and simple.

This activity is a great way to sneak vocabulary terms from the unit on top of funny ideas. This can be an almost entirely student led review activity. Based on your class size, you might want to have several games going at once. Concerned kids won't pay attention? You can make it a head to head competition.

You will be surprised that this brain break game works for all grade levels. I think this brain break activity works really well for ELA for characters, Social Studies for famous people, and P.E./Health for types of activities or sports. Then add famous people, movies, songs, and even childhood books.

Pictionary

This brain break is the perfect way to see if students can not only remember, but recreate illustrations they see in the textbook and during instruction. We really like this one for science when you are going over anatomy of people or plants. For outside material, we like to use company logos, sport teams, animals, famous buildings, and even the infamous fidget spinner.

The end of November and December before break is BRUTAL, so why not shake class up with these brain breaks? It is important for a true brain break that you use no more than half classroom material. Students lose interest if everything pertains to class. Throw them off with silly and funny ideas. We really like to include lots of pop culture!

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Pre-Break Brain Breaks " Grade A Teaching

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Winter break is in our sights! It is ALMOST here. The weeks between Thanksgiving and Winter Break are brutal. If your students are like ours, they are hyper, antsy, and dying to have a few weeks off. Little do the students know, teachers are more anxious and excited than they will ever be!

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Brain Breaks and Why Your Students Really Need Them

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Brain Breaks and Why Your Students Really Need Them

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Available as a kit for downloading ($) on teacherspayteachers.com

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Brain breaks are so, so so important! According to pediatric occupational therapist, Loren Shlaes,

When we are forced to sit still for long periods, we are either in one of two states: the just right state, meaning that our bodies can support our ability to stay present by remaining effortlessly aroused and upright, or in a sensory needs state, which means that we cannot attend because our bodies need something to help our brains stay alert and ready to learn. The just right state doesn't last long when we are forced to sit without moving, unless what is happening in the room is highly interesting and engages our full attention.

That is why I created this set of 60 Brain Break cards for classroom use. Before I began, I looked at a lot of sources for brain breaks and also called on my own experience as a teacher, a camp counselor (from waaaaaay back when), and (briefly) a student of improv. The result is a unique set of brain break task cards that all meet the following criteria:

They all require students to get up out of their seats and move! I have noticed that some brain breaks, while offering a break from the lesson, don't actually get kids moving. Movement is essential to getting kids to be able to once again focus on the task at hand once the brain break is over.

Every student is involved...none are just watching. While it can be fun to watch a classmate tell a joke or participate in a game like Heads Up Seven Up, they leave most of the class still in their seats, watching those who are picked to actively participate.

They can be completed in less than five minutes - many take less than a minute. Your time is super valuable, and I know you can't spend 15 minutes on a brain break. Quick and easy is key.

They require very little if any prep - most require no prep at all. You should be able to select a Brain Break at Random and do it! No planning needed.

They do NOT require the use of a video or a video game. There are some truly awesome brain break videos and games out there. Usually, kids are following a leader on a screen. I am not opposed to those, and kids do enjoy them, but it can also be good to show kids that they don't need a screen to have fun!

They are fun! I made sure that each brain break goes beyond simply doing a set of calisthenics or stretching. They each offer a physical challenge, an opportunity to connect with other students, a chance to use imagination, or some combination thereof.

In addition to the brain break cards, there is also a list of suggestions for use. I am confident that you will get years of use from these cards and that they will not only make your students happy and attentive but will also save your sanity!

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Brain Breaks for Squirrelly Students - Minds in Bloom

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Brain breaks are so, so so important! According to pediatric occupational therapist, Loren Shlaes, When we are forced to sit still for long periods, we are either in one of two states: the just right state, meaning that our bodies can support our ability to stay present by remaining effortlessly aroused and upright, or in a sensory needs state, which means that we cannot attend because our bodies need something to help our brains stay alert and ready to learn.

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This is one of my favorite ways to manage Brain Breaks during the school day. Not only does it add a degree of mystery your students will love, but it also encourages good behavior as they are working for their Bonus Brain Break all day long.

Before the school day begins, choose as many Brain Breaks as you think you will need throughout the day. Put them on your white board in a place where they are easily seen, but not easily reached. Make sure to place them face-down so your students cannot see which Brain Breaks you have selected. Number each one and then choose one more to be the Bonus Brain Break. This should be one that you know your students love - one of their favorites. Put it face-down on the board too, and make it look special.

When you need a brain break, either go in order, starting with number 1, or for an extra bit of randomness, let a student select a number and do that one. By the end of the day, you should have all of your Brain Breaks done except the bonus one.

This is the one they need to earn. You have left a few minutes at the end of the day to do this last Brain Break. If your students have had a good day, they have earned their Bonus Brain Break and you can tell them exactly how awesome they were. "Wow, you were amazing today! You were quiet during work times. I heard some amazing discussions during literature circles, and Mrs. Kelso told me that you were great in music today. You have certainly earned today's Bonus Brain Break!" Alternatively, if you are working on a specific behavior, you can set that up at the start of the day. "Today we are going to work on walking quietly and orderly through the halls. If I see good line behavior, we will earn our Bonus Brain Break today." You might also want to review exactly what that behavior entails so everyone is clear.

Now, what if your students did not have a good day? They were dreadful and there is no way you are going to reward them with a Brain Break. In this case, you can use the few minutes you would have spent doing the Brain Break to discuss what went wrong. Why didn't we get our Bonus Brain Break and what can we do differently tomorrow? Leave that Bonus Brain Break on the board so that your students have another chance to earn it the next day.

How do you manage your Brain Breaks? Please share with a comment.

And if you would like to try the Brain Breaks featured in this post with your students, you can find them here.

Happy Teaching!

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Try Mystery Brain Breaks - Minds in Bloom

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This is one of my favorite ways to manage Brain Breaks during the school day. Not only does it add a degree of mystery your students will love, but it also encourages good behavior as they are working for their Bonus Brain Break all day long.

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Brain Breaks are fun, of course, but I take them very seriously (in a good way!). Research has shown that kids need to move in order to keep focusing and learning. However, in my opinion moving should not be the only goal. While doing a few jumping Jacks or stretches may accomplish the goal of movement, it doesn't do a whole lot else. A Brain Break is a great opportunity for students to work on coordination, flexibility, and spatial awareness, all while having fun. In addition, a good Brain Break may also offer opportunities for problem solving, cooperation, teamwork, and building social skills. That is why I carefully craft each of my Brain Breaks with these things in mind.This free Roll a Brain Break activity features six unique Brain Breaks. Your students will not only love the Brain Breaks themselves but also the novelty of rolling a die to select which one to do. These Brain Breaks can be easily modified for younger students or made more challenging for older ones. Quick, easy, and fun!

A black and white version is also included! Download yours right here.

If you like this freebie, please consider pinning or sharing it on Facebook or your other social networks!

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Brain Breaks are fun, of course, but I take them very seriously (in a good way!). Research has shown that kids need to move in order to keep focusing and learning. However, in my opinion moving should not be the only goal.

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Kids sit an awful lot in school these days. With some schools in the country limiting recess, reducing or even cutting PE classes, and placing a bigger focus on test scores (and test prep), children spend serious time being sedentary.

Why Movement Matters

Being seated for long periods of time has some major drawbacks for kids. Not only does it make it tough for them to get enough physical activity in the day, but it also makes it harder to actually pay attention and learn.

Angela Hanscom, a pediatric occupational therapist, writes in the Washington Post:

Children naturally start fidgeting in order to get the movement their body so desperately needs and is not getting enough of to "turn their brain on." What happens when the children start fidgeting? We ask them to sit still and pay attention; therefore, their brain goes back to "sleep."

In order for children to learn, they need to be able to pay attention. In order to pay attention, we need to let them move.

Movement actually does "turn on" the brain. Look how activity can literally light up areas of a child's brain that allow for better learning:

How Brain Breaks Can Help

It may not be realistic for schools to add in more time for recess or extra PE. But students can easily be given "Brain Breaks" throughout the day. Brain Breaks are short, energizing bursts of activity that boost blood flow, send oxygen to the brain, and help kids better retain information. It can be as simple as taking five minutes to stand up, stretch, and run in place next to the desk. My son's first grade teacher takes the class on a short walk around the building every day. Research has shown that Brain Breaks increase students' on-task behavior AND the amount of physical activity they get every day so it's a win-win. (Read more here.)

Ideally, students should get multiple Brain Breaks in the day and be active in other ways as well. Here's an ideal schedule for students, compliments of fellow dietitian Dayle Hayes, who presented the information at a workshop I attended at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo:

Walk to school

BREAKFAST

Classroom learning with hourly energizers

Recess*

LUNCH

Classroom learning with hourly energizers

Recess

Classroom learning with hourly energizers

*It's been shown that kids waste less food, eat more fruits and vegetables, and have better behavior when they have recess BEFORE lunch versus after lunch. (Read more here.)

What You Can Do

If you're a teacher, consider incorporating Brain Breaks into the day. If you're a parent, talk to your child's teacher about the idea. Here are some resources and videos that make Brain Breaks easy and fun to do. And they're FREE!

Move to Learn Fitness Energizers: More than 30 fitness videos for students K-8 with routines kids can do alongside their desks.

Energizers for Grades K-2: Ideas for incorporating academic concepts into physical activity, such as games that mix jumping and running in place with learning letters and numbers.

Go Noodle Brain Breaks: Tons of free, short videos to get kids moving in the classroom, including short Zumba routines (my son's teacher uses these when they have indoor recess and he loves it!).

Time for 10: Free 10-minute fitness videos featuring fitness experts and kids, with themes like kickboxing, core, and flexibility.

Adventure to Fitness: Videos that incorporate physical activity and common core-aligned learning, like jogging (in place) through Yellowstone National Park. Free registration gives teachers access to some videos; more are available with a paid subscription.

Teach Train Love: This teacher has compiled several lists of fun Brain Break videos from YouTube.

Action for Healthy Kids: A Pinterest page full of classroom brain break ideas, including some for middle school.
Big thanks to Dayle Hayes for supplying the brain scan graphic and ideal school schedule. Check out Dayle's blog School Meals That Rock and her School Meals That Rock Facebook page for ideas, inspiration, and photos of school meals from across the country that celebrate "what is RIGHT with school nutrition in America".
Why students need 'Brain Breaks' and how you can help! Click To Tweet

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Students need Brain Breaks! Here's why--plus how to help.

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Kids sit an awful lot in school these days. With some schools in the country limiting recess, reducing or even cutting PE classes, and placing a bigger focus on test scores (and test prep), children spend serious time being sedentary. Being seated for long periods of time has some major drawbacks for kids.

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This clip has a bunch of related ones as well!

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This clip has a bunch of related ones as well!

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This clip has a bunch of related ones as well!

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The Sid Shuffle - Ice Age: Continental Drift

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Wednesday's guest post about why kids need to move from pediatric occupational therapist Loren Shlaes was so popular that I decided to follow it up with a list of Brain Breaks you can use with your students. These are great to use anytime your students are feeling restless and are struggling to pay attention. Most of these will only take a few minutes, and then you can get back to the lesson with your students ready to focus on the lesson at hand.

1. 5-4-3-2-1 In this simple game, students stand up and the teacher (or leader) has them do five different movements in descending order. For example the teacher would say: "Do five jumping jacks, spin around four times, hop on one foot three times, walk all the way around the classroom two times, give your neighbor one high-five (pausing in between each task for students to do it).

2. Trading Places Have students stand behind their pushed-in chairs. Call out a trait, and everyone who has that trait must change places with someone else (students who do not have the trait stay where they are). Examples: "Everyone with curly hair." "Everyone who ate cereal for breakfast." "Everyone who is wearing stripes."

3. Six Spots Number six spots around your room from 1-6. Have students each go to a spot of their choice. Choose a student to roll a die (if you can make a big one out of foam, it adds to the fun). All the students at the number rolled must go back to their seats. Students that are left go to a new spot, and the die is rolled again. Continue until only a few students are left.

4. Mingle, Mingle, Group! In this game students mill about the classroom saying, "mingle, mingle, mingle" in soft voices until the teacher says, "Groups of 5," at which point the students must quickly group themselves into groups with the correct number of people. Students who are left over must do three jumping jacks before the next round starts. The teacher can call out any number for the group size. You can also add rules such as: as soon as a group is complete, all members must sit down in a line.

5. Dance Party! Put on some rockin' music and dance! If you can make the room semi-dark and have a black light or other special effect, your kids will love it!

6. Freeze Dance! Similar to Dance Party, except that every so often the music stops, and students must freeze and hold the position they are in until the music begins again.

7. Name Moves Students stand behind their chairs. In turn, each student says his or her name accompanied by a special movement. For example a student might say, "Kayla!" while dramatically dropping to one knee and doing Jazz Hands. After the student does his or her move, the rest of the class says the student's name in unison and imitates the move. Then it is the next student's turn.

8. Keep It Up Students must keep a beach ball from hitting the ground. Add two or three balls to make it even more fun.

9. Simon Says An oldie but a goody!

10. Movement Songs Sing a song with whole-body movements, such as, "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes," "Father Abraham," "Toe-Knee Chest-Nut," "Shake Your Sillies Out (Raffie)," "Grand Old Duke of York," "My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean," etc.

11. Recorded Movement Songs Older students might enjoy a simple Zumba routine, YMCA, or the Macarena. Littler ones will love Sesame Street's A Very Simple Dance to Do.

12. Animal Pretend Younger children will enjoy pretending to be various animals (or even objects such as lawn mowers or airplanes). Call out a few in sequence.

13. Would You Rather Ask a "would you rather" question and have students show their choice by moving to one end of the room or the other. Have a few kids share why. Here are 20 free "Would You Rather" Questions to get you started.

14. Find It Fast Call out a color or other trait (e.g. something round, something made of wood), and students must find an object in the room that fits the trait and get to it quickly.

15. Physical Challenges Challenge students to do something physically difficult, such as standing on one foot with arms extended, or this one: Grab your nose with left hand, and grab your left earlobe with your right hand, and then quickly switch so that your right hand is on your nose and your left hand is grabbing your right earlobe. Yoga poses could also be a good variation.

16. Plates Give each student a paper plate. Students must walk around the room balancing the plates on their heads. If a student drops his or her plate, the student must freeze until another student picks it up and places it back on the student's head (while keeping his or her own plate in place, of course).

17. Line Up! Have students line up using a specific criteria, such as age (use day and month, not just year), height, alphabetically by middle name, hair length, etc.

18. Limbo All you need is a long stick and a pair of kids to hold it. Music is nice, too.

19. Human Knot Divide students into groups of about eight students. Have students each grab right hands with someone who is not directly next to them. Then do the same with left hands. The challenge is to untangle and become a circle without releasing hands.

20. Jump Skip Counting Have students count by twos, fives, tens etc. while jumping with each count. You could also practice spelling words this way.

Please note that I did not come up with all of these out of my own head. Here are some of the sources I used:

Here is a nine-minute video about how to manage Brain Breaks in your classroom. It has good ideas on how to quickly transition and group students. Try searching Brain Breaks on YouTube for ideas and dance routines you can use with your students.

Looking for more Brain Breaks? You can get 60 of them in a convenient card format right here!
What works in your classroom? Please comment with your ideas!

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20 Three-Minute Brain Breaks - Minds in Bloom

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Wednesday's guest post about why kids need to move from pediatric occupational therapist Loren Shlaes was so popular that I decided to follow it up with a list of Brain Breaks you can use with your students. These are great to use anytime your students are feeling restless and are struggling to pay attention.

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Today's Question of the Day comes from Mildred Plotkins, an imaginary teacher from Waynesboro, Virginia. Mildred asks:

I am midway through my first year of teaching, and my students are all bored and throw things at me. At first it was just paper, but now they've moved to firecrackers and other explosives. What can I do to make my teaching more interesting and stop me from getting my head blown off? Also I'm poor so I can't buy anything and I have no free time.

First of all, Mildred, I'm sorry to hear about your situation. Although none of my students have thrown anything at my head, a few years ago one of mine did say he was so bored he was going to set me on fire.

Five Ways To Spice Up Your Teaching With Almost Zero Effort!

1) Teach a five-minute segment in a British accent, or whatever accent in which you are even reasonably proficient besides your own

"You do," one of them replied. "But maybe an English person who has brain damage, or has half their face paralyzed."

If you're not good at accents you can talk like a robot or a whale.

2) Trick your students into thinking they have power with the "Raise the Roof" game

Rule #1: Everyone does the "raise the roof" motion without smiling. ( Click here for an extremely helpful instructional video on raising the roof from Howcast.)

Rule #3: The last person not smiling wins.

I do this when we're about to do something I know they hate, like a timed write. Let's say I really want them to have 10 minutes to do it. But I don't tell that to the kids.
Instead, I tell them that we're about to play Raise the Roof, and if I win, they only have five minutes to write; if they win, they have 10 minutes. Then I always lose because I can never raise the roof with a straight face.

4) Play a short, random YouTube video at the beginning of class that relates to your lesson plan minimally or not at all

Cat Sail. Just thinking about this video makes me giggle.

Warning: this can get violent. And really, really hilarious. I've laughed myself to tears/stomach cramps/near death on multiple occasions.

Wishing Mildred and anyone else who is hating February the best,

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Five Ways To Spice Up Your Teaching With Almost Zero Effort!

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Today's Question of the Day comes from Mildred Plotkins, an imaginary teacher from Waynesboro, Virginia. Mildred asks: I am midway through my first year of teaching, and my students are all bored and throw things at me. At first it was just paper, but now they've moved to firecrackers and other explosives.

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Free Download for Elementary (Teachers Pay Teachers)

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Free Download for Elementary (Teachers Pay Teachers)

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This is a pack of free brain breaks perfect for using between rounds of Daily Five. "The Daily 5 and CAFE are trademark and copy written content of Educational Design, LLC dba The 2 Sisters. Educational Design, LLC dba The 2 Sisters does not authorize or

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7 YouTube Channels to get kids UP and MOVING

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7 YouTube Channels to get kids UP and MOVING

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Whether you're stuck inside because of the weather, you just need to change up the tone on one of THOSE days at home, or you're looking for brain break ideas for your class or group, this collection of YouTube channels includes plenty of inspiration to get kids moving, grooving and having fun. They're just perfect for a re-set, whether you are at home or at school. For those of you wondering, what is a brain break? It's simply a short (under 5 minutes), engaging activity that teachers use to refresh and refocus student attention. A brain break should get the blood pumping and the brain working!

7 Youtube Channels To Get Kids Moving & Grooving

1. Debbie Doo: Great movement routines to simple songs, perfect for younger kids.

2. Cosmic Kids Yoga: A big collection of yoga routines presented as adventures for kids. Check out the short 2 minute videos for brain breaks or the longer stories if you have more time.

3. PBS SteveSongs: The Steve Songs videos feature a popular PBS performer.

4. The Learning Station: A huge range of fun action songs kids will love.

5. Have Fun Teaching: As an adult, the Fitness Songs are on the repetitive side but my girls love them! Better for younger grades.

6. Dance Sweat Live: The Mini Workouts feature simple dance routines to popular songs. Great for older kids too.

7. Move to Learn: Simple, fun workouts for children across a range of ages.

BONUS: Although not a channel, the DSDC Wellness Laughter Yoga Leap for Joy is fabulous fun if you have a large space to move around in.
What are your favourite Youtube channels for kids movement?
You may also like:

Christie Burnett is an early childhood teacher, presenter, writer and the editor of Childhood 101. More importantly, she is a Mum who believes wholeheartedly in the value of children learning through play, the importance of quality early education, and the togetherness of family.

Read more of Christie's adventures at https://childhood101.com.

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Brain Breaks: 7 YouTube Channels to Get Kids Moving

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Whether you're stuck inside because of the weather, you just need to change up the tone on one of THOSE days at home, or you're looking for brain break ideas for your class or group, this collection of YouTube channels includes plenty of inspiration to get kids moving, grooving and having fun.