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This website is perfect for any type of teaching situation you would need to come up with an activity for.

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Physical education prepares children for an active and healthy life while improving self discipline and reducing stress. This section includes PE lessons from kindergarten through high school spanning different skill levels and objectives. Lessons are categorized by grade for easy retrieval. These lessons were created by real teachers working in schools across the United States. The section will continue to grow as more teachers like you share your lesson plans. We encourage you! Share your lessons plans Teacher.org, contact us.

P.E. Environmental Lesson Plans

Length of Time: 20-40 Minutes

Students will learn a brief background about energy transfer between the sun, producers, primary consumers, and secondary consumers. ½ of the students are primary consumers (plants) and ¼ of the students are primary consumers (rabbits) and ¼ of the students are secondary consumers (hawks).

P.E. P.E. Lesson Plans

Length of Time: 1 class period

Using a deck of playing cards, the students will pick the number of reps for various exercises.

Length of Time: As Desired

Students will practice listening skills and basic physical concepts as required in physical education class. Students will also work on balance and coordination.

Length of Time: 1 class period

Combining information about the speed of animals, the students will run laps in the gym or outdoors.

Length of Time: As Desired

Students will practice teamwork, dribbling, and shooting a basketball.

Length of Time: About 30 Minutes

This plan will combine reading with balance and coordination skills to allow students to navigate a simple obstacle course.

Length of Time: 15 - 20 Minutes

Students will play a game in which they need to change direction quickly. Students are to pretend that they are on a sailboat that is in the middle of a storm. They will have to run and change direction based on verbal commands and duck quickly to avoid being hit by the imaginary boom.

Length of Time: About 45 Minites

This lesson is designed to help students learn the importance and reasons for exercise through multiple activities and discussions.

Length of Time: 10-40 Minutes

This plan will allow students to practice coordination while staying physical.

Length of Time: 20-40 Minutes

Students will learn a brief background about energy transfer between the sun, producers, primary consumers, and secondary consumers. ½ of the students are primary consumers (plants) and ¼ of the students are primary consumers (rabbits) and ¼ of the students are secondary consumers (hawks).

Length of Time: 1 or 2 Class Periods

The student will participate in a game of basketball using various sizes of available balls.

Length of Time: 1 class period

The students will move to the music based on its beat, words, tune, and other variables.

Length of Time: 10 - 40 Minutes

This plan will allow students to practice coordination while staying physical.

Length of Time: 2-3 Class Periods

The students will research games and activities from other countries to share during a PE class.

Length of Time: 20 - 30 Minutes

This lesson will allow students to practice passing, dribbling, and bouncing skills using basketballs

Length of Time: As Desired

Students will practice basic aerobics moves while trying to stay positioned on paper plates, this aids in coordination.

Length of Time: 20 - 30 Minutes

This lesson will allow students to practice teamwork, basic math skills, and get exercise through a relay race. Note: Problems/difficulty level can be altered by grade

Length of Time: 20- 30 Minutes

This lesson will allow students to practice gross motor skills.

Length of Time: As Desired

Students will practice listening skills and basic physical concepts as required in physical education class.

Length of Time: 10 - 40 Minutes

This plan will allow students to practice coordination while staying physical. Students will demonstrate moving straight, backwards, and in a zig-zag pattern.

Length of Time: 2-3 Class Periods

The students will create a PE activity to share and demonstrate to peers.

Length of Time: 20 - 30 Minutes

This lesson will allow students to practice teamwork and trust building, as well as working on directionality for younger students.

Length of Time: 20 - 40 Minutes

The students play a game where they practice different movements including jumping, galloping, skipping, running, jogging, leaping, and walking. Based on National Physical Education Standards, students should have been learning these skills for the last 4 years.

P.E. Science Lesson Plans

Length of Time: 20-40 Minutes

Students will learn a brief background about energy transfer between the sun, producers, primary consumers, and secondary consumers. ½ of the students are primary consumers (plants) and ¼ of the students are primary consumers (rabbits) and ¼ of the students are secondary consumers (hawks).

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Teacher.org's lesson plans encourage conceptual understanding and lifelong learning skills in students as well as empower and motivate teachers.

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Physical education prepares children for an active and healthy life while improving self discipline and reducing stress

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This website is fantastic for helping to come up with ideas for exercise-based activities as well as helpful information about staying healthy.

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Overview

Are your students receiving quality physical education each day? A quality PE program that meets national guidelines is the cornerstone for a physically active school and helps support improved classroom behavior, physical fitness, and standardized test scores. Physical education programs provide standards-based daily learning opportunities, age- and developmentally-appropriate instruction, meaningful content and ongoing assessment. The skills, knowledge, and behaviors learned in PE help kids to establish and maintain active lifestyles well into adulthood.

Physical education is best and most impactful when instructed by a certified or licensed physical education teacher. SHAPE (Society for Health and Physical Educators) America recommends that schools provide 150 minutes of instructional PE for elementary students and 225 minutes for middle and high school students per week for the entire school year. Because physical education is based on a comprehensive, content-specific instructional curriculum, it should not be compared to or confused with other school-based physical activities such as recess, intramural sports, brain breaks or classroom energizers.

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Daily Physical Education - Action for Healthy Kids

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Are your students receiving quality physical education each day? A quality PE program that meets national guidelines is the cornerstone for a physically active school and helps support improved classroom behavior, physical fitness, and standardized test scores. Physical education programs provide standards-based daily learning opportunities, age- and developmentally-appropriate instruction, meaningful content and ongoing assessment.

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This website has a lot of great activities, as well as helpful information about children and how to help them thrive.

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Whether it's pouring rain, cold, or scorching hot, weather often impacts our physical education plans. We could have scheduled a nature walk or a trip to the playground, but a shift in weather systems can foil our activities.

I like to have a variety of alternatives to do in times such as these and today I'm going to share them with you!

Check out these 10 fun and exciting indoor physical education ideas for your #homeschool! Click To Tweet

Hot Lava

I used to play this all the time as a child! I made a simple version for our homeschool by cutting out squares of non-skid shelf matting. I spread the matting around on the floor, and the players have to hop from "stone" to "stone" without falling into the hot lava.

Dance Party

Put on some music and bust out your best dance moves. You can organize some dances too, like a conga line, the Chicken Dance (one of my personal favourites) and the limbo!

"Snowball" Fight

Ball up some white socks and throw them at one another! Don't get hit or you turn into a snow statue!

Balance Beam

This is an easy one to set up.

Stick a long piece of painter's tape to the floor and encourage your children to walk across the beam without falling off. You can make it more challenging by having them hop from one balance beam to another.

Hopscotch

While you have the painter's tape out, why not set up a game of hopscotch? Use a bean bag to toss onto the squares of the hopscotch area.

If you don't want to waste painter's tape, you could always purchase a hopscotch rug and roll it out when you want to play.

Yoga

Yoga is one of my favourite indoor physical education activities. Roll out the yoga mats and strike a pose! There are many great kids' yoga DVDs available, and they're often quite affordable.

Hula Hoops

Have you ever done 1 minute of hula hooping?! It's quite the workout! Get out some small hula hoops and challenge your children to keep their hula hoop up as long as they can.

Bean Bag Toss

Set up a target and have your children toss bean bags into it. You can have bowls (each worth a different point value), use a box with cuts holes in it, or you could set up a store-bought bean bag toss game!

Egg Spoon Race

Use tablespoons to carry a plastic egg (like the ones you find in stores before Easter) across the room to a partner. Transfer the egg from your spoon to your partners' spoon without dropping it and then race back to the starting line.

We have this cute egg and spoon race game that we like to use. When the egg drops, the "shell" cracks and the bean bag yolk falls out. It's so much fun!

Tail Tag

Place a piece of fabric in a child's back pocket or loosely wrapped around a belt loop. Everyone chases that child and tries to pull the tail out!

Tunnel

Crawling uses many muscles. We love our pop-up tunnel and often take it out when the weather is bad.

Obstacle Course

Move tables and chairs around and set up a fun obstacle course! We usually crawl under tables, climb over chairs, crawl through boxes, etc. It's so much fun!

Captain, Yes Captain

When I worked in out-of-school care, this was a favourite game to play. I used to chuckle as the kids tried to keep up with the "commands" the "captain" would shout out.

To play, you first select a "captain". The captain yells out orders and the crew have to follow the orders.

Here are the orders:

Bow: Run to the front of the boat (front of room)

Stern: Run to the back of the boat (back of room)

Port: Run to the left side of the boat

Starboard: Run to the right side of the boat.

Hit the deck: Lay down on your stomach

Salute: Salute and yell, "Aye, aye captain!"

Scrub the deck: Drop to your knees and pretend to scrub the floor.

Captain's quarters: Everyone ran towards the captain.

SHARK!: Everyone must run to a designated base. The last player to the base is eliminated.

Parachute games

When my aunt closed her dayhome, she gave us a small 6′ parachute. We've gotten so much use out of it! We do all sorts of games, several we got from the Parachute Play book. We simply clear a space in the middle of the living room and start playing our games - our favourite is to try to keep a ball on the parachute while flapping the parachute up and down.

Simon Says

There's nothing like a game of Simon Says. I like to use especially physical commands such as jumping on one foot, running in one spot, doing jumping jacks, crawling on the belly, sit-ups, etc.

These are just a few of our fun default physical education activities when we can't get outside. I hope you've found something fun for you and your children to do.

Reflect:

What are some of the indoor physical education activities you participate in?

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15 Easy and Exciting Indoor Physical Education Ideas

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Whether it's pouring rain, cold, or scorching hot, weather often impacts our physical education plans. We could have scheduled a nature walk or a trip to the playground, but a shift in weather systems can foil our activities. I like to have a variety of alternatives to do in times such as these and today I'm going to share them with you!

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This website has several great games and activities for children.

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PE games significantly impact kids' physical, psychological, and social development. These games make them move their bodies, increase their strengths and endurance, focus on the rules and learn how to be a team members. In our post, we'll share the best online PE games for kids, as well as other outdoor PE game ideas and fun exercises for kids worth discovering. Let's find out how to get fit for kids.

Online PE Games for Kindergarten

Finding beneficial PE games is quite essential for kindergarteners. Playing PE games support kids' motor skills, bodies, and minds' improvement. We've collected the most favorite online PE games kindergarten level that 5 and 6-year-olds can enjoy a lot, even on their own:

Do you know you can find 240+ online PE games for kids of all ages, including kindergarteners? 🤸👟

The award-winning app MentalUP offers 150+ brain games and 240+ PE games in one app. We know mind and body are connected, so aim to maximize your kid's physical and mental abilities at the same time! 💪🧠

For happier and healthier childhood, MentalUP features all the games and exercises with limited screen time. We encourage kids to sharpen their skills and prepare them for the real world! 🙌

No ads & completely child safe. A daily dose of beneficial technology that all kids need! 🚀✨

Online PE Games for Elementary School

Discovering the most effective PE games elementary level can look hard at first, but it's not! Aged 6 to 11, kids can develop their balance, stretch their muscles, and enjoy using up their energies through funny PE physical education games elementary friendly.

Elementary schoolers have a high amount of wonder about their limits. How fast can they run? How high can they jump? Or, how easily can they solve a riddle? 🤔

MentalUP is the most suitable app for their unique interests! On MentalUP, you select your kid's age group and let the smart algorithm analyze their performance. 🔍

According to their levels, 150+ brain workouts and 240+ PE games for kids will be ready! And your little one will be ready to enjoy and develop his/her abilities as well. 🤩🙌
START TODAY
Online PE Games for Middle School

There are so many PE games for kids that can be considered PE games middle school friendly, but which ones are the best for their development? Check our suggestions full of stretching and cardio moves that aged 11 to 14 kids love a lot to do!

Did you ever envy the energy of the middle schoolers? We know you do! 🤓

In this development stage, kids have limitless energy. They can do everything, but there is one important thing: they do everything only if they think it's fun! 😊

That's why MentalUP is the best app you can rely on! All the brain games and PE exercises on the app are developed by academicians, scientists, and game designers. The kids love to play with them, as much as their parents love and trust MentalUP! 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦
DOWNLOAD MENTALUP
Online PE Games for High School

High school teens take advantage of physical education games! Some PE games high school level make teens love doing workouts for the rest of their lives as a healthy daily habit. These games also have a massive impact on teens' psychology. That's why choosing the correct exercises and PE games for kids, like the ones we offer on MentalUP, is crucial.

Indoor PE Games for Kids

Indoor PE games for kids are especially needed for rainy, freezy, or too hot days. Making daily workout routines should be done without any excuse for a healthy body; that's why exploring the best PE games at home and PE games in the classroom can be a lifesaver!

1. Shark Zone

Here is one of the simple and funny PE games in the gym, but by using some creativity, you can play this game even at home or in the classroom.

Use preferably blue mats to specify the wild sharks' zone. Then, add items around them like cushions, bars, chairs, etc. Tell the kids that mats represent waters full of sharks, so they should arrive at the arrival point you determine by using the other materials you add around the mats.

Divide them into 2 groups, then let them use their strategic thinking and teamwork skills to decide which way is the best for the final point!

2. Red Light - Green Light

Red Light - Green Light is one of the very known indoor physical education games. The game increases kids' attention and memory skills as well as their strength and endurance.

To play this game, you need to set beginning and ending points. Kids should wait for your command to be on the starting line. When you say "green light," they should run towards the finish line, and when you say "red light," they must freeze.

Even if the game is in the easy pe games with no equipment suggestions, you can make it more complex! For example, add "yellow light" for standing on one foot, add "blue light" to walking, or "pink light" for jumping!

3. Musical Chairs

It's not surprising that the Musical Chairs PE game is so popular all over the world!

As one of the best examples of cardio exercises and PE games for kids, Musical Chairs offer so much fun while children build their strength and spend energy.

Even if it's hard to find PE games for small groups, this can be played even with 3 kids and more. All you have to do is set up chairs, one less chair than the number of kids involved.

Then play music, and let kids move around the chairs by walking, running, jumping, or more advanced exercises like push-ups. When you pause the music, they should sit as soon as possible. The one who cannot sit is out!

4. Cats and Mice

You may be familiar with different versions of Cats and Mice because it's one of the best PE games in the gym or any indoor place.

Split kids into two groups: cats and mice. Give them some scarves or any fabrics that they can use. Both cats and mice should tie the scarves to their waistbands like tails.

The cats should chase the mice. When the cats hold mice's scarves, the one who gets caught is out!

5. Jump Race

Here is another good example of effective PE games for kids of all ages. Don't forget that these kinds of balance exercises for kids are both improving and fun for your children.

Run races can start to be boring at some point, but what about jump races? Set two lines as beginning and ending, then let your kids start racing by jumping!

You can make the directions more complicated like they should make 3 jumps, 5 push-ups, 2 tumbles, and then run!

You can keep enjoying indoor PE games with MentalUP! 😇

MentalUP is designed to be with you anytime you want. Do you prefer to stay at home but still do exercise? You can reach the hundreds of PE games for kids on MentalUP! 🥳

Indoor or outdoor, you will have the best personal trainer ever. 💪💯

Outdoor PE Games for Kids

Physical education games are fun, especially if the weather is warm enough to enjoy playing them! Picking PE games outside no equipment is so easy with only some stuff that everyone has. Let's check the best PE games outside and outdoor activities for kids!

1. Popcorn

Let's start with a good warm-up PE game for kids! Popcorn is one of the simple yet funny warm up games for kids to help prepare their bodies and minds to follow the next complicated directions of other games.

Let kids jog around the playground freely at the beginning. When you say "popcorn!" followed by a number, like "popcorn 5", the nearest 5 kids should be a group of popcorn together fastly.

2. Clap and Catch Ball

Here is an excellent example of outside PE volleyball games.

Directs kids to make a large circle on the playground. Then, one of them should throw the ball to a random player. The ones who will catch the ball have to clap their hands first. If they drop the ball or forget clapping, they are out.

You can direct them to jump instead of clapping to make this game more challenging.

3. Making Shapes

If you look for PE games for kids, this one must be on your list! Making Shapes is a fun and beneficial activity in many ways.

As one of the great PE games outside, kids need to be in a large playground to play this. You, as an adult, can be the leader, or assign one of the children.

When the leader calls out the shape's name, kids should start running to draw this shape with their paths. For example, if the shape is a circle, they have to run on an imaginary circle-shaped path.

To make it harder, the leader can give complex directions like "circle, 3, jump," and the kids have to be ready to take a circle-shaped path three times by jumping!

4. Minefield

Gather up the kids and let them choose their partners to group two by two. Partners should be really careful to direct each other to win this game.

You need to have a beginning point and arrival point at the first stage. Then, one of the partner's eyes will be tied up in every group. After that, you should randomly place some objects like ropes, balls, school bags, or anything available around the playground.

The first blindfolded player should try to go to the arrival point without touching the objects you placed. To do that, the player has to listen to his/her partner's verbal directions very carefully!

5. Land the Plane

Who wouldn't want to enjoy one of the best PE games for small groups? This alternative is also one of the most effective stretching exercises for kids.

As an adult, you will be the director of this game. When you call out the following actions, the kids should perform them:

Take Off: They have to walk around with wide-open arms.

Cruise: Jog around the playground freely.

Turbulence: Make different jumps to create the turbulence effect.

Descend: Walk around the playground slower.

Land: Sit on the playground but keep the arms wide-open.

Stop: Down the arms slowly.

These were the best PE games for kids of all ages! With these activities, kids can strengthen their bodies while having fun. Plus, these games can make them have the habit of doing physical exercises every day!

Outdoor PE games for kids offer so much fun! All you need is a garden or a playground, and of course, MentalUP. 👈

Your digital personal trainer will be with you during all exercise sessions! Watch and listen to the constructions and start enjoying the funniest PE games. 🥳✨

No matter what your age is, MentalUP features the best PE games according to your age and also, very importantly, your level!

Haven't you started yet? Don't miss the opportunity for joy, wellness and happiness! 🤸

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PE games significantly impact kids' physical, psychological, and social development. These games make them move their bodies, increase their strengths and endurance, focus on the rules and learn how to be a team members. In our post, we'll share the best online PE games for kids, as well as other outdoor PE game ideas and fun exercises for kids worth discovering.

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This website has incredible lesson plans for the PE setting.

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PEC: Lesson Plans for Physical Education

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PE Central is a web site that provides information about developmentatally appropriate physical education practices and programs.

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This website has numerous great activities for all classroom scenarios.

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SplashLearn Blog – Educational Resources for Parents, Teachers & Kids

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30 Best Energetic PE and Gym Games for Kids

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Gym games for kids will keep your little geniuses moving and engaged, making their time at the gym more enjoyable. Try out these activities with your class today!

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This website has helpful information and activities not just with teaching but about children and their well being in general.

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Outdoor physical activities are beneficial for elementary school kids' physical and mental health, giving them an opportunity to expend their energy and get some fresh air and sunshine.

Physical education (PE) for kids is an important part of learning at home. While outdoor exercise happens more naturally during the summer, how can families ensure that a child has fun exercising throughout the year?

Below are 12 ideas for PE exercises for kids that you may want to add to your list!

PE Games for Kindergarten through Fifth Grade:

1. Timed firefly (aka lightning bug) hunt.

Encourage children to catch as many lightning bugs or other harmless insects in a jar as they can, and see who can capture the most before you call time. Make sure to set the bugs free again! Lessons can also be incorporated into this fun PE activity by having kids learn fun facts about the bugs!

2. Sponge race.

Each participant in this race needs a sponge and two buckets, one bucket filled with water and the other empty. Starting at the empty bucket, players run across the yard to the full bucket, filling the sponge and returning to the empty bucket to squeeze the water into it. The first person to fill the empty bucket to the designated line wins.

3. Timed scavenger hunt.

Set a time limit for kids to find all the objects on a list of items found in nature. Whoever has the most items when the clock runs out wins. Older children can even coordinate the scavenger hunt.

4. Balloon relay race.

To make this race safe from germs, an adult should inflate balloons using a pump instead of blowing them up by mouth. Set up a laundry basket full of balloons and a hard chair for each relay team. Participants run to the basket, pick up a balloon, then run to the chair, sit on the balloon to pop it, then run back.

5. Sack race.

For this old-fashioned but socially distant favorite, each child will need their own sack or pillowcase. Players stand in their sacks and jump their way to the finish line.

6. Outdoor yard sports and games.

Outdoor physical education activities like sports require equipment, but you can easily set up and play them in a yard or nearby park.

Fun PE games for kids like soccer, kickball, or basketball can be played with just a ball at a nearby park. Games like "H-O-R-S-E" or "around the world" can be played with just two or more players on a basketball court. Net sports like tennis, volleyball, and badminton are great PE games for kids. Many public parks have tennis courts you can use, but you can also set up outdoor volleyball or badminton in the grass. Volleyball is always fun at the beach, but you might also find sand volleyball courts at a public swimming pool in your area.

Once you have a net, you'll just need racquets and birdies or a volleyball. Two to four people can play each sport.

7. Solitary exercise.

Other traditional gym activities for kids include jumping rope or hula-hooping, both of which are excellent forms of exercise. Either of these activities can be done indoors on rainy days, too.

8. Group games.

Try some variations on classic PE activities for elementary school students: flashlight tag, "Simon Says" with balls or other items, and water-bottle bowling in the yard.

9. Outdoor pool activities.

As long as they aren't crowded, pools can still be a safe option for some outdoor exercise. Swimming or jogging laps is great for cardio exercise and muscle toning. Elementary school children who want to become better swimmers and stronger athletes can do laps regularly and track their progress.

10. Diving games.

Diving for objects like diving rings and diving gems at the bottom of the pool helps swimmers practice holding their breath longer. It's also a lot of fun for kids to play diving games, such as racing to find as many coins as possible within a time limit or within one breath.

11. Water aerobics.

Instead of signing up for a water aerobics class, create your own exercise routine to do in the backyard or neighborhood public pool. Kids of all ages and their parents can get involved. Watch water aerobics videos online to learn some moves and consider using a pair of water weights.

12. Water wars.

There are plenty of ways for children to have fun with water fights. Challenge them to stay on their rafts while practicing their splashing techniques on each other or shooting water guns.

If thunderstorms keep you inside, you can always try this list of indoor PE activities for online elementary students.

There are plenty of fun PE activities for kids to try that fit into their online school schedule. For more tips on keeping kids learning at home, visit Connections Academy's resources page for families who are new to distance learning or online school.

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12 Outdoor PE Activities for Kids | Fun, socially distant outside activities

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Warm weather expands the options for your child's physical education. Here are 12 outdoor activities that provide safe, fun exercise for kids.

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This website not only has several great active classroom and gym activities but great help and advice in general

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There's nothing kids need more to break up a day spent sitting still and listening than a fun PE class to let off some steam. In the old days, going to gym class probably included playing kickball or dodgeball after running a few laps. Since then, there have been countless reinventions of and variations on old classics as well as completely new games. Although there is no shortage of options, we love that the supplies required remain relatively minimal. You can transport to another galaxy using just a pool noodle or two or create a life-size game of Connect 4 using just Hula-Hoops. You'll want to make sure to have some staples on hand like balls, beanbags, and parachutes. There are even PE games for kindergartners based on beloved children's TV shows and party games. Regardless of your students' athletic abilities, there is something for everyone on our list of elementary PE games!

1. Tic-Tac-Toe Relay

Elementary PE games that not only get students moving but also get them thinking are our favorites. Grab some Hula-Hoops and a few scarves or beanbags and get ready to watch the fun!

Learn more: Tic-Tac-Toe Relay at S&S Blog

2. Blob Tag

Pick two students to start as the Blob, then as they tag other kids, they will become part of the Blob. Be sure to demonstrate safe tagging, stressing the importance of soft touches.

Learn more: Blob Tag at Playworks

3. Cross the River

This fun game has multiple levels that students have to work through, including "get to the island," "cross the river," and "you lost a rock."

Learn more: Cross the River at The PE Specialist

4. Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Cones

Line up cones, then have students pair up and stand on either side of a cone. Finally, call out head, shoulders, knees, or cones. If cones is called, students have to race to be the first to pick up their cone before their opponent.

Learn more: Head, Shoulders, Knees & Cones at S&S Blog

5. Spider Ball

Elementary PE games are often variations of dodgeball like this one. One or two players start with the ball and attempt to hit all of the runners as they run across the gym or field. If a player is hit, they can then join in and become a spider themselves.

Learn more: Spider Ball Game at Kid Activities

6. Crab Soccer

We love elementary PE games that require students to act like animals (and we think they will too). Similar to regular soccer, but students will need to play on all fours while maintaining a crab-like position.

Learn more: Crab Soccer at Playworks

7. Halloween Tag

This is the perfect PE game to play in October. It's similar to tag, but there are witches, wizards, and blobs with no bones!

Learn more: Halloween Tag at The Physical Educator

8. Crazy Caterpillars

We love that this game is not only fun but also works on students' hand-eye coordination. Students will have fun pushing their balls around the gym with pool noodles while building their caterpillars.

9. Monster Ball

You'll need a large exercise ball or something similar to act as the monster ball in the middle. Make a square around the monster ball, divide the class into teams on either side of the square, then task the teams with throwing small balls at the monster ball to move it into the other team's area.

Learn more: Monster Ball at The PE Specialist

10. Striker Ball

Striker ball is an enjoyable game that will keep your students entertained while working on reaction time and strategic planning. We love that there is limited setup required before playing.

Learn more: Striker Ball at S&S Blog

11. Parachute Tug-of-War

What list of elementary PE games would be complete without some parachute fun? So simple yet so fun, all you will need is a large parachute and enough students to create two teams. Have students stand on opposite sides of the parachute, then let them compete to see which side comes out on top.

Learn more: Parachute Tug-of-War at Mom Junction

12. Fleas Off the Parachute

Another fun parachute game where one team needs to try to keep the balls (fleas) on the parachute and the other tries to get them off.

Learn more: Fleas Off the Parachute at Mom Junction

13. Crazy Ball

The setup for this fun game is similar to kickball, with three bases and a home base. Crazy ball really is so crazy as it combines elements of football, Frisbee, and kickball!

Learn more: Crazy Ball at Health Beet

14. Bridge Tag

This game starts as simple tag but evolves into something more fun once the tagging begins. Once tagged, kids must form a bridge with their body and they can't be freed until someone crawls through.

Learn more: Bridge Tag at Great Camp Games

15. Star Wars Tag

Elementary PE games that allow you to be your favorite movie character are just way too much fun! You will need two different-colored pool noodles to stand in for lightsabers. The tagger will have one color pool noodle that they use to tag students while the healer will have the other color that they will use to free their friends.

Learn more: Star Wars Tag at Great Camp Games

16. Rob the Nest

Create an obstacle course that leads to a nest of eggs (balls) and then divide the students into teams. They will have to race relay-style through the obstacles to retrieve eggs and bring them back to their team.

17. Four Corners

We love this classic game since it engages students physically while also working on color recognition for younger students. Have your students stand on a corner, then close their eyes and call out a color. Students standing on that color earn a point.

Learn more: Four Corners at The Many Little Joys

18. Movement Dice

This is a perfect warm-up that requires only a die and a sheet with corresponding exercises.

Learn more: Roll the Dice Movement Break at Teaching Littles

19. Rock, Paper, Scissors Tag

A fun spin on tag, children will tag one another and then play a quick game of Rock, Paper, Scissors to determine who has to sit and who gets to continue playing.

Learn more: Rock, Paper, Scissors Tag at Grade Onederful

20. Cornhole Cardio

This one is so fun but can be a little bit confusing, so be sure to leave plenty of time for instruction. Kids will be divided into teams before proceeding through a fun house that includes cornhole, running laps, and stacking cups.

Learn more: Cardio Cornhole at S&S Blog

21. Connect 4 Relay

This relay takes the game Connect 4 to a whole new level. Players must connect four dots either horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.

22. Zookeepers

Students will love imitating their favorite animals while playing this fun variation of Four Corners where the taggers are the zookeepers.

23. Racket Whack-It

Students stand with rackets in hand while balls are thrown at them-they must either dodge the balls or swat them away.

Learn more: Racket Whack-It via PEgames.org

24. Crazy Moves

Set mats out around the gym, then yell out a number. Students must race to the mat before it is already filled with the correct number of bodies.

Learn more: Crazy Moves at PEgames.org

25. Wheelbarrow Race

Sometimes the best elementary PE games are the simplest. An oldie but a goodie, wheelbarrow races require no equipment and are guaranteed to be a hit with your students.

Learn more: Wheelbarrow Race at wikiHow

26. Live-Action Pac-Man

Fans of retro video games like Pac-Man will get a kick out of this live-action version where students get to act out the characters.

27. Spaceship Tag

Give each of your students a Hula-Hoop (spaceship), then have them run around trying not to bump into anyone else's spaceship or get tagged by the teacher (alien). Once your students get really good at it, you can add different levels of complexity.

28. Rock, Paper, Scissors Beanbag Balance

We love this spin on Rock, Paper, Scissors because it works on balance and coordination. Students walk around the gym until they find an opponent, then the winner collects a beanbag, which they must balance on their head!

Learn more: Rock, Paper, Scissors Beanbag Balance at PE Universe

29. Throwing, Catching, and Rolling

This is a fun activity but it will require a lot of preparation, including asking the school maintenance staff to collect industrial-sized paper towel rolls. We love this activity because it reminds us of the old-school arcade game Skee-Ball!

Learn more: Winter Activity at S&S Blog

30. Jenga Fitness

Although Jenga is fun enough on its own, combining it with fun physical challenges is sure to be a winner with young students.

Learn more: Jenga Fitness at S&S Blog

31. Volcanoes and Ice Cream Cones

Divide the class into two teams, then assign one team as volcanoes and the other as ice cream cones. Next, spread cones around the gym, half upside down and half right side up. Finally, have the teams race to flip as many cones as possible to either volcanoes or ice cream cones.

Learn more: Warm-Up Games at Prime Coaching Sport

32. 3 Ball

This fun variation on dodgeball will have your students getting exercise while having a ton of fun! Begin with three balls on a basketball court. If you are hit by a ball, you are out. If you take a step while holding a ball, you are out. There are other rules surrounding getting out and also how to get back in, which can be found in this video.

33. Musical Hula-Hoops

PE games for kindergartners that are similar to party games are some of our favorites! Think musical chairs but with Hula-Hoops! Lay enough Hula-Hoops around the edge of the gym minus five students since they will be in the muscle pot. Once the music starts, students walk around the gym. When the music stops, whoever doesn't find a Hula-Hoop becomes the new muscle pot!

34. 10-Second Tag

This game is perfect to play at the beginning of the year since it helps with learning names and allows the teacher to get to know the first student in line.

35. The Border

This game is so fun and requires no equipment whatsoever. Divide the gym into two sides. One side can move freely while the other side must avoid letting their feet touch the floor by rolling around, crawling, etc.

36. Freedom Catch

This is a simple throwing, catching, and tag game that will certainly be a hit with your PE class. Captors attempt to tag players so they can send them to jail. You can be freed if someone on your team runs to a freedom cone while throwing a ball to the jailed person. If the ball is caught by the jailed person, they can rejoin the game.

37. Oscar's Trashcan

As far as PE games for kindergartners goes, this one is a guaranteed winner since it is based on the show Sesame Street. You'll need two large areas that can be sectioned off to use as trash cans and also a lot of medium-size balls. There are two teams who must compete to fill their opponent's trash can while emptying their own. Once over, the trash will be counted and the team with the least amount of trash in their trash can wins!

38. 4-Way Frisbee

Divide your class into four separate teams, who will compete for points by catching a Frisbee inside one of the designated goal areas. Defenders are also able to go into the goal areas. There are a number of other rules that can be applied so you can modify the game in a way that's best for your class.

39. Badminton King's/Queen's Court

This one is simple but fun since it is played rapid-fire with kids waiting their turn to take on the King or Queen of the court. Two players start and as soon as a point is earned, the loser swaps places with another player. The goal is to be the player that stays on the court the longest, consistently knocking out new opponents.

40. Jumping and Landing Stations

Kids love stations and they definitely love jumping, so why not combine those things into one super-fun gym class? They'll have a blast challenging themselves with all the different obstacles presented in this video.

41. Ninja Warrior Obstacle Course

Regardless of whether you've ever seen an episode of American Ninja Warrior, you are probably familiar with the concept and so are your students. Plus, you'll probably have just as much fun as your students setting up the obstacles and testing them out!

42. Balloon Tennis

Since kids love playing keepy-uppy with a balloon, they will love taking it a step further with balloon tag!

43. Indoor Putting Green

If your school can afford to invest in these unique putting green sets, you can introduce the game of golf to kids as young as kindergarten. Who knows, you might just have a future Masters winner in your class!

44. Scooter Activities

Let's be honest, we all have fond memories of using scooters in gym class. Regardless of whether you do a scooter sleigh or scooter hockey, we think there is something for everyone in this fun video.

45. Pick It Up

This is the perfect PE game to play if you are stuck in a small space with a good-size group. Teams win by making all of their beanbag shots and then collecting all of their dots and stacking them into a nice neat pile.

46. Dodgeball Variations

Since not all kids love having balls thrown at them, why not try a dodgeball alternative that uses gym equipment as targets rather than fellow students? For example, have each student stand in front of a Hula-Hoop with a bowling ball inside of it. Students need to protect their hoop while attempting to knock over their opponents' pins.

What are your favorite elementary PE games to play with your class? Come and share in our We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

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46 Unique Phys Ed Games Your Students Will Love

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PE class provides students with a much-needed outlet to run around. Spice things up with one of these fun and innovative elementary PE games!

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This site has several tips, and activities that help with all classroom environments.

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45 Fun And Simple Gym Games For Kids - Teaching Expertise

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A balance game is important for your preschooler's fine motor development. Have students use their bean bags in different ways practicing their balancing

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This website provides countless activities and tips for creating healthy physical activities for children.

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Introducing Children to a Healthy Lifestyle Through Nutrition & Movement Imagine a world where every child has access to safe walking paths, welcoming green spaces and gardens to play and explore, and classrooms that facilitate movement and health.At Greater Richmond Fit4Kids, we're dedicated to improving children's health and wellness through healthy eating and physical activity.Wellness Extends Beyond the Classroom At ...

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A comprehensive resource for teachers 3-6 to incorporate self-regulation activities into their daily classroom routine. This set of brain break ideas can be used by your whole class or individual students. These energizing breaks help students to re-energize when their body is running too slow. Th..…

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"It's time to do homework." 😱

This simple phrase is often dreaded by kids and parents. And it's understandable.

With so many changes this year, including much more learning from home, parents want to stay involved in their children's education more than ever. But spending too much time on homework only seems to lead to distraction, frustration or exhaustion (or all of the above).

It might feel like a constant battle, and homework stress can lead to burnout and anxiety for kids if you're not careful.

That's why brain breaks for kids are so important for reducing stress and keeping kids motivated to learn!

But first, what is a brain break?

What are brain breaks for kids?

Brain breaks are mental breaks kids can take in between learning tasks.

They're often used at school during class time, or at home during homework time. These activities can be active or relaxing, depending what's needed for each child.

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto

The purpose of brain breaks is to switch neural activity to different networks.

When kids are working, most of their energy goes to specific parts of the brain that are used for attention and critical thinking. Brain breaks reset these areas to reduce stress and improve learning when kids return to task.

Brain breaks often focus on physical movement, mindfulness or sensory activities. These activities stimulate other areas of the brain that are equally important, but aren't used as much when kids are working and learning.

Most importantly, brain breaks are:

1. Short - Around 3-5 minutes is optimal.

2. Pre-planned - Kids know they're coming and can look forward to them.

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37 Brain break activities for kids to try

Use these brain break ideas to build up a list of activities you can pull from. Whether your child is in elementary, middle or high school, you can find an activity that works for them to break up the school day or homework sessions.

Physical brain breaks for kids

These brain breaks get kids up and moving. Help your child burn off some energy so they can stay focused when working by taking movement breaks between lessons.

1. Dancing

Encourage your child to get up and groove and do a brain break dance party. Take a quick dance break together, or even have a dance-off (singing along is also highly recommended).

A fun variation on the dance idea is trying out freeze dance, where kids have to freeze when the music stops.

2. Action songs

Action songs are unique dance breaks that provide exact instructions for what to do. Kids have tons of fun following along with the moves and learning each of the songs.

3. Cardio

Do some fun physical activities that get the heart pumping. Try alternating between exercises like jumping jacks, skipping and jogging in place.

Or throw on a kid-friendly video and learn a new workout together!

4. Balloon volleyball

All you need for this brain break is a balloon! Choose one in your child's favorite color, then take turns passing it back and forth without letting it touch the ground.

For a challenge, add an extra balloon and see if you can pass them both at the same time.

5. Exercise ball

If you have an exercise ball handy, give your child a few minutes to sit and bounce. This is a super easy and fun way to quickly get some excess energy out.

6. Brain tricks

Try some action-based brain tricks with your child. For example, have them try to pat their head while rubbing their stomach, blink one eye while snapping with the opposite hand, or anything else you can think of!

This brain break is a fun way to challenge your child and help them develop important coordination skills.

7. Act like...

A fun way to engage kids is to give them different scenarios to act out. See how many they can do in 3 minutes. Then get them to give you scenarios so you can show off your acting skills, too!
Try asking them to act like:

They're driving a car

They're blowing bubbles

A bee is flying around them

They just met their favorite singer

8. Simon says

This classic action game is a fun brain break that also requires good listening skills. Create your own game or play a video version for your child.

9. Animal actions

Use dice or a spinner to choose random animals, then ask your child to act like that animal. You can also take turns being a different animal, then vote on your favorite at the end!

Relaxing brain breaks for kids

These brain breaks help kids calm down and reset their energy. They're especially helpful if your child is starting to feel stressed about what they're working on.

1. Yoga poses

Get the body moving, while also helping kids relax and practice mindfulness. Yoga can be a huge stress reliever for all ages, so join in when you can!

2. Calming music

Listen to a relaxing song to help your child unwind. Have them sit somewhere comfortable, relax and enjoy the music in between learning tasks.

3. Calming videos

Find short clips on YouTube Kids to play for your child. Choose a few new ones based on their interests, or find videos you already know they enjoy watching.

4. Coloring

Let your child color a picture (or a piece of a picture). This is a relaxing way to get creative juices flowing. Plus, they can display the final product when they're done!

Use a coloring page or give your child a blank piece of paper to draw their own picture.

5. Deep breathing

Help your child decompress with some deep breathing exercises. This will instantly help them relax and relieve stress so they can feel ready to take on their next task.

Encourage your child to try this: breathe in through the nose while placing your hand on your stomach to feel it expand. Hold it here, then slowly breathe out through the mouth while feeling your stomach contract. Repeat.

Or, try a technique like 4-7-8 breathing or five finger breathing.

Sensory brain breaks for kids

Fresh air is always encouraged! Stepping outside for a few minutes can make a bigger difference than you'd think.

It gives kids a change of scenery and helps revitalize the senses, providing a welcome break from their homework.

2. Scavenger hunt

Give your child different things to find and explore throughout the house. During each brain break, they can try to find one new item on their list.

3. Playdough

You can do tons of different things with playdough. That's why it's always a favorite among kids!

Let your child build something new or just squish some playdough around - whatever they prefer.

Try this recipe for homemade playdough.

4. Sensory bin

Sensory bins are a popular option, especially for kids with sensory needs. You can change the items in the bin as often as you'd like to keep your child from getting bored or understimulated.

Skill-building brain breaks for kids

With these brain breaks, kids can still learn and develop new skills. Their brains still get a break when you switch the focus to a new activity.
Tip: Try to go back and forth between different subjects. For instance, if your child is working on math homework, choose a language brain break.
1. Puzzles

Get out a jigsaw puzzle and have your child work on a little bit each break, or challenge them to try different math puzzles to flex their mathematical minds.

2. Secret handshake

This brain break definitely requires your participation! Create a secret handshake with your child, then try to remember it (and maybe even add onto it) next time.

3. Segment sounds

This is an easy and fun way to build language skills.

Give your child a word or phrase, and have them segment it into sounds or syllables. They can do whatever action they want to while they segment, like clapping or stomping.
For example, the sounds in "cat" would be k-a-t. The syllables in dinosaur would be di-no-saur.
4. Story starters

Make a quick story during each brain break with story starters. Your child can either write their stories down or just say them out loud.

5. Write a book

Instead of individual stories, create a longer story together and keep building upon it as you go.

Each break, come up with a different page of the story. Once it's written, you can go back and illustrate each page!

6. Activity pages

Give your child a fun activity sheet to work on during their brain breaks. This will keep kids on a roll with worksheets, while still switching up tasks and reducing overload.

Get fun printable activities here!

7. Brain teasers

Brain teasers give kids a bit of a challenge, but are also tons of fun to solve! Choose a brain teaser for whatever subject you want them to focus on during their brain break.
Try these 45 fun brain teasers for kids (with answers).
8. Riddles

Kids love a good riddle. Give them easy ones to see how many they can solve in one brain break, or try to stump them with a tougher riddle.
Try these 43 awesome riddles for kids (with answers).
9. Learn a language

Why not learn a useful skill? Language learning is great for kids' development, and they might even find a new language they love!
Try one of these 10 best language learning apps for kids.
10. Learn to juggle

Try another interesting skill that your child can show off to their friends later! Juggling can also boost coordination and concentration abilities.

11. Talent show

Each brain break, have your child perform a different skill, like singing, dancing or even juggling (once they learn how). You can also take turns and have your whole family take part!

12. Icebreakers

Ask your child a different question every brain break. You can make the questions up, or choose them from a list of icebreakers. Your child will have fun thinking of their answers, and you'll learn more about their interests!

13. Alphabet game

Choose a category (ex. movies, food, jobs etc.), then take turns naming something from that category while going down the alphabet.

For example, if your category is food, one person might say "apples," the next person "bananas" and so on. Categorization is an important skill to practice, but the alphabet game is entertaining, too!

14. Math dice

Take two dice (the bigger the better) and have your child roll them to solve math problems, with whatever operation you choose.

For example, if your child rolls a 4 and a 6, they have to add them together to get the correct answer of 10.

Brain break games for kids

A quick game gives kids a bit of fun in between work tasks, allowing their minds to reset. And you can have fun playing games with them too!

1. Board games

In between homework tasks, give your child a turn or two at a board game. Once the work is done, you can finish the game together!

Try Blokus: a fun board game that's just like Tetris.
Or try more board games for kids.
2. Heads Up!

This game involves guessing what image or word is on your forehead from the other player giving you clues.

It's also conveniently timed for you, so after a round, your child will be ready to begin the next homework task.
Try the Heads Up! Kids app.
3. Indoor bowling

Find a level space in your home to set up a makeshift bowling lane. Then collect items to use as "pins" (try empty water bottles or toys) and use a small ball to knock them down!

4. Charades

Another classic game that everyone can enjoy! Write a few objects or phrases down, then take turns choosing one from a hat to act out. See how many each of you can guess. You can use a specific category or just make it completely random!

5. Minute to Win It

You might be familiar with the popular game show, but did you know you can play it at home?

Each minute to win it challenge is just that - a minute. That means it's perfect for brain breaks. Each break, you can give your child a different challenge to complete using any household items you have lying around.
Try these Minute to Win It games for kids and family.
Benefits of brain breaks for kids

Ever been stuck for ages on a work task, only to complete it with ease after taking a quick break?

The same is true for your child. Without breaks, children's minds can become too focused on the task at hand, which can actually prevent them from processing what they're learning.

But regular brain breaks help your child's mind reset, so they have more mental energy to learn!

Brain breaks can also:

Brain breaks are especially important for children with behavioral or sensory needs, but all children can benefit from taking some time to unwind.

5 Tips to use brain breaks effectively

1. Find the timing that works best for your child

Build a brain break schedule to help you remember to use them! This will also help your child stay motivated during work time, knowing they have a break coming up.
What should your schedule look like?
Research shows that after 10 to 30 minutes, time on task starts to decline. This means scheduling a 3-5 minute brain break every 20 minutes or so will be best for most kids. But depending on your child's age and specific needs, this timing may need to be adjusted.

You can also plan breaks around tasks instead of timing. For example, you might decide to give your child a brain break once they answer 5 math questions.

Figure out what your child responds best to, and create a brain break schedule that works for both of you.

But be flexible when the time comes. If your child's attention seems to be fading, start a brain break early. If they're on a roll, hold off on taking a break.

2. Find the right brain break for your child

Think about what your child responds best to, then use this to figure out what kind of brain break they need.

Are breaks more effective when they relax or when they get up and move? Is it best to keep them learning or give their minds a rest? This could vary from day-to-day, so try to gauge energy levels to determine what will work best.

Make sure you have options from each category so you can use the most effective brain break each day!

3. Make a list of activities

Create a list to ensure you always have options. This way, you'll have no problem thinking of a fun brain break to give your child when the time comes.

Write or print them on a piece of paper, or use a more creative option:

Put them on large dice or beach balls

Write them on paper or popsicle sticks to pull from a box or jar

Print a brain breaks bingo card to complete (you can use an existing one or make your own)

Once you have your list, you can choose the brain breaks yourself, let your child choose or make it a surprise!

4. Use a timer

Keep time with a stopwatch or phone timer to ensure your break lasts the right amount of time.

Too short, and kids might not get enough of a break. Too long, and they might become distracted and reluctant to return to the task at hand.

Make sure the timer is somewhere your child can see, so they can be fully prepared to get back to work when it's time.

5. Talk about it afterward

When work is finished, talk to kids about their experiences.

This gives them a chance to provide feedback that will help you understand how you can optimize your brain breaks.

Ask your child the following questions:

What was your favorite brain break?

How did you find today's work/homework?

How do you think the brain break helped you?

Brain breaks work for younger and older kids

At first glance, brain breaks might just seem like a fun distraction for kids to have a quick indoor recess. And while that's true, there are so many more benefits for kids and educators.

Brain breaks provide relief from constant hands-on learning. They can relieve stress, alleviate pressure and even help boost self-esteem if done right.

Next time your child or students are working, watch how much they get energized from these short breaks. You might even start adding them to your day.

We hope you found a new favorite in this list of brain break ideas and activities.

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37 Brain Breaks for Kids: Quick, Easy and Educational

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"It's time to do homework." 😱 This simple phrase is often dreaded by kids and parents. And it's understandable. With so many changes this year, including much more learning from home, parents want to stay involved in their children's education more than ever.

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Brain Breaks for Kids: Upper Elementary Brain Breaks

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Check out this free list of brain breaks for kids that you can do in your upper elementary classroom. Refresh their brains with easy and fun brain breaks!

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Let's face it; a typical school day demands a lot from students. It is vital that we acknowledge their need for movement and breaks throughout the day. Scheduling short breaks can improve focus and productivity, reduce stress, anxiety, and frustration, and help kids learn to self-regulate and be more aware.

Having scheduled and responsive brain breaks based on your students' needs in your classroom can have a huge impact. Choosing the right brain break is critical. There might be times you want to help students calm down to allow them to focus, while other times you might want to choose an activity that will help energize their bodies and brains.

Including students in the conversation about the goal of the brain break will allow them to build their executive functioning skills and empower them to advocate for their breaks as they feel they need them.

No matter what, the key is having a full arsenal of brain bank options ready to go and management systems in place to provide smooth transitions in and out of breaks.

Managing Brain Breaks

Some brain breaks can quickly transform your classroom into a place of momentary (and necessary) chaos. The goal is a simple and expected routine to set students, and teachers, up for success. Follow these tips to maintain CONTROLLED chaos.

1. The ideal brain breaks should last about 3-5 minutes.

2. Identify a signal such as a bell, chime, or light flicker to signify the end of the brain break and transition to the next work block.

3. Give clear expectations for what is expected after the brain break. For example, "When you hear the chime, it is the end of our brain break, and you can quickly, calmly, and quietly move your body to the front carpet for writing."

4. If students cannot successfully transition out of the brain break, you must cancel brain breaks momentarily. Setting high expectations will teach them they must follow the routine to have the privilege of brain breaks.

5. With practice and coaching, your students will be able to successfully transition after you signal the end of the break.

Team Building Brain Breaks

Paper Plate Promanade

Pass a paper plate to each student. Play a song and have them walk around the room while balancing the plate on their heads. Of course, plates will start to fall off heads. Students are NOT permitted to pick up their own plates. Instead, a peer can come to pick up the fallen plate (without dropping their own) and return it to the dropper's head.

The game can last the length of the song.

Save the plates and reuse them another day.

No-Talking Game - Order Line-up

This is a simple strategy to get students up, moving, and communicating using nonverbal skills. You will need to provide basic ground rules.

1. When the bell/chime rings, light flickers, I say ____, there will be no talking permitted.

2. Select a category and ask students to line up in that order-for example, by height, shoe size, birthday by month and date, and alphabetically by middle name. Provide clear instructions on where students should form a line. Allow students to ask questions before signaling the start of the challenge.

3. Use the same signal to end the challenge once it appears they are all in line.

4. Evaluate success as a class and allow students to self-correct.

If you want to add a layer of challenge, you can also participate in the no-talking rule!

Beach Ball Bump

You will need a BIG beach ball. Have students line up against the wall in the classroom. If you need more space, move to the hallway. Have students lie down, so their legs and feet are up against the wall.

The challenge is for students to move the beach ball from one end of the line to the other, then back again. The catch is they are only able to use their feet. This will challenge students to isolate small movements in their legs and feet to pass the ball successfully. If the ball rolls away, grab it and restart at the opposite end of the line.

Low Prep Brain Breaks

You will need a bag of colored plastic cups. Divide the class into two teams: Team UP and Team DOWN. Give each student 2-3 cups and have them place them on the floor facing up or down, depending on which team they are on. When you give the signal (bell, whistle, magic word, etc.), a 2-minute timer starts and students will move about the room, trying to get the cups facing up or down, depending on which team they are on. Students step back when the timer is up, and whichever team has the most cups facing their way wins.

Take it to the next level by adding a third team who tries to get all the cups lying on their sides.

The Yuck Factor

This brain break aims to gross out your class and totally nerd out. It takes a little extra planning, but it is definitely worth it every once in a while. Check out to find lots of kid-appropriate gross facts. You can also refer to the . Share a page with students and find a short Youtube video to understand the science behind it to watch. It is surprising what the Yuck Factor and a few minutes of discussion can do to energize a class.

Would You Rather?

Speaking of Would You Rather, there are lots of Would You Rather brain break options on Youtube. The best options involve movement for students to show their choice to help energize their bodies.

You can increase classroom engagement by creating your own class set. Simply provide students with several notecards. Have them write down their own would you rather question, as well as movement for each option. For example, would you rather only eat chocolate for the rest of your life but have unlimited beverage choices, or only be able to drink chocolate milk for the rest of your life but have limitless food choices? If you chose to eat chocolate, complete 30 seconds of high knees. If you chose to drink chocolate milk, complete 30 seconds of knee lunges.

It's Not A... is a short, quick break that engages students with each other, challenges them to think creatively, and focuses their attention. First, grab a random object from around the room. It could be an empty cup, a pencil, a stapler, an empty toilet paper roll, literally anything! Next, gather students standing in a circle. The game's structure follows the frame, "This is not a _____, it's a ____."

Let's say you chose an empty paper towel roll. Hold up the tube and start the game by saying, "This is not an empty paper towel roll; it's a unicorn horn." (Hold the tube up to your head to model). Then pass the object to the next person. They will say, "This is not a unicorn horn; it's a ______." The one catch is that there cannot be any repeats. The game is complete once the object has made its way around the circle. If there is time, you could do a second round to challenge students' creativity. It is fun, quick, and silly and can be a great break before a writing block.

Video Brain Breaks

Directed Drawing

Directed drawing can provide a low-pressure, fun space for students to practice following directions, build confidence in themselves as artists, and have some fun. There are lots of directed drawing videos on Youtube. The artists often encourage and cheer on the young artists throughout each tutorial.

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is a classroom favorite! Students can get up and move for 2-5 minutes with various movement options. Your class can choose and create your own mascot that continues to grow as you complete dances, workouts, meditations, and stretching techniques.

Simply sign up for a FREE account, explore the categories, and start trying them out with your class. They have a great variety to increase energy, calm bodies and boost focus.

When In Doubt, Dance It Out

Whether to make a class playlist of each student's favorite song or find a directed dance video, a good old dance party can often be just what your class needs to make it through the school day.
The Sid Shuffle - Ice Age: Continental Drift
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Brain breaks can be reused over and over. Students will start to look forward to certain activities.

Use them as needed. Determine what parts of the day your students might need help to refocus, energize, or regulate their bodies.

Remind students that the purpose of the break is to give our body what it needs to be successful with our work in school. Yes, it can sometimes be fun and silly, but we use them as tools to help us do our best.

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10 Brain Breaks for 3rd, 4th, and 5th Grade - Twinkl

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Scheduling short breaks can improve students' focus and productivity, reduce stress, anxiety, and frustration, and help kids self-regulate and be more aware. Having planned and responsive brain breaks based on the needs of the students in your classroom can have a considerable impact. Choosing the right brain break is critical.

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Grades 3-6

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Help Students Refocus With These 6 Movement Activities

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Are you getting that glazed over look from your students? Don’t worry - they probably just need a brain break. Here are 6 quick games that will get their blood flowing so they can refocus on your amazing lesson!

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Brain Break Ideas for 3rd, 4th, and 5th Grade

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General

A fun way to start the class, or as a break throughout the day, use this Brain Breaks/Puzzles Game show to challenge your students and have some fun.
There are five categories, Rhyming Riddles, Segmenting Sounds, Segmenting Syllables, Rebus, and Word Ladders. Each category has five questions that vary in difficulty. Each category type also has further explanation of what it is, and how they work to either review with the class before starting the game show, or simply as reference.

This activity was made with the Gynzy Game Show tool that allows you to create your own quiz game to play with your students.

Categories

The Brain Breaks/Puzzles game show is divided into five categories. Here is a brief explanation of each category:
- Rhyming Riddles: Students are given hints and then given a word that rhymes with the desired answer. (Example- I have four legs and like to bark. I rhyme with jog. = dog)
- Segmenting Sounds: Students are asked to to identify sounds or phonemes, rather than letters or syllables which are in a word. Say the word aloud for the students, and then ask the students to say the segmented sounds as their answer.
- Segmenting Syllables: Students are asked to segment syllables- to determine how many syllables a word has. Students can clap or tap out the number of syllables and then say or write the number to give their answer.
- Rebus: A rebus is a collection of pictures whose whose words together form the name of something else. This easy rebus requires no spelling, only recognition of the images which together form the name of a children's book.
- Word Ladder: Students are asked to transform one word into another, by changing one letter at each step. Students are given a picture to help them determine which word to make as well as blanks which indicate where the changed letter belongs.

Teaching tips

Use the game as is or customize it by clicking ' Edit.' Tailor the questions and answers to your students. Add or replace images. Use as many or as few categories as you want. When you're done modifying the game to your student needs, click ' Save' and it will be saved to your game shows.

More information about Game Show

A Gynzy Game Show is built using one or more categories. Each category has five questions. These questions have an increasing point value, with the first question worth 10 points, the second question worth 20 points, and so on. Students play in teams and can earn points by correctly answering the questions. The team that scores the most points, wins.

Opening and Saving Game Shows
Game shows are saved in the tool. When you open the tool, you see an overview of all of your saved game shows. You can sort this overview by name or date created. You can also search for a game show by keyword. This is useful when you have saved many game shows in the tool.

Open a game show by clicking the title. Click the pencil to edit the lesson and delete the lesson by clicking the trash can.

You can share game shows with others by saving them in a lesson. When you open a lesson containing a game show that you wish to save, simply save the game show by clicking the " Edit" button. You'll get a message that you are not the owner of the game show and be prompted to save it. A copy of the game show will be saved in your Game Show Overview.

How do you play a Gynzy Game Show?
After you have opened a game show via the overview or in a saved lesson, you can play immediately. Select the number of teams playing as well as their team names and colors by going to the ' Settings' button.

Standard Game rules:
- Select one person as the game host; usually this is the Teacher.
- Divide the students into teams. (Tip: using our Buddy Picker or Group Maker you can quickly and fairly create teams.)You may have the team select a team captain, or have the students be spokesperson in turn.
- Select a team to start. The captain/spokesperson selects a category and question. For example, they might say: "We'd like Geography for 30 points, please."
- The game host displays the question by selecting the square.
- The game host may determine how points are distributed. For example, you may allow each team to discuss and determine an answer but the team who selected the question gets to answer first. Each team writes their answer on a mini whiteboard (or sheet of paper) in a determined amount of time.
- The team captain/spokesperson shares their answer with the class and the game host displays the answer by selecting 'show answer'.
- The rest of the teams may also show their answers. Points are then assigned: full points for correct answers, half points for partially correct answers, and no points for incorrect answers.
- The team that received full points may now select a category and question.
- The game continues until all questions have been asked.
- The team that scores the most points, wins!

Variations:
- You can choose to award half points to any team with the correct answer to encourage engagement.
- You may also have teams divide into specialist categories, so one student is responsible for a specific category of questions.

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A fun way to start the class, or as a break throughout the day, use this Brain Breaks/Puzzles Game show to challenge your students and have some fun.There are five categories, Rhyming Riddles, Segmenting Sounds, Segmenting Syllables, Rebus, and Word Ladders. Each category has five questions that vary in difficulty.

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Brain Breaks Can Be Quick!
Click here to read more posts like this!
Do you use Brain Breaks with your students? You should! This amazing guest post about from pediatric occupational therapist Loren Shlaes was so popular that I decided to follow it up with a list of Brain Breaks for kids! These are great to use anytime your students are feeling restless and are struggling to pay attention, and easy to slip into your lesson plan. 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. Check out all our Games!

20 Brain Breaks You Can Use Today!

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).

1. 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."

2. 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. You can click here for a digital dice you can project! Here's another way to roll a brain break!

Have you tried Minds in Bloom Unlimited? Sign up for a free trial and choose 3 Brain Break Activities of your choice!

Be sure and check out our new blog post: Brain Breaks for the Online Classroom
TAG: Brain Breaks

1. 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.

2. 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!

3. 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.

4. 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.

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

6. Simon Says An oldie but a goody!

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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).

14. 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.

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

16. 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.

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

RANDOM Brain Break Chooser!

Brain Breaks to the Rescue!

Whether you're teaching 5th grade or kindergarten, brain breaks belong in your daily routine and can significantly boost students' mental health, focus, and overall classroom experience.

These short, engaging activities are perfect for providing a much-needed mental break, especially during long periods of instruction. With a wide range of ideas (I mostly used 4th grade brain breaks!) available, it's easy to find activities that cater to different interests and energy levels.

As educators, it's essential to keep our classroom ideas fresh and engaging, and incorporating these brain breaks can be a game-changer for indoor recess or as a quick pick-me-up during the school day.

By making time for these rejuvenating exercises, you'll create a positive classroom environment that helps your students develop healthy habits for managing stress and maintaining focus.

So go ahead, give these brain breaks a try, and watch your students flourish both academically and socially!

What's your favorite Brain Break? Leave it in the comments!

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Brain Breaks - 20 awesome ways to energize your students FAST!

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Brain Breaks Can Be Quick! Click here to read more posts like this! Do you use Brain Breaks with your students? You should! This amazing 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 for kids!

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Try these fun brain break ideas to help active kids stay focused and learn at their best like yoga, Go Noodle, and printable cards.

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I don't know about you, but when I sit through a faculty meeting or professional development session of any sort, I start getting antsy by the 30-minute mark. If you can relate, just imagine how your students must feel when they've been sitting for too long. Educational brain breaks are the perfect way to help your students redirect their energy and focus when they start to fade.

I find it super-beneficial to incorporate quick mindful, physical, and mental check-ins with my students as a regular part of my classroom routine. These breaks include all types of movement, yoga and breathing exercises, as well as jokes, quick videos, and more. The activities I use have helped me throughout my lifetime, so I love sharing them with my students. Here are my favorite educational brain breaks that are sure to increase productivity and give your kids a much-needed way to unwind before the next lesson.

Mindful Educational Brain Breaks

1. Use transition times for mental check-ins

Transitions are a big part of the elementary school day. When I first started teaching 19 years ago, I was surprised by just how much time it takes to get ready for specials or to bring students back from centers. It's hard not to feel like that's lost time. That's why using transition time for mental health check-ins is such a game changer. Mental health check-ins can help students get in touch with their emotions, refresh and recharge, acknowledge and cope with negative thoughts and overwhelming feelings, and be more focused throughout the day.

2. Pretend to breathe like an animal

Source: Stephanie Sanders

This video shows students how to pretend to breath like some of their favorite animals. The snake breath involves hissing while slithering from side to side, while the whale breath has students pretend to breathe out through a blowhole! Tap into creativity by picking other interesting animals and acting them out through breath.

3. Do a 10-minute guided meditation

These guided meditations are educational and are perfect to use as brain breaks whenever you and your students just need to breathe. Catch your breath with any of these 20 guided video meditations.

4. Practice "focus ball" breathing

Walk your kids through the following exercise: Stand or sit with legs and feet together. Bring your palms together in front of your chest. Keep your fingertips touching as you pull your palms apart, forming a ball with your fingers. Press your fingertips together until you feel the muscles in your hands and arms activating. See if you feel your core tighten too. Now close your eyes and as you breathe in, inflate your ball, and as you breathe out, flatten the ball by pushing your palms together. (Repeat these instructions for 60 seconds).

Learn more: Mindful.org

5. Try the old ear-nose switcheroo

This is a quick and easy challenge to reset the brain. Instruct kids to touch their left ear with their right hand and at the same time touch their nose with their left hand. Then have them switch their hands and touch their right ear with their left hand and their nose with their right hand. Switch back and forth a few times. Then have them close their eyes, take a deep breath, and blow it all out.

Learn more: YouTube: Ear-Nose Switch

6. Take a yoga break

Source: The Pyjama Foundation

Inspire kids to move, stretch, and practice mindfulness with yoga. These printable yoga cards make it easy to incorporate yoga into your educational brain breaks. Each page includes a picture and description of the pose, and each page includes poses of increasing difficulty from level 1 to level 5. And don't worry, it's not a huge time commitment. The sequence on each card is designed to take only a few minutes.

7. Stretch it out

It's never a good idea to spend too much time sitting in one position. Allow kids to take a break and bring some flexibility back into their spines. Have them stand with their feet shoulder-distance apart. Put their left hand on their hip and raise their right hand overhead. Lean to the left and stretch their arm as far as they can to the left. Repeat on the right side. Then stand tall and slowly roll down one vertebra at a time until their hands reach the floor (or at least their shins). Have them take a deep breath then slowly roll back up. Repeat as necessary.

Learn more: Mom Junction

8. Focus on sound

Have kids sit quietly with their eyes closed. Ring a chime or gong. Have them listen carefully to the chime, feeling the vibration in their body as the sound reverberates and then slowly fades. Tell them to breathe slowly and deeply as they focus on the sound.

9. Do a quick mindfulness activity

Mindfulness activity cards provide great educational brain breaks. Stash a pack in your desk and pull them out whenever you need them. Each card will give a prompt for kids to try that will let them refocus and recharge. Perfect for moments when you need to bring down the energy in the room.

Buy it: Mindfulness Cards for Kids at Amazon

10. Chill out with this cross-body exercise

Have kids stand tall and cross one leg in front of the other while pressing the outsides of their feet together. Now have them cross their arms over each other at the wrists. Clasp their hands and curl their arms into their chest. Take a few breaths, and uncross and cross the opposite way for a few more breaths.

11. Float with jellyfish

When you really need to take the energy in your room down a notch, turn off the lights, set a timer, and put on a calming video. For example, Cat Trumpet put together a jellyfish aquarium video where kids will find themselves under the brilliant blue sea in the middle of a swarm of jellyfish. They'll be mesmerized by the slow, fluid motions and lulled into calmness by the soothing music.

12. Break out the hot hands

This is a good break when you sense a weariness in the air. Have kids rub their hands together vigorously until they warm up. Tell them to close their eyes and place their hands over their eyes. Instruct them to breathe deeply as they clear their minds and refocus.

13. Try cat and cow poses

Source: Flow and Grow Kids Yoga

Have kids start on all fours and then give them the following instructions to complete the cat and cow yoga poses: Place your shoulders over your wrists and hips over your knees. Arch your back to the sky and tuck in the tailbone (cat pose). Let your head fall between your arms. From there, sink the belly towards the ground, and lift the chest and chin (cow pose). Gently alternate between the two poses while breathing deeply.

14. Do nothing for two minutes

Never underestimate the power of stillness. When the energy gets a little ramped up, and it's time for the entire class to take a pause, have them drop everything and glue their eyes to the screen as you show this countdown. The gentle lulling of the waves and the sight of the sun sparkling off the water will reset their nervous system in a jiffy.

Learn More: Calm

15. Spread your wings (in slow motion)

Walk your kids through this winged movement: Sit cross-legged on the floor. Stretch your arms down by your sides with your palms facing inward toward your body. Slowly raise both arms while rotating hands forward. When your arms reach shoulder level, your hands should be facing forward. Continue raising arms, slowly rotating palms so that by the time hands are overhead, palms are facing each other. Slowly lower arms, repeating the rotation (palms facing each other, palms facing forward, palms facing sides) until they are once again resting at your sides. As you raise and lower your arms, stretch them as long as you can, as if you are scraping the sides of the room and the ceiling. Repeat slowly three times, breathing deeply.

Physical Education Brain Breaks

16. Play Silent Ball when you have downtime

You can play a quick game of Silent Ball anytime, anywhere. Play a quick three-minute game right before dismissal or before transitioning to a new activity. All you need is a small squishy ball. The rules are simple: 1) stay quiet and 2) don't drop the ball when passing it around. This activity is one of those educational brain breaks that builds a positive classroom community, fosters friendly competition, and boosts nonverbal communication. Enjoy the silence.

17. Line up in unique ways

Kids are very social and curious beings. Most of them love to chat with one another at any chance they can get. Lining up to leave the room for anything is the perfect chance for them to mix and mingle. Make a more productive use of this time by having students line up in special ways. Some fun ideas include lining up in alphabetical order by name, by birth date, or by height order.

18. Just jump!

Sometimes kids just need to bounce their energy out. Have them pretend they are bouncing on a mini-trampoline (this will keep their movement on a vertical plane instead of all over the room), and give them a couple of minutes to let loose!

19. Take a cue from the stadium

Here's one for a group of kids-start the wave! Beginning at one end of the room, kids stand up and throw their arms overhead, bringing them back down as they return to their seats. Each row follows until you reach the other end of the room. Amp it up by encouraging your kids to tap their feet or tap their hands on their legs so that they are in constant motion. This activity works great on Zoom too!

20. Stir the pot

Have kids visualize they are standing in front of an enormous cauldron. Inside the cauldron is an ooey-gooey pot of caramel. Take hold of a large stirrer and plunge it to the bottom of the pot. Slowly begin to stir in a clockwise direction. Have them use their whole body to help get a full range of motion in their wrists and shoulders. Instruct them to throw their hips into the action. After a minute or two, reverse the direction.

21. Make it rain

Conjure up a rainstorm! Sitting or standing at a desk or table, have kids tap one finger on the desk, then two, then three, then four, then their whole hand until you all feel like you're in the middle of a deluge. Work your way backward from five down to one as the storm ebbs away.

22. Energize with these

First, instruct kids to touch their left elbow to their right knee, then touch their right elbow to their left knee. Switch back and forth, going slowly at first, building speed until they are going at a vigorous pace. Next, do some windmills by standing tall with their feet shoulder-width apart and their arms stretched out. Bend at the waist and touch their right hand to their left toes, then their left hand to their right toes. Switch back and forth.

23. Make X's and O's

Walk kids through the following exercise: Sitting in a chair with your feet on the ground and legs together, curl your body into your lap, folding yourself into a tiny O shape. Next, open your arms and legs wide, forming an X shape with your body. Pull back into an O shape, then back out to an X shape. Repeat three times.

24. Energize in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

Get hearts pumping with a quick sequence of exercises. Call out five actions for your students to do as quickly as they can. For instance, five jumping jacks, four push-ups, three sit-ups, two squat jumps, and one tree pose.

25. Take a cruise on an imaginary skateboard

Have your kids line up next to a wall and place one hand on the wall. Tell them to plant the foot closest to the wall and swing the other leg, as if pushing off the ground on a skateboard. Start slowly, with tiny swings, moving up to power pushes. Repeat on the other side.

26. Take a break to groove

Music is a great way to reset the mood in a room and raise the energy level. Put on a fun song and have a 30-second freestyle dance party. Here's a big list of school-appropriate songs for kids.

27. Or take it to the next level

Teach your kids the steps to popular dances such as the Cha-Cha Slide, the Macarena, or the Kidz Bop Shuffle.

28. Ramp up with a round of cherry pickers

This easy activity will get your students' hearts pumping and give their brains a boost. Have them jump up off the ground, then down to the floor into a push-up position. From there, instruct them to hop their feet up into a frog position, then pop up to a standing position.

29. Clap on, clap off

When you say "clap on," kids clap their hands vigorously together. When you say "clap off," they stop as quickly as they can and freeze. Or follow along with this a fun video.

30. Skip it out

When the energy is fading and kids need to get their blood flowing, put on a peppy song and pull out the imaginary jump ropes. Have kids skip or jump rope in place until the song ends.

31. Make like a blender

Tell kids it's time to make fruit smoothies. Ask them to pretend they are in a blender and they are strawberries (or blueberries or bananas, etc.). Dramatically pour orange juice or yogurt into the air in front of you. Tell kids when you flip the switch that they need to wiggle and jiggle (separately, not together) until they are each individually blended up. Start with a slow speed, moving up to medium speed, fast speed, and finally turbo speed. And then reverse it! Start at turbo speed and go back to slow speed.

32. Celebrate with a silent cheer

This activity is perfect for the end of an activity or a sustained amount of work time-especially for kids who are learning remotely. Let kids stand up and silently cheer and gesture in celebration. How animated can they get?!

33. Do a full-body workout

This kid-friendly exercise video is great for your body and brain! Kids can follow along through a set of workout moves that will get their blood pumping.

34. Play popcorn

Students will all be sitting in their chairs, and at any time, a student can jump up and say, "Pop!" Once they do, that student remains standing. If two students pop up at the same time, everyone takes their seats, and the game starts over. How quickly can the entire class pop without having to start over?

35. Hit the wall

Pushing against a solid object is a good way to displace extra energy from your body. Have kids stand facing a wall with their arms stretched out in front of them, palms on the surface of the wall. Push the wall away with all their strength for a count of ten. Relax for five seconds, then push again. Other activities they can do at the wall include calf stretches and wall push-ups.

36. 3, 2, 1 blastoff!

Instruct kids to stand and then squat down with their hands on the ground in front of them. All together, count down 3, 2, 1. When you get to zero, they should push up like a rocket, jumping as high as they can-letting all of their energy burst from their center.

37. Quick as a snap, wink

This is a quick and easy refocusing activity. Tell kids to snap their left fingers while they wink their right eye. Switch to snapping their right fingers while winking their left eye. This activity is particularly effective for younger learners who may find both activities challenging.

38. Balance break

A great way to get kids out of their chairs is to practice balance. Have them hop on one foot. Then up the ante by having them stand on one foot and bend their other knee out in front of them.

39. Tabletop push-ups

Kids can use their desk, a chair, the side of their couch-anything really. Have them place their hands on the table and focus their eyes in the center, moving down slowly and pushing back up.

40. Try some facial gymnastics

Have kids get their silly on for 30 seconds. Tell them to wiggle their eyebrows up and down as fast as they can. Then try to raise one eyebrow at a time.

Mental Brain Breaks That Are Educational

41. Take a comedy break

Comedy is a great release when the atmosphere is feeling a little intense. Show a funny video clip or have kids volunteer to tell a joke or pose a few silly riddles. We have compiled a number of jokes by theme on WeAreTeachers for kids of all ages for guaranteed laughs. For example, your students will love one of our most recent additions, 34 Cat Jokes for Kids. From there, you can find dog jokes, seasonal jokes, food jokes, and much more.

42. Share fun facts

In addition to joke compilations, we have plenty of fun fact lists on our site with themes that will thrill your students. Plus they're an educational way to teach your students new information during brain breaks. Get started with these fun feline facts to accompany the jokes above. Meow!

43. Practice another language

Source: startasl.com

Teach your kids the alphabet in sign language. Use brain breaks to practice by singing the ABCs while signing the letters. Then practice vocabulary words by spelling them out loud while signing the letters.

44. Find out how it's made

Remember that classic Sesame Street video about how crayons are made? We watched in awe as crayons rolled off the assembly line, wrapped in paper, and then slipped into those familiar cardboard boxes. Kids today are just as fascinated by how things are made! Here are our favorite videos about how things are made-from fireworks to LEGO.

45. Take a doodle break

According to researcher Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, downtime is essential for brain health. Kids need time for their growing brains to integrate and process the vast amount of information they receive each day. In other words, it is actually beneficial to give our kids time to allow their minds to wander. Try this: Set a timer for three to five minutes and let kids silently doodle with pencil and paper or a dry-erase board and marker while soft, calming music plays in the background.

Learn more: Sage Journals

46. Try a directed-drawing activity

Directed drawing activities walk your students through the process step-by-step so anyone can create their very own masterpiece. Teachers can lead the session by drawing on the whiteboard or chart paper while students follow along. Even better, there are plenty of videos on YouTube that lead the lesson, giving you a little break too. We have done the work and gathered some our favorite free directed-drawing activities for kids. Grab your favorite art supplies and get creative!

47. Gather your favorite GIFs

Make a slideshow of your favorite GIFs and have your kids act them out. Funny animals are a good place to start!

48. Find the object

Kids don't even have to get out of their seats for this one, but they can! Have one student start by finding an object and saying, "I see something beginning with the letter [fill in the blank]." The first person to guess the item correctly gets to choose the next object. This can be a fun one to play on Zoom too! You can have kids add in additional clues to help.

49. Clap for a little call-and-response

Pep things up with a little call-and-response clapping. It's simple to do and is often used in the classroom to get students' attention. Simply clap out a pattern that your kids will repeat back to you. Switch out the pattern a few times until everyone is focused and engaged. Alternatively, try a vocal call-and-response. Sing out a few riffs and have kids echo the tune back to you.

50. Color yourself mellow

Even grown-ups have picked up on the coloring craze as an excellent way to calm down and zone out. Put on some nice mellow background music, set a timer, and pass out some of these free mandala coloring pages.

51. Try a brain-break spinner

One way to make sure educational brain breaks are effective is to change up activities. Check out these online movement spinners for Wheel of Fortune-type games that help you add variety to brain breaks!

53. Would You Rather?

Students of all ages love participating in Would You Rather? videos, which can be found all over YouTube these days. Each video is approximately 8 minutes long, and students are given two scenarios where they choose which one they would rather participate in. Topics range from food items to activity choices to places to visit and more. As students choose the scenario, they move to either the right or left side of the room. Students then perform 30-second rounds of a specified exercise before repeating the process with another choice. Some of our favorite Would You Rather? channels include PE with Mr. G, Phonics Man, and Fix and Play. Students love when their teacher participates with them in the fun!

Learn more: PE With Mr. G

52. Write it out

Don't underestimate the power of journaling or creative writing. Give your kids a 5- or 10-minute break to open up a page of their notebook and write about anything they'd like. They don't have to share it with the class or do anything else with it; just use the quiet time to focus on something they love and want to write about.

Educational Video Brain Breaks by Grade Level

54. Brain-break compilations by grade level

If you are looking for a sample of brain breaks suitable for your students by grade level, look no further. We have created separate links of 25 videos each for individual grades at the elementary level. Go down the list and find your favorite!
Kindergarten Brain Breaks First Grade Brain Breaks Second Grade Brain Breaks Third Grade Brain Breaks Fourth Grade Brain Breaks Fifth Grade Brain Breaks
What educational brain breaks do you love? Share them in the comments!

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Quick, easy educational brain breaks that will help students re-energize, refocus, and give their brains a much-needed boost.

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TheLearningStation - Kids Songs and Nursery Rhymes

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Brain Breaks - Action Songs for Kids - Exercise Song for Kids - Kids Songs by The Learning Station

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WeAreTeachers.com

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