Brain breaks are short breaks that are structured to help students recharge, reset, and refocus.

Helping students recognize when they need a mental or physical break from what they’re doing AND providing the opportunity for one can support self-regulation and self-awareness while increasing long-term productivity.

Also, it’s important to remember that the type of brain break needed is just as important as knowing when one is needed. Some ideas for brain breaks are:

Freeze dance
Wall push ups
Jumping jacks
Rocket jumps
Animal yoga poses
Infinity walks
Directed drawing activity
Would you rather?
Line up by… (first name, middle name, birthday, street name, etc…)
Breathing / meditation

Regardless of the type of brain break, a productive and effective brain brain should:

Consider everyone’s abilities and be inclusive
Require little to no additional equiptment or materials
Be time efficient to facilitate a smooth transition to and from learning