Brain breaks for the classroom are an essential part today’s learning environments. Kids need physical activity for focus and learning. Incorporating brain breaks should be a fun and easy process. It is always a bonus when these brain breaks can be made part of the learning process. Check out all of the different themed, seasonal, and holiday screen free brain breaks that you can start implementing in your classroom today.
What Are Brain Breaks?
So what exactly are brain breaks? The term almost makes you think that your brain gets a break or is turned off. Wrong! In fact, brain breaks are quite the opposite. By giving kids opportunities to move their bodies they are making their brains more ready to learn. I’m sure almost any classroom teacher will tell you this is true! The research is strong in how important brain breaks are for kids.
Brain Breaks For The Classroom – Resources
At Pink Oatmeal we are dedicated to bringing you fun, fresh and new ways to use brain breaks for kids in the classroom or at home! All of our brain break ideas are designed to be fast, fun, and efficient. Most of these ideas can be done in small spaces and all have a fun theme to them! We have an entire brain break section of the website dedicated to giving you ideas for different brain breaks! If you visit the shop you will see tons of different brain break cards to choose from.
Maybe yoga is your jam when it comes to providing brain breaks for the classroom? Around here yoga has been made even more fun with lots of themes and stories. Check out all of our yoga ideas for kids. There are themes, holidays, season poses and more. These ideas are simple even if you are new to yoga or have never done yoga. Pink Oatmeal provides you with lots of options for yoga cards and printables as well.
Brain Breaks for the Classroom – Huge list of Ideas
There are so many great ways that brain breaks can be used during a lesson or theme that’s happening in the classroom. The list below gives you different brain break ideas to get you started for your favorite themes. Click on the links and get a full list of ideas. Save yourself time and stop by the shop and get brain break cards and printable yoga cards already created for you.
Alphabet – Move your body with each letter of the alphabet.
Jungle – Go jungle jumping or swing from a vine
Superhero – Who doesn’t want super powers?
Gingerbread Man – Try out some cookie baking or cookie eating moves!
Transportation – Get free cards! Spin like a helicopter or pedal your bike!
Johnny Appleseed – Try moving like you are apple picking or seed planting.
Princess – Kiss a frog or dress up moves for the princess!
Fishing- Reel in the big one or have a fishing party!
Cowboy– Ride the bucking bronco and giddy up!
Pirate – Walk the plank and sail the ship along with all other pirate moves!
Dinosaur – Try out a dinosaur dance or stomp like a dinosaur!
50’s Themed – Do the sock hop or try some muscle car moves!
Animal Moves – Animal moves are not only an awesome brain break for kids but also a fabulous way to work on strengthening and body awareness!
Minute To Win It – Check out these fun ways to move with a little competition. See who can move the most in a minute!
Sports
Soccer – Warm-Up for the game or practice your agility drills!
Baseball – Try some batting or base running moves!
Football – Get game ready! Do your workout in the weight room!
Basketball – Try some defensive and shooting the ball moves!
Interactive
Free interactive games for your computer, iPad, or interactive whiteboard!
Holiday
Halloween – Move like a black cat or spooky tree!
Thanksgiving – Try the turkey trot or harvest moves!
Thanksgiving (Turkey Spinners) – Get the spinners for free! After a large meal get that body moving!
Christmas – Do some reindeer leaps or an elf workout!
Reindeer (Christmas) – Get free brain break cards!
Valentine’s Day – Do a mail run or keep your heart active!
Mardi Gras – Get free brain break cards!
St. Patrick’s Day – Do the shamrock shuffle or try to be a lucky leprechaun
Easter – Try some bunny hops or jelly bean pick ups! (You many want to grab our free Easter yoga cards!)
Seasons
Summer – This set of brain break cards make movement fun all summer long!
Fall – Do some apple picking or move at the pumpkin patch!
Winter– This set of brain break cards keep you moving and warm all winter long!
Spring – Do the rain dance or pick some flowers!
Want FREE brain breaks? Check out Pink Oatmeal’s freebie library!