Best Ideas for Brain Breaks!
Picture this: you're getting close to the end of the school term. The kids are exhausted; you're exhausted; and you can't seem to get through more than a few minutes of a lesson without an interruption - or, perhaps worse, you're teaching to a room of glazed eyes and you just know they're not taking anything in. What's a teacher to do??
Transform your classroom of tired kiddos into a focussed, engaged and lively group of students ready to learn - it's time for a brain break!
But what is a brain break?
Well actually, we probably don't need to tell you what a brain break is - in fact, our guess is that you're probably using them regularly in your classroom already, especially towards the end of term. But for the uninitiated, brain breaks are simply a 2-5 minute physical and/or mental activity between or during lessons, to give your little ones a chance to stretch their bodies and their brains and return to their learning with renewed focus and energy.
Why are brain breaks important?
When you have an already jam-packed teaching schedule it can be hard to justify squeezing in yet another activity into the planner, but brain breaks can make a world of difference in how your students engage with lessons and learning material. They provide a quick reset during long periods of sitting, intense focus or challenging tasks; can energise, engage or relax the energy in the room, depending on what you need. And it's not just about having a rest from the lesson - research suggests that short breaks between and during learning can actually help our students' brains consolidate their learning and “imprint” the new skill into their memories. And it often only takes a few minutes to get your class back on the right track.
Want to read more on this? This article, based on a 2021 study, will give you the low-down on the evidence.
How do I incorporate brain breaks in my classroom?
We thought you'd never ask!
You really don't need to overthink a brain break. It can be as simple as a quick stand and stretch, 5 deep breaths or a run outside to the playground and back. We love this list of suggestions from Understood, breaking down ideas into different categories depending on time and purpose.
But with a Cub Club subscription, you have dozens of brain break ideas right at your fingertips, perfect for every occasion. Check 'em out below.
Movement Breaks
Time for a dance break? Most of the videos in Cub Club feature catchy tunes and fun actions to boogie along with, but our Keep Your Body Moving series was specifically designed to get the wiggles out. With 12 different follow-along dance videos set to popular Pevan & Sarah songs to choose from - often with important themes such as ‘Be Kind' and ‘Don’t Pop My Bubble' - you'll be able to keep it fresh and fun in your classroom every day.
Pssst… check out the ‘Music, Movement & Brain Breaks’ section of our videos page for way more options!
Mindful Moments
Sometimes we all just need a big deep breath - or maybe a few!! Popular with teachers and students alike, our Relax series is for those moments after a long, hot lunch break where emotions are running high, or a class activity that was maybe a bit too much fun! Turn the classroom lights off and choose between 9 different guided meditations with themes like ‘Space’, ‘Under the Sea’ and ‘Positive Affirmations’ - or 9 music-only versions to play during quiet independent tasks or transitions.
Check out our full range of Social & Emotional Wellbeing videos.
Hook them in
Brain breaks don't always have to be between lessons. In fact, the more you incorporate movement, music and interactive elements within the learning time, the less you may have to rely on scheduling in a separate activity, because your kids have been moving and singing while they've been learning! Two birds, one stone!
As we mentioned above, most Pevan & Sarah videos include actions, dance moves and sing-alongs whilst also covering key areas of the curriculum. These are great as a lesson hook, a wrap-up to the learning or a chance to get bottoms out of seats for a few minutes during an independent learning task. Plus, the songs are so catchy that your students will never forget what to include in a sentence or how to hold their pencils ever again!
Here are some more of our favourite videos for encouraging active participation and movement during a lesson:
Of course, you can always check out the Literacy and Numeracy tabs on our video page for the full range.
Did we miss anything?
What do you do in your classroom when your students are in need of a brain break? Is there anything else you'd like to see in Cub Club that might help you or other teachers refocus a group of tired or excited kids? Hit us up on our Contact page to share your ideas!
Not a Cub Club subscriber yet? Here's a few of our FREE videos that would be great for a brain break or an active warm up to a lesson!
You can also try all of Cub Club with a 7 day free trial. With over 400 educational videos and related printables for every area of the curriculum, you'll never be short of fun, engaging ways to hook your students in again!