BRAIN

BREAKS
 Brain Breaks

WHAT ARE BRAIN BREAKS?

Brain breaks are mental breaks designed to help students re-energize their brain to begin focusing again. The brain
breaks get students moving to carry blood and oxygen to the brain. They can either energize or relax students,
and they provide processing time for students to consolidate their learning. Young learners can focus for a length
of time that equals their age plus two minutes. Therefore, during a 100-minute class, two or three quick brain
breaks will suffice to help students refocus.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN BRAIN BREAKS

The following are some of the features we should look for in brain breaks. A brain break does not necessarily have
all these features at once; however, this is a good starting point for what works well.

• The activity doesn’t require a lot of space. Students should be able to do it in the same space in which
they have just been working. They shouldn’t have to move around a lot of furniture or leave the room.
By staying in the same spot, teachers can cut down on those sometimes difficult “transitions” thereby
making the brain breaks practical, efficient, and repeatable.
• It requires no props, gadgets, or gizmos. One or more senses can be stimulated while students are on
their break.
• Blood flows, and their heart rate goes up.
• Students exercise coordination, balance, and gross motor muscle groups.
• Children can use their voice. A great release of energy is to talk or sing.
• Students can take turns leading the activity.

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 Brain Breaks

BRAIN BREAKS – SOME IDEAS

Out on the teacher’s cue

Students do things according to the teacher’s
command.

Head Roll
Students roll their heads around clockwise a few
times and then anticlockwise.

Arm and Leg Stretch

Students stretch their arms and legs.

Back Stretch
Students sit at their desks and turn around grabbing
the back of their seats, then they turn the other way Dance Party
grabbing the back of their seats. The teacher plays a song and students dance to it.

Arm Circles Follow the leader

Students make circles with their arms. The teacher
can give alternate commands of making big and
small circles.
Foot Circles
Students make circles with their feet. The teacher
can give alternate commands of making big and
small circles.
Seat Running
Students remain seated and move their legs as if
they were running.
Seat Swimming
Students remain seated and move their arms and
legs as if they were swimming.
Rhythm Repetition
The teacher claps to a rhythm, and students repeat
it over time. The teacher can create more and more
complicated rhythms for students to follow.
Wiggle It
Students move as if they were snakes.
The teacher moves in front of the camera, and
students have to copy the teacher’s movements.
Freeze the dance
During the break, the teacher plays students’ favorite
songs learned throughout the course. Students
dance to the music as the teacher plays it and freeze
when the music stops. This gets the blood pumping,
but keeps the movement somewhat focused so the
transition back to work is less abrupt.
Storytelling
The teacher finds a video of a story and plays it bit by
bit during the brain breaks.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes
This is a great exercise in a contained space. Variations
are great while doing the activity, like not name the
body part.
My bonny lies over the ocean
Every time there is a word starting with “B”, students
either sit or stand according to the teacher’s
command.

Simon Says Breathing

The teacher or one of the students takes the role
of “Simon” and gives commands (usually physical
actions such as “jump in the air” or “stick out your
tongue”) to the other students. The commands
should be followed only when they start with the
phrase “Simon says”.
Some breathing exercises are lion’s breath, a breath
of fire, alternate nostril breath, and deep belly
breaths. The teacher can ‘play’ this breath game of
“Follow the Leader” to start a breathing practice with
their students.

Source:
https://www.childsplayinaction.com/18-brain-breaks-make-kids-minds-happy/

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 Brain Brain
BreaksBreaks

Interesting sites for Online Learning

http://hangman.no/
https://fit.sanfordhealth.org/resources/fitboost-activity
https://gartic.io/
https://kahoot.com/
https://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/
https://matchthememory.com/
https://padlet.com/
https://quizizz.com/
https://quizlet.com/
https://superteachertools.us/
https://wheeldecide.com/
https://wheelofnames.com/pt/
https://wordwall.net/
https://wordwall.net/community
https://www.baamboozle.com/
https://www.coolenglish.net/
https://www.educaplay.com/
https://www.eslgamesplus.com/
https://www.gamestolearnenglish.com/
https://www.intofilm.org/resources
https://www.irfanview.com/ (free image editor)
https://www.myngconnect.com/
https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/ (for projects)
https://www.abcya.com
http://www.eslgamesworld.com/

Useful YouTube Channels for Online Learning

EFL Kids Videos

Englishsingsing
Fun Kids English
Pinkfong songs for children
Super Simple Songs

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