The following Brain Breaks can be modified to be used with students one on one, in a small group, or whole class. This list was collaboratively created as a service plan for a graduate class at Rhode Island College. The Brain Breaks have been broken up into five categories: Sensory and Motor Skills, Mindfulness, Movement Type, School Life, and Curricular.
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Sensory and Motor Skills
Category: Bilateral Coordination and Crossing the Midline
Name: Clapping Bubbles
Materials:
bubbles (store bought or make your own: mix 4 cups of water, ½ cuplight corn syrup, and 1 to 1 ½ cup dishwashing liquid (let the mixture settle for several hours)
Water or hand wipes for washing hands
Directions:
What the adult can do:
Blow bubbles towards the child
What the child can do:
Clap at the bubbles to make them pop.
Alternating hands, punch the bubbles with fists, or poke the bubbles with pointed index fingers.
Tip and balance on the rocking board while clapping.
Link/Resource: The Out-of-Sync Child Has Fun: Activities for Kids with Sensory Integration Dysfunction by Carol Stock Kranowitz
Duration: Teacher choice
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Category: Sensory and Motor Skills: The Proprioceptive Sense
Name: Positions, Everybody!
Materials:
Your own bodies
Directions:
What you and the child(ren) can do:
Strike a pose
Take turns suggesting and imitating positions
Link/Resource: The Out-of-Sync Child Has Fun: Activities for Kids with Sensory Integration Dysfunction by Carol Stock Kranowitz
Duration: Teacher choice
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Sub-Category: The Auditory Sense
Name: Tapping Tunes
Materials:
A pencil to tap, hands to clap, or a drum to beat
Directions:
What the adult can do:
Say, “I’m going to tap out the rhythm of a tune you know. Listen and tell me what the song is.”
Tap, clap, or drum the rhythm of a song your child knows well, such as “Row, Row, Row Your Boat,” or “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad.” (Hum the tune, or sing a keyword or two, if necessary, to make the game easier.)
When the child guesses correctly, tap, clap, or drum, and sing the song together.
What the child can do:
Guess the songs.
Tap, clap, drum, or step to the rhythms.
Sing along with you.
Think of a tune and tap, clap, drum, or step its rhythmic pattern for you to guess.
Link/Resource: The Out-of-Sync Child Has Fun: Activities for Kids with Sensory Integration Dysfunction by Carol Stock Kranowitz
Duration: Teacher choice
Mindfulness
Name: Coping Skills for Focus, Calm & Classroom Management
Materials:
Mindfulness cards with activities (follow the link to purchase) or make your own!
Directions:
Choose a card
Teacher or student reads the card while others follow the lead
Link/Resource: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Mindfulness-Brain-Breaks-Coping-Skills-for-Focus-Calm-Classroom-Management-2809203
Duration: 3-5 minutes
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Name: Rainbow Breath-Flow (GoNoodle)
Materials:
Device with internet
Directions:
What the adult can do:
Click on the Youtube link
Project for students to see
Listen to the directions on the video
Students will move their arms like a rainbow
Use the visual on the screen to keep focus
Link/Resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O29e4rRMrV4
Duration: 4 minnutes
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Name: Melting- Flow GoNoodle
Materials:
Device with internet
Directions:
Click on the Youtube link
Project for students to see
Listen to the directions on the video, “Practice melting away that icky frozen feeling you get when you're scared, frustrated, or angry.”
Use the visual on the screen to help you stay focused
Link/Resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcZm2oJ7DKE
Duration: 4 minutes
Movement Type
Name: Forwards, Backwards, Armwards (Go Noodle- video)
Materials:
Directions:
Go to Go Noodle website
Go to categories
Select Movement Type
Select Brainercise
Find video Forwards, Backwards, Armwards
Link/Resource: https://app.gonoodle.com/channels/brainercise-with-mr-catman/forwards-backwards-armwards-1?s=category&t=Brainercise
Duration: 1 minute, 40 seconds
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Name: Move & Groove
Materials:
Brain Break cards (free here! >http://www.allstudentscanshine.com/2013/01/brain-breaks.html)
Directions:
Punch a hole in the white circle situated in the top left corner of each card.
Put your cards on a ring to have them handy whenever you need them.
Ask student(s) to choose which which brain break they would like to do by choosing a card. (directions for each brain break located on card)
Link/Resource: http://www.allstudentscanshine.com/2013/01/brain-breaks.html
Duration: 2-3 minutes
School Life
Category: Socialization
Name: Friend Connect
Materials:
Your own bodies
Directions:
Students will have 2 minutes to connect with a friend of their choice in class (student or teacher choice)
Students will talk to one another about their weekend, their day, or just about how they are doing in general.
Link/Resource: www.coloradoedinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/CEI-Take-a-Break-Teacher-Toolbox.pdf
Duration: 2 minutes, Teacher choice
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Category: Stress Relief
Name: No Stress Test
Materials:
Your own bodies
Directions:
Create a tradition with the students in the classroom to take a 2 - 5 minute walking break before a test, oral presentation, etc. to help everyone unwind and relax.
Link/Resource: www.coloradoedinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/CEI-Take-a-Break-Teacher-Toolbox.pdf
Duration: 2-5 minutes
Curricular
Category: Literacy
Name: Exercise, Rhyme, and Freeze
Materials:
List of rhymes pertaining to content vocabulary
Directions:
What the adult can do:
Instruct the students to rise from their seats and ensure there is ample elbow space around them.
Explain that the game is like “Simon Says.” When two words rhyme in the teacher-led song, students should begin moving their bodies. When two words do not rhyme, students must freeze.
What the child can do:
Students can exercise.
Students can freeze.
Link/Resource: Jack Hartmann Kids’ Music Channel (YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSPmGPIyykU
Duration: 5 minutes
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xo,