Brain breaks for kids are fast becoming one of the smartest tools for teachers, homeschoolers, and parents. When you’re a kid, you’re learning all day, not just during class time, so it can get really tiring! Brain breaks keep things fresh though, so they’re a great way of helping the kids get the most out of each day. They create a 5-minute moment when the kids can move their bodies and connect back with their minds; re-energising them and improving the quality of their learning.
7 Tips for Using Brain Breaks for Kids
To get you ahead of the game and learn how brain breaks for kids can become one of your top tools, we’ve put together some suggestions. The very brilliant Jaime at Cosmic Kids helps explain how YOU can run brain breaks like a pro.
Have them ready to go at all times!
Just like the DJ who has a couple of go-to tracks to really fill the dance floor, it’s smart to have a few brain breaks ready to go so you can keep the energy in the room rolling. A well-timed brain break can extend the kids’ energy, so having the resources at your fingertips is important. Save the playlist you use, or have the tools you need at hand, so you can create a brain break the moment you see the kids’ energy flagging.
See the Preschool Inspirations kid yoga videos list with some of our absolute favorites.
Select one based on what’s next
A brain break is a transition to a new mood. Sometimes you want the kids to get ready to focus, sometimes you want to lift their energy because you need some activity, or sometimes you want them to be ready to listen. Different brain breaks deliver different outcomes. Take a moment to reflect on what you’re doing next, and how you need the kids to be, and prepare them with an appropriate brain break.
Cosmic Kids has a menu of their video brain breaks which you can use. You can download this free classroom wall chart showing what each one does.
Keep it fun!
The best brain breaks get the kids smiling and laughing. Playfulness actually opens up the parts of the brain that help you learn, so making things fun is central to learning. The Reticular Activating System (RAS) connects the left and right hemispheres and is more open when we’re having fun. So if you see the kids smiling and laughing in their brain break, you’re doing something good for their learning.
Basic needs come first
No brain break (no matter how entertaining) is going to have the impact you’re after if the kids are thirsty, hungry or need to go to the toilet. Make sure those needs are met before going into the fine tuning of mood that a brain break can offer.
Mix it up
The more variety you have, the more impact your brain breaks will offer. It’s amazing how many brilliant brain breaks there are. Keep it surprising, keep the kids guessing and looking forward to brain break moment. Share ideas with other teachers. Eventually, there will be class favourites you can fall back on time and time again.
Start the day well
Starting the day with a brain break, when everyone is actually pretty fresh(ish) may seem counter-intuitive, but it’s a great way of setting things up well for the day. After a while, the kids will see the brain break as the signal that learning is about to begin!
Make it rewarding
Brain breaks work brilliantly as a reward. Tee up the brain break as a treat for completing a task and see how the kids put in the extra effort to make sure they get that treat. They will also enjoy their brain break all the more for anticipating the fun.
How do you incorporate brain breaks for kids throughout the day?
More about Cosmic Kids Brain Breaks for Kids
Cosmic Kids is releasing a new brain break on YouTube every week for the next 12 weeks. Check out their YouTube channel here.
Subscribe and get a notification when each one comes out. Why not give the first one a try – we’ve uploaded it below especially for you!
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