Brain Breaks Teaching Resources
Do you need new brain break ideas and activities for your primary classroom? Welcome to brain break central at Teach Starter!
This collection of teacher-created brain break activities and printables for foundation through Year 6 includes active games to get students up and out of their chairs, would you rather brain breaks, whole class escape games, creativity challenges and a whole lot more.
New to brain breaks? Take a peek at a primer from the teachers on the Teach Starter team!
What Is a Brain Break?
Not sure what qualifies as a brain break? A brain break is a short mental break incorporated into classroom instruction to provide literally what the name implies — a break for that hard-working brain.
Brain breaks can be done in the middle of a lesson or during a transition from one lesson to another, and the goal is to help the brain refocus so students can dive back into learning refreshed and ready to absorb the material.
Most brain breaks only last a few minutes. They're a break, after all!
Teachers can add as many or as few of these breaks into the school day as necessary. Younger children, such as a classroom full of early years students, may require more brain breaks than upper years students.
Why Are Brain Breaks Important?
Wondering how brain breaks help students? There is plenty of research on brain breaks for kids, and it all points to the importance of taking short breaks to help students succeed in the classroom.
For example, studies show that primary students often lose focus and become inattentive during lessons that drag on. Something as simple as a brain break in the middle of a lesson, however, gives students the redirection they need to get back on the attention train and absorb the information.
Brain breaks are also helpful in reducing student stress and increasing overall productivity, with research showing that students get a boost in their reading comprehension and divergent thinking skills when they get breaks in the school day.
How Often Should You Use Brain Breaks?
Frequency — and length — of brain breaks for your students will vary depending on the age and abilities of your students.
You know your students best, and you'll be best able to tell when they need a break. But if you're looking for a good rule of thumb for primary school, consider adding a break for students at least every 15 to 20 minutes for students to refocus their attention.
The later in the school day, the more important experts say it becomes for you to incorporate these breaks. One study by Danish experts even deduced that the cognitive fatigue students experience which each passing hour is equivalent to losing 10 school days’ worth of learning!
Fun Brain Breaks Students Love (And So Do Teachers)
Looking for fun brain breaks to get you started with this collection? Our teacher team designed every break in this resource collection to be fun, but here are a few favorites to add to the list!
- Hand Hockey — Have students stand in a circle with their feet touching, leaving a space on either side of the circle for goals. Toss a soft ball in the center, and tell your students they can only use their non-dominant hand to try to score a goal.
- Scissors, Paper, Rock — Take the popular rochambeau game up a notch with different versions. For example, you can challenge students to play using only their feet!
- Silent Ball — Challenge students to throw a ball around a circle for 5 minutes without making a sound.
- Plus Plan
How to Make an Origami Dog — Step-By-Step Instructions
Teach students how to make an origami dog with an easy origami guide for kids.
- Plus Plan
How to Draw a Teddy Bear for Kids- Task Card
A task card that helps primary school students draw an awesome picture of a teddy bear!
- Plus Plan
30 Mindful Drawing Tasks
30 drawing tasks to promote mindfulness in your classroom.
- Plus Plan
Behaviour Charades
Explore appropriate and inappropriate behaviors at the beginning of a new school year with a fun charade activity.
- Plus Plan
Sloth Crossword Puzzle
Stretch your students’ vocabularies and reading skills with a sloth-themed crossward puzzle.
- Plus Plan
Origami Box Step-By-Step Instructions
Visual instruction page to use when creating an origami box.
- Plus Plan
Soccer Coaching Drills - Task Cards
A set of 10 task cards containing drills and activities to develop soccer skills.
- Plus Plan
How to Draw a Monster for Kids - Directed Drawing
Teach your students how to draw a monster with this Halloween directed-drawing activity.
- Plus Plan
Mindfulness Activity Task Cards for the Classroom
Get mindfulness activity ideas for your classroom with printable activity cards you can use again and again!
- Plus Plan
Easy Dot Art Drawing Worksheets
Inspire creativity and motivate your students to think creatively with an International Dot Day Drawing activity.
- Plus Plan
It's Not a Dot! Dot Day Drawing Worksheets
Get creative on International Dot Day with an exciting series of dot art directed drawing worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Search and Find – Back to School
Start the school year with a fun Search and Find maths activity for Year 1 students.
- Plus Plan
Brain Break Movement Cards - Mother's Day Theme
Celebrate Mother’s Day with these cute animal movement cards, perfect for a brain break.
- Plus Plan
Insects for Kids - Bingo Game
Learn about creepy crawly insects with a Bug Bingo Game for early learners.
- Plus Plan
Christmas Symmetry Worksheets - Symmetry Drawing Activity
Explore symmetry with these Christmas symmetry worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Never Have I Ever Questions for Kids ... Getting-to-Know-You Game
This printable worksheet of 'Never Have I Ever' questions for kids is perfect for a first-day-of-school activity!
- Plus Plan
How to Draw a Ninja Girl for Kids - Task Card
A task card that helps primary school students draw an awesome ninja girl!
- Plus Plan
Chicken Evolution Active Game
A whole class active game that encourages cognitive processing skills, physical activity and social skills.
- Plus Plan
Ten Add Bowling Active Learning
A whole class active game that encourages learning through a physical setting.
- Plus Plan
Add to the Scene - Theatre Improvisation Game
An active warm-up game that every student can participate in!
- Plus Plan
Would You Rather...? Question Cards - 100 Days of School
Engage your students in thought-provoking discussions with this set of 27 random question cards that involve the number 100.
- Plus Plan
Classroom Spinner Template - Movement Activities
Classroom spinner template focusing on exercise movements - perfect for brain breaks in the classroom.
- Plus Plan
Luck of the Draw-ing Prompts
A set of 35 drawing prompt cards.
- Plus Plan
Mini-Mysteries – Interactive PowerPoint
A set of interactive, logic-based activities where students read clues to solve each mystery.
- Plus Plan
How to Draw a Girl for Kids - Task Card
A task card that helps primary school students draw an awesome picture of a girl.
- Plus Plan
How to Draw an Alien for Kids - Task Card
A task card that helps primary school students draw an awesome alien!
- Plus Plan
One Word Story Active Game
A whole class active game that encourages creative thinking and teamwork.
- Plus Plan
Who Lives in a Haunted House? Finish the Drawing Activity
Draw and write about all the kooky nouns in a haunted house with a printable Halloween words worksheet for Year 2.
- Plus Plan
International Dot Day Creativity Challenge - Early Years
Get creative on International Dot Day with a creativity challenge worksheet for early years students.
- Plus Plan
Search and Find – Food Edition
Search and find a wide variety of foods.
- Plus Plan
Search and Find – Family Outing
A beautifully illustrated park scene containing everyday items that need to be found.
- Free Plan
National Tree Day – Rainforest Maze
A fun rainforest-themed maze for students to complete.