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.
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Catch the Ball – Theatre Improvisation Game
Don’t drop the imaginative ball with this warm-up game for students.
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Origami Box Step-By-Step Instructions
Visual instruction page to use when creating an origami box.
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Editable and Blank Chatterbox Templates
Make paper Chatterboxes with this multi-use template for teachers and students.
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Shazzam! Active Game
A whole class active game that encourages teamwork.
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Drama Game Task Cards
A set of 17 activity cards with instructions for drama games.
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Back to School Icebreaker Jokes - Task Cards
Start each day with funny icebreaker jokes with a set of printable Back to School Joke cards for kids.
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Picture-Based Sudoku for Kids
Use this set of sudoku for kids to enhance your students’ problem-solving and creative thinking skills.
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Sloth Crossword Puzzle
Stretch your students’ vocabularies and reading skills with a sloth-themed crossward puzzle.
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Library Scavenger Hunt – Upper Primary
Explore the school library with a scavenger hunt!
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If You're Something and You Know It Active Game
A whole class active game that encourages observation skills, focus and creativity.
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Chicken Evolution Active Game
A whole class active game that encourages cognitive processing skills, physical activity and social skills.
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Snake Sheds Its Skin Active Game
Take a quick break from learning and encourage teamwork with this fun whole class game.
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Speaking and Listening Activities Task Cards
A set of 13 cards with instructions for speaking and listening activities.
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I Need a Break! Card Templates
Help your students regulate their emotions by presenting them with an ‘I Need a Break!’ Card for a few minutes of downtime.
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I Need a Break - Choice Boards
Help upset students regulate their emotions in the classroom with our printable ‘I Need a Break!’ choice boards.
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How to Draw a Ship - Directed Drawing Activity
Learn how to draw a ship with a fun directed drawing activity sheet.
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30 Mindful Drawing Tasks
30 drawing tasks to promote mindfulness in your classroom.
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Mini-Mystery – Who Broke the Window? – Interactive PowerPoint
Engage your learners in some friendly problems solving with an interactive mini-mystery that is sure to be a SMASH!
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Easy Origami Animals Worksheet and Step-By-Step Instructions for Kids
Make origami animals with your students with printable step-by-step instructions plus a 2D shapes worksheet for your maths lesson planning.
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Zip Zap Zoom! Active Game
A whole class game that encourages concentration and listening skills.
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What Are You Doing? Active Game
A whole class active game that encourages communication skills.
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Traffic Lights Active Game
A whole class active game that encourages students to develop their listening skills and to follow instructions.
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One Word Story Active Game
A whole class active game that encourages creative thinking and teamwork.
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Human Knot Active Game
A fun active game for small groups that encourages teamwork.
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The Bean Game
A fun active game to play at any time.
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Easter Colouring Book Printable
Create classroom calm and promote mindfulness with a printable Mini Easter Colouring Book.
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Spring Colouring-In Activity Sheets
Give your students a refreshing spring-inspired brain break with our printable Spring Colouring In Pages.
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Winter Puzzles Activity Book
Bring learning and seasonal fun together with this winter puzzles activity book to keep students engaged during the colder months.
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Decoding the Universe - Science Week Colouring Pages
Explore the National Science Week 2025 Theme with a set of four ‘Decoding the Universe’ Science Week colouring pages.
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Anti-Bullying Colouring Sheets
Discourage bullying and promote kindness in the classroom with a set of printable Anti-Bullying Colouring Sheets.
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Mindfulness Activity Task Cards for the Classroom
Get mindfulness activity ideas for your classroom with printable activity cards you can use again and again!
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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.