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
Symmetry Drawing Worksheet Pack
Teach your students about symmetry using this series of drawing worksheets where they must copy an image symmetrically using grid lines for reference.
- Free Plan
Speaking and Listening Activities Task Cards
A set of 13 cards with instructions for speaking and listening activities.
- Plus Plan
How to Draw a Soldier Directed Drawing
Draw and write to reflect on Remembrance Day with a How to Draw a Soldier directed drawing activity.
- Plus Plan
Mindfulness Bookmarks to Colour
Bring calm to the classroom with these mindfulness colouring bookmarks.
- Plus Plan
Draw a Town with 2D Shapes
An interactive and evolving resource where students draw 2D shapes incrementally to create a town map and 3D models.
- Plus Plan
Drama Game Task Cards
A set of 17 activity cards with instructions for drama games.
- Plus Plan
The Bean Game
A fun active game to play at any time.
- Plus Plan
Subitise and Exercise
Get active with this subitise and exercise teaching brain break presentation.
- Plus Plan
Dragon Colouring Pages
Create colourful Chinese dragon art to celebrate the Lunar New Year in the classroom with a pack of printable dragon colouring pages.
- Plus Plan
Pack of Fun - Quick Fitness Games
14 quick, easy and fun fitness activities for all ages.
- Plus Plan
Mother's Day Chatterbox
Surprise Mum with a unique gift with a printable Mother's Day Voucher Chatterbox!
- Plus Plan
Draw The Line of Symmetry Worksheets
Use this lines of symmetry worksheet to help students practise drawing lines of symmetry on 2D shapes.
- Plus Plan
Brain Break Activity Cards
Give your students a quick brain break with this set of 19 whole-class games.
- Plus Plan
What's Missing? – Interactive PowerPoint
An interactive presentation where students try to guess what object is missing from the picture.
- Plus Plan
Would You Rather...? Question Cards
Would You Rather use this set of 31 question cards or eat a can of worms?
- Plus Plan
Finish the Drawing - Worksheets
Get creative and finish the drawings with a set of five art worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Ball Game Drills - Task Cards
A set of 4 task cards containing drills and activities to develop ball skills.
- Free Plan
End of the Year Mindfulness Colouring Sheet
Calm the end-of-year chaos with a printable end-of-the-school-year colouring page.
- Plus Plan
Student Workbook Covers - Mindful Colouring Sheets
Practice mindfulness and create fun notebook covers with a pack of printable mindful colouring worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Nature Scavenger Hunt
Make outdoor play a learning opportunity with our fun nature scavenger hunt worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Would You Rather...? Back to School Edition
Engage your students in thought-provoking discussions with this set of 16 back-to-school “Would You Rather” questions.
- Free Plan
Catch the Ball – Theatre Improvisation Game
Don’t drop the imaginative ball with this warm-up game for students.
- Free Plan
Ocean Themed Movement Cards
A set of 12 Ocean themed movement cards.
- Plus Plan
Mindfulness Activity Mats
A set of 10 mindful activity mats to use to help children focus.
- Plus Plan
Pirate's Treasure – Maze Quest
A fun pirate-themed maze for students to complete.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
How to Draw a Ship - Directed Drawing Activity
Learn how to draw a ship with a fun directed drawing activity sheet.
- Plus Plan
Would You Rather? Books and Reading - Movement Game
Engage your students in thought-provoking discussions and fun exercises in this books and reading edition of 'Would You Rather...?'
- Plus Plan
Classroom Spinner Template - Movement Activities
Classroom spinner template focusing on exercise movements - perfect for brain breaks in the classroom.
- Plus Plan
Library Scavenger Hunt – Upper Primary
Explore the school library with a scavenger hunt!
- Plus Plan
Behaviour Charades
Explore appropriate and inappropriate behaviors at the beginning of a new school year with a fun charade activity.
- Plus Plan
Origami Box Step-By-Step Instructions
Visual instruction page to use when creating an origami box.