Brain Breaks Teaching Resources
Do you need new brain break ideas and activities for your elementary classroom? Welcome to brain break central at Teach Starter!
This collection of teacher-created brain break activities and printables for kindergarten through middle school 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 kindergartners may require more brain breaks than older kids in middle or high school.
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 elementary 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 elementary 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 impact of just an hour of learning without a break 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.
- Rock, Paper, Scissors — Take the popular rock, paper, scissors 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.
- Free Plan
Would You Rather? International Women's Day Active Game
Engage your students in thought-provoking discussions with this set of International Women’s Day-themed "Would You Rather" questions.
- Free Plan
How to Make a Paper Football — Origami Instruction Sheet
Free printable brain break alert! Teach kids how to make a paper football with these step-by-step instructions.
- Plus Plan
Mindfulness Activity Mats
A set of 10 mindfulness activity mats.
- Plus Plan
Would You Rather? Read Across America Game
Engage your students in thought-provoking discussions and fun exercises on Read Across America with a fun game of Would You Rather?
- Plus Plan
30 Mindful Drawing Tasks — Meditation Drawing for Kids
30 mindfulness drawing tasks to promote calm in your classroom.
- Plus Plan
Snowman Slapjack Card Game
Try to find the Snowman in this set of 54 Slapjack game cards.
- Free Plan
Last One Standing Active Game
An active game that allows students to build their vocabulary knowledge.
- Plus Plan
Tricks in 60 Ticks Task Cards
A collection of 10 active games that take 60 seconds each!
- Plus Plan
Yoga Poses for Kids - Task Cards
16 kid friendly yoga poses to display and use in the classroom for daily gross motor and fitness activities.
- Plus Plan
Would You Rather - Easter Edition
Hop into some conversational fun this Easter season with our ‘Would You Rather’ Easter Edition Interactive Game.
- Plus Plan
Easter Brain Break Activity Cards
Break up your instruction and have fun in the weeks leading up to Easter with a set of 24 engaging and fun Easter Brain Break Activity Cards.
- Free Plan
Printable Easter Bookmarks
Hop into self-selected reading and inspire good reading habits with fun printable Easter bookmarks for kids!
- Plus Plan
Easter Coloring Booklet
Create classroom calm and promote mindfulness with a printable Mini Easter Coloring Booklet.
- Plus Plan
Easter Charades for Kids
Get your students moving, laughing, and acting with a fun Easter Charades Game.
- Free Plan
Spring Has Sprung Word Search Puzzles
Slide into a Spring with a pair of differentiated ‘Spring Has Sprung’ Word Search Puzzles.
- Plus Plan
November Word Search Pack
Download and use our November Word Search puzzle pack to give your students a fun brain break option all month.
- Plus Plan
Halloween Emoji Game
Have fun playing an interactive Halloween Emoji Game as a fun classroom brain break in the weeks leading up to Halloween.
- Free Plan
Halloween Cat Color Pages
Print out some Halloween Cat Color Pages to scare up some spooky season fun!
- Plus Plan
Halloween Sudoku Worksheets
Bring logical thinking and problem-solving fun into your classroom this October with Halloween Sudoku puzzles for kids.
- Plus Plan
Fall Would You Rather? Interactive Game
‘Fall’ into a new season with an exciting Fall Would You Rather Game!
- Plus Plan
Funny Icebreaker Jokes - Task Cards
Start each day with funny icebreaker jokes with a set of printable Back to School Joke cards for kids.
- Plus Plan
Printable Cat Bookmarks
Give students a chance to practice mindfulness and make reading even more enjoyable with their own unique printable cat bookmarks.
- Plus Plan
Mindful Cat Coloring Sheets
Bring a sense of calm to your classroom with these delightful cat coloring sheets, “purr–fect” for mindfulness and creativity.
- Plus Plan
Paris Landmarks – Mindfulness Coloring Pages
Use this set of mindfulness coloring pages of Paris landmarks to celebrate the magic of Paris.
- Plus Plan
Picture-Based Sudoku for Kids
Use this set of sudoku for kids to enhance your students’ problem-solving and creative thinking skills.
- Plus Plan
Four in a Row Game
Use this four-in-a-row game to enhance your students’ logical thinking skills in a fun and collaborative way,
- Plus Plan
How Do You Draw a Firetruck? Directed Drawing Activity
Inspire your little artists with an engaging ‘How Do You Draw a Firetruck’ directed drawing activity sheet.
- Plus Plan
Firefighter & Fire Truck Coloring Sheet Set
Highlight the brave heroes that protect the community with a printable Firefighter & Fire Truck Coloring Sheet Set.
- Free Plan
Species Survival! Science Coloring Pages
Explore the importance of environmental conservation with a set of three inspirational quotes colouring pages.
- Plus Plan
Name 5 Things - Calming Strategy Task Cards
Use the ‘Name 5 Things’ Calming Strategy in your classroom to help students regain self-control with printable calming activity task cards.
- Plus Plan
Animal Features Playdough Mats
Use our Animal Playdough Mats to introduce your kindergarten students to the physical features of animals.
- Plus Plan
Animal Classification Word Search Pack - Lower Grades
Introduce your students to the six animal types/classes with a pack of printable animal word search worksheets.