Brain Breaks

What is a Brain Break?

Everyone needs a bit of a break every now and then.  To stay calm, concentrate better, learn more and do our best we need to take little breaks during learning time.  Your brain is much more active after taking time during learning to have a walk, play or rest.  A brain break is when we change what we are doing for a very short period of time (up to 10 minutes is probable enough).  This is enough time for the brain to refresh and get ready for new information that is going to come.

How Can I Take A Brain Break At Home?

You can try the following activities when you need a break at home;

• Walk - stretch your legs and walk around your house, or down the street and back again.  Concentrate on your breathing and think about all the objects, smells and sounds around you.

• Squiggle Story - On a blank sheet of paper draw one squiggly line. Draw a picture with the hand you don't usually write with.  Turning the line into a picture or design of your choice. 

• Opposite Sides -  Stand and blink with the right eye while snapping the fingers of their left hand. Repeat this with the left eye and right hand.  Tap your right foot once, left foot twice, and right foot three times, (make it to 10 taps) and build your speed.

• Sing - Sing the alphabet with names of objects rather than the letters. 

• Invisible Pictures - Draw a picture in the air while your parent/carer/sibling guesses what it is. You could give other people clues such as foods or places, or other ways to narrow the guessing. 

• Quick Games - play a game like scissors, paper, rock or noughts and crosses.  You could also work on a jigsaw puzzle.

• Move - Stand up and do five different movements in descending order. For example, “Do five jumping jacks, spin around four times, hop on one foot three times, walk all the way around the kitchen two times, lie down and get back up.

• Dance - Put on your favourite song and don't stop moving until the song is finished

• Jump Skip Counting - Count by twos, fives, tens etc. while jumping with each count. You could also practice spelling words this way. 

• Grab a Pen/Pencil - Complete a crossword, find a word or Sudoku puzzle.  You could also colour a picture.