Brain breaks in the classroom

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Dear colleagues, do you practice brain breaks with your students?

Brain breaks are short breaks that allow us to distract for a while, relax, and come back to work with new energy.
This practice is great for people of all ages, from school children to managers.
Some types of brain breaks and when they can be used.

1. To recharge
When you feel that energy in the classroom is running out and there is still a lot of work ahead, try listening to uplifting music and dancing. If that's not possible, take a short walk while listening to music through headphones. Physical exercise like a 5-minute workout is also helpful.

2. To switch attention
After working on one task for many hours and feeling stuck, a creative brain break can help. You can try drawing, reading a book, or doing a puzzle to switch your focus and give your mind a break.
Drawing, modeling with plasticine, photography, and building with Lego - all the things that seem interesting to you and your students are great creative tasks that allow to unload your brain and get a new dose of inspiration.

3. To to calm down.

To focus, it's important to slow down your thoughts and redirect them towards something soothing. For example, yoga or breathing exercises can help. Some examples of a breathing practice we were discussing in this topic Stress-management for students (and teachers): activities to reduce stress

Another option is to write down your thoughts in a journal, listen to a calming melody, or meditate.

What breaks do you prefer? What helps you and your students best?
Please share in the comments.

@Ana_moderator

Hi Ana ,
Brain breaks are indeed an excellent way to maintain energy and focus in the classroom. Along with recharging, switching attention, and calming down, I also incorporate activities that engage students while enhancing their learning. Here are some of my go-to practices:

1. Vocabulary-Building Games
   I divide students into two groups and select a topic. Each group competes to come up with relevant vocabulary, making learning fun and interactive.
2. Spell-Guess Games
   Students guess the missing letters in words to form the correct spelling. This not only helps in building their vocabulary but also improves their spelling skills.
3. Likes and Dislikes Discussions
   A casual conversation where students share their preferences. This activity is great for fostering communication skills and building confidence.

These activities not only serve as brain breaks but also promote language skills in a relaxed and enjoyable way

These are such greta ideas, easily be used in the classroom

This is very useful in terms of the classroom setting brain break is more like Ice breakers, which is It’s quick, fun, and encourages discussion in the classroom.

Hello everyone!
I work in a vocational high school where I teach literature.
Unfortunately, I often use break methods mainly to re-engage my students during class — especially when they lose focus or start getting bored.

They enjoy active and fun activities, like shouting out answers in a "Mazinga ice breaker", tossing a ball while asking topic-related questions, or doing simple stretching exercises.

For me, it's really important that they laugh a little — because laughter is an instant refresh for both body and mind.

@Ana_moderator Thank you for sharing these great ideas! I regularly use brain breaks in my classroom, and they truly make a difference. My students especially enjoy short movement activities or quick games to recharge between tasks. We sometimes use stretching, fun dances, or even short mindfulness exercises—depending on the mood and energy level in the room.

I’ve also noticed that creative tasks like doodling or building something simple can really help students switch gears and come back with fresh focus. Looking forward to reading more ideas from others!

@Ana_moderator hi . This is Mariam from Pakistan. I really like the topic and the activities you suggested.
Most of the time it happens that we get over exhausted while continuously teaching. So sometime I use to take my class outside to visit the school premises.
I also start telling them stories and play music
Sometimes we do some physical exercises to boost them up for work .

Hello Ana,

I work in a high technical vocational stream and regular break are important to keep students engaged and focused especially for class session that is more than 2 hours long. This technique do help students to re-energise themselves, making class more interactive and fun.

Using this method, there is considerable change in the behaviour of the students in class, making it easy for the teacher to handle and manage.

@Ana_moderator
thank you for bringing up such an important topic!
Yes, I regularly use brain breaks with my students, especially during long lessons or after challenging tasks.

Here are a few that work well in my classroom:

1. Energizers – Quick stretching, clapping rhythms, or simple dance moves to upbeat music really help reset the energy.

2. Creative tasks – We sometimes do 2-minute sketching, storytelling chains, or Lego building. These are great for switching focus and boosting creativity.

3. Mindful moments – Breathing exercises or guided mini-meditations are favorites before tests or at the end of the day. Even just watching a calm video or listening to soft nature sounds helps.
   I'd love to hear more ideas—what's working best for you and your students?

I love incorporating brain breaks into my teaching! For recharging, I use short dance sessions or stretching exercises. To switch attention, I find drawing or puzzles helpful. For calming down, breathing exercises or journaling work well. # Even Breathing exercises have been a game-changer for me! I've witnessed a remarkable positive shift in my students' focus and calmness. It's amazing how such a simple practice can have a profound impact on both mental clarity and emotional well-being.
Have you incorporated breathing exercises into your teaching practice?"
What are your favorite brain break activities?"

@Lidia-Gerstman Tossing a ball , I like this activity...

Which technique?

@Ana_moderator
Hi Ana I usually prefer Silent Breaks in my class.These activities promote peace of mind and help my students feel more relaxed and focused.I usually tell my students to read silently or even they are allowed to look out the window quietly.

@DEXTE176e4f8265 sounds cool

@MARIY0b647d9a23 2nd one is amazing 🤩

@Ana_moderator yes brain break is very beneficial for students it helps to refocus and maintain attention during lessons also short breaks can help reduce stress and anxiety creating a more positive learning environment. Short breaks makes students happy

@Ana_moderator hello..brain breaks help students and teachers to relax, recharge and refocus.. drawing and sketching is best idea for this..

@Ana_moderator hello..Brain breaks help students and teachers to relax, recharge, and refocus. Drawing and sketching are best ideas..