Brain Breaks Generator

What is a brain break?

All 48 brain breaks

Every activity needs no equipment beyond what's in a classroom. Offer a seated version of any movement break for students who need one.

• Shake it out (movement, about 1 min): Shake your right hand 8 times, left hand 8, right foot 8, left foot 8. Then 4 of each, then 2, then 1. Finish with a big stretch.
• Mirror me (movement, about 2 min): The teacher (or a student leader) makes slow movements and everyone copies like a mirror. Swap leaders after 30 seconds.
• Desk push-ups (movement, about 1 min): Hands on the edge of a steady desk, step back and do 10 slow push-ups against it. Check the desk won't slide first.
• Weather report (movement, about 2 min): Call out weather and act it: sunshine (arms up), rain (wiggle fingers down), wind (sway), thunder (stomp quietly), rainbow (draw an arc).
• Simon says, quietly (game, about 3 min): Play Simon Says with silent actions only: touch your nose, point to the door, balance on one foot. Anyone who moves without "Simon says" just keeps playing.
• Five-four-three-two-one (calming, about 2 min): Quietly notice 5 things you can see, 4 you can hear, 3 you can touch, 2 you can smell and 1 thing you're grateful for.
• Star breathing (calming, about 1 min): Trace a star in the air with one finger. Breathe in going up each point and out going down. Five points, five slow breaths.
• Balloon breaths (calming, about 1 min): Breathe in slowly through your nose as if filling a balloon in your tummy, hold for two, then let it out slowly through your mouth. Repeat four times.
• Stretch and reach (movement, about 1 min): Reach for the ceiling, then side to side, then touch your knees or toes. Hold each stretch for a count of five.
• Would you rather (move) (game, about 3 min): Read a "would you rather" question. Students point left for the first choice and right for the second, then one or two explain why.
• Count to 20 as a class (game, about 3 min): Eyes closed. Anyone can say the next number, but if two people speak at once, start again from 1. Great for listening.
• Rock, paper, scissors tournament (game, about 3 min): Play a partner. The loser becomes the winner's cheering fan and follows them to the next match, until two big teams cheer the final.
• Air writing (brain teaser, about 1 min): Write this week's spelling words, numbers or letters in the air with your elbow, then your nose, then your foot.
• Quick draw (brain teaser, about 2 min): Draw a cat, a house or a rocket in 30 seconds with your eyes closed. Compare and laugh.
• Silent ball (no ball) (game, about 3 min): Pass an imaginary ball around the room silently. Make eye contact before you "throw". If anyone talks, the ball goes back to the teacher.
• Cross the midline (movement, about 1 min): Touch your right hand to your left knee, then left hand to right knee. Keep going, getting faster, for 30 seconds.
• Statues (movement, about 2 min): Move or dance on the spot until the teacher says "Freeze!", then hold a statue pose. Whoever wobbles picks the next pose theme.
• Finger yoga (calming, about 1 min): Touch each fingertip to your thumb in turn while breathing slowly. Then do it backwards, then with both hands together.
• Body scan (calming, about 3 min): Sit comfortably with eyes closed or looking down. Notice your feet, legs, back, shoulders and face, relaxing each part in turn.
• Two truths and a fib (game, about 5 min): A volunteer says three things about themselves (nothing private!). The class guesses which one isn't true.
• Alphabet stretch (movement, about 2 min): Make each letter of a word with your body, such as the class's word of the week. Others guess the word.
• Tongue twisters (game, about 1 min): Say "red lorry, yellow lorry" or "unique New York" three times fast, together.
• Riddle time (brain teaser, about 2 min): Read a riddle: "What has keys but can't open locks?" (a piano). Thinking time first, then hands up.
• Chair yoga (calming, about 3 min): Sitting tall: shoulder rolls, gentle twists to each side, ankle circles and a slow neck stretch. Breathe slowly throughout.
• Marching band (movement, about 1 min): March on the spot with high knees while playing an imaginary instrument. Switch instruments every 15 seconds.
• Thumb wrestling... with yourself (game, about 1 min): Clasp your own hands and try to pin one thumb with the other. Then swap which hand is on top.
• Pass the clap (game, about 2 min): One person claps and "passes" the clap to the next, who claps and passes it on. Try reversing direction with a double clap.
• Calm countdown (calming, about 1 min): Count down slowly from 10 to 1 together, getting quieter each number, until the last numbers are whispered.
• Jumping jacks (or seated arm jacks) (movement, about 1 min): Do 20 jumping jacks, or arm jacks while seated. Count together in a language from your class.
• Number line hop (brain teaser, about 2 min): Call a sum: students hop forward or back on the spot the right number of steps, or show the answer with fingers.
• Gratitude round (calming, about 3 min): Each person who wants to shares one small good thing from today in one sentence. Passing is always fine.
• Category clap (game, about 3 min): Pick a category (fruits, animals, countries). Keep a steady clap rhythm and go round naming one each on the beat.
• Robot walk (movement, about 1 min): Move like a robot that is running out of battery, slower and slower, then "recharge" with a big stretch.
• Spot the change (brain teaser, about 3 min): Students study the teacher (or a volunteer) for 20 seconds, look away while one thing changes (glasses off, sleeve rolled), then spot it.
• Silent line-up (game, about 5 min): Without talking, line up in order of birthday month, or by first letter of a favorite food. Use gestures only.
• Desk drumming (movement, about 2 min): Copy the leader's rhythm on the desk with fingertips. Keep it gentle. Build to a quick "drum solo" and freeze.
• Visualize a place (calming, about 3 min): Eyes closed. Imagine a calm place: what you see, hear and feel. Then wiggle fingers and toes and open your eyes slowly.
• Story chain (brain teaser, about 5 min): Start a story with one sentence. Each person adds the next sentence. Set a silly or exciting opening line.
• Superhero poses (movement, about 1 min): Hold a confident superhero pose for 20 seconds: hands on hips, chin up, feet apart. Swap to a different hero.
• Heads up, seven up (quick) (game, about 5 min): Seven students gently tap one person each while the rest have heads down and thumbs up. Tapped students guess who tapped them.
• Opposites (game, about 2 min): The leader says a word ("tall") and everyone acts its opposite ("small"). Try fast/slow, happy/sad, hot/cold.
• Draw your mood (calming, about 2 min): On scrap paper, draw a quick doodle or weather symbol that shows how you feel. Keep it private unless you want to share.
• Pencil balance (game, about 1 min): Balance a pencil on the back of your hand, then on one finger. How long can you hold it?
• Rhythm names (game, about 3 min): Clap the syllables of your name, then of the class's favorite foods. Everyone echoes.
• Wall sit challenge (movement, about 1 min): Lean against a clear wall in a "chair" position for 20 seconds, or press palms together hard while seated.
• Brain teaser (brain teaser, about 2 min): "A farmer has 17 sheep and all but 9 run away. How many are left?" (9). Give thinking time before answers.
• Five-minute tidy race (movement, about 5 min): Set a timer. Everyone tidies their own area and one shared space. Celebrate when the room is ready.
• Hand trace breathing (calming, about 1 min): Trace around the fingers of one hand with the other: breathe in up each finger, out down each finger.