For example, I have them place their hand in front of their face to feel the warmth of their exhale and concentrate on the cool air entering their nose as they inhale. Simply put, students should focus on their bodies and how their breathing feels.
When I want my students to build their stamina and increase brain activity and brain function for more controlled focus, I have them do focused breathing exercises. Rotate your head in a circular motion, first in one direction, then another.When the time is up, say, "Slowly release." It's important to keep your voice calm while giving instructions for the next activity. "Close eyes" - don't require this since some kids might have difficulty keeping their balance."Deep breath" - inhale and exhale through the nose."Press tongue" - press tongue to the roof of the mouth."Cross legs" - cross legs, standing firmly on both feet (this can be modified for students to remain seated)."Fold" - fold arms under so clasped hands are resting under the chin."Clasp" - clasp hands, interlocking fingers."Cross" - cross arms over each other, so palms are now facing each other again."Palms out" - rotate wrists, so palms are facing outward away from each other."Arms out" - place arms out in front of you.I give the following commands (we do this so regularly that students eventually don't need the commands): Students should stand with feet shoulder-width apart. I use brain gym "hook-ups" to help get my students centered and calm. Related resources: Visit our Classroom Management Resource Hub Relaxing: These particular brain gym movements from the upper body to the lower body get the blood flowing. Each of these exercises can be run through in less than a minute. This simple brain gym activity increases hand-eye coordination and focus in the classroom and improves overall body balance.Īnother activity I use is instructing the students to march in place, all at varying speeds. Then they should touch their left elbow to their right knee, followed by their right elbow touching their right knee. This stretches the hamstrings and engages all brain hemispheres, crossing the body's midline every time. Next, I direct them to touch their right hand to their left foot, alternating in the front and the back, and then again with their left hand to their right foot. First, students should stand with feet shoulder-width apart while I give the commands. I use brain gym "cross crawls" to engage my students in physical activity, but in a controlled way. But how each activity leaves your students will determine whether its purpose was successful.īrain research supports crossing the body's midline, so each activity has students moving their arms and legs across their body's center. Removing students' thinking caps for a few minutes improves retention and participation further down the line. Essentially, they are mental breaks from academic activity built into the daily schedule, designed to help students focus on tasks by improving blood flow and oxygen to the brain. "Brain breaks" are informed by educational kinesiology. For example, are you transitioning from a tedious routine and want your students to be more alert for the next auditory learning task? Are students engaged in a group collaboration around the room, and do you want them to settle down before the next activity? Have students been diligently working for a long period, and could they use a break to continue? When implementing brain gym exercises for kids, teachers should consider what they want for their students. Don't get me wrong: I use GoNoodle and love its content (Peanut Butter in a Cup is my favorite!).īut here's why I don't use it for every break: energizing my kids is not always my goal. And then it hit me: I take a more low-key approach and don't use songs and videos with my breaks. I've been using brain breaks in my classroom for almost a decade. There's nothing worse than trying to spell out a step-by-step lesson when the kids aren't ready to warm up to academic activities.īut this year, I received a call from a parent saying her son wanted to go to another classroom because "they do brain breaks there." I was bewildered. We always look for activities to help our students succeed and support teacher well-being. Teachers took hold of the idea and ran with it.
Like many trends in education, " Brain Breaks" began to help teachers see the benefits of giving students occasional breaks from mental tasks. If what Brain Break experts say is true, then they should be, right? Well, that depends. When your students return from gym class, are they ready to sit down and return to work?
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