Just a few more
brain breaks that you can add to your bag of tricks!
White Hanky
– Throw a white hanky or tissue in the air. Children get to jump around and act crazy until it hits the
ground. Then they must freeze.
Turn on Your Brain - Help children
focus and get ready to learn by turning on their brains each morning:
Turn on the right
side of your brain. (Pretend to turn on right side.)
Turn on the
left side. (Pretend to turn on left side.)
Turn on your right
eye. Turn on your left eye.
Turn on your right
ear. Turn on your left ear.
You don’t need to
turn on your mouth because it’s always “on.”
Now you’re ready
to learn!
Jump! Have children stand. Tell them to jump as long as they
can. When they get tired they can
sit back in their seats.
*You can also say
traditional jump rope rhymes as students jump.
Marching - Children can get an
amazing amount of exercise simply by standing and marching in place. Put on a marching band and here you go!
*Power march by swinging arms up and down
as you lift your knees high.
*March slow and
then march fast.
*March in a circle
and then turn around and march in the opposite direction.
*March like a toy
soldier with stiff arms and legs.
*Lift opposite
sides of your body as you march.
For example, left knee and right arm in the air. Lift right knee as you extend your left
arm in the air.
*March high and
then march down low. March on
tippy toes.
*Make big circles
with your arms as you march.
Shake Down
– Shake right hand five times as you count. Shake left hand 5 times. Right foot 5 times.
Left foot 5 times. Then
shake each limb 4 times…3 times…2 times…1 time. End by saying, “Oh, yeah!”
Toe Writing - Cross right leg over left and write the
letters of the alphabet with your right foot. Then cross your left foot over your right and write the
letters backwards!
Calisthenics - Get oxygen going to the brain by doing jumping jacks, windmills, squats, waist bends, scissor kicks, and other exercises.
Wave - To do the WAVE, ask children to look at you. Explain that when you point to them, they stand up, wave their arms in the air, and then sit down.
Going
Crazy – (“Better Bodies and Brains” CD)
Begin
by crossing your right leg over your left knee. Place your right elbow on your knee and prop your chin in
that palm. Sing the song below to
the tune of “Reuben, Reuben, I’ve Been Thinking.”
I
am slowly going crazy. 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – switch.
(On
the word “switch,” switch positions by crossing your left leg on your
right
knee and placing your left elbow on your knee.)
Crazy
going slowly am I. 6 – 5 – 4 – 3 –
2 – 1 – switch.
*Continue
singing the song faster as you change positions every time you sing the word
“switch.”
Games
- Play “Simon Says,” “Copy Cat,” or group games.