In today’s fast-paced world, educators are constantly looking for ways to help students stay focused and engaged in the learning process. One effective strategy is to incorporate brain breaks into the classroom routine. These short activities can help students recharge and refocus, ultimately leading to improved concentration and academic performance. In this blog post, we will explore the two main types of brain breaks – energizing and relaxing – and provide an easy-to-implement activity and discussion questions to help you integrate these techniques into your classroom.

No-Prep Activity: Finger Tapping

This activity requires no preparation or materials, and can be done by students at their desks. To begin, have students place their hands on their lap or desk. Instruct them to tap each of their fingers to their thumb, starting with the index finger and working their way to the pinky. They should then reverse the process, tapping the pinky to the thumb and working back to the index finger. Encourage students to repeat this process for one minute, focusing on the sensation of their fingers touching their thumb. This simple activity can help to calm the mind and refocus attention on the task at hand.

Discussion Questions

1. Why do you think brain breaks are important for learning and concentration?
2. What are some other examples of energizing and relaxing brain breaks you can think of?
3. How do you feel after participating in the Finger Tapping activity? Did it help you feel more focused?
4. When do you think it would be most beneficial to incorporate brain breaks into the classroom routine?
5. How can you use brain breaks to support your own learning and well-being outside of the classroom?

Related Skills

Brain breaks are just one aspect of a larger focus on social-emotional learning (SEL), which aims to help students develop the skills necessary for success in school and life. Other related skills include:

• Mindfulness: Encouraging students to be present and aware of their thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations.
• Stress management: Teaching students to recognize and cope with stress in healthy ways.
• Self-regulation: Helping students develop the ability to manage their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in different situations.
• Time management: Supporting students in organizing and prioritizing their tasks to make the most of their time.

Next Steps

Now that you have learned about the benefits of brain breaks and have a simple no-prep activity to try in your classroom, we encourage you to explore additional resources and activities to further support your students’ social-emotional learning. To get started, sign up for free sample materials from Everyday Speech, which offers a wide range of resources to help educators implement SEL strategies in their classrooms.