Brain breaks elementary

37 Brain Breaks for Kids: Quick, Easy and Educational

“It’s time to do homework.” 😱

This simple phrase is often dreaded by kids and parents. And it’s understandable.

With so many changes this year, including much more learning from home, parents want to stay involved in their children's education more than ever. But spending too much time on homework only seems to lead to distraction, frustration or exhaustion (or all of the above).

It might feel like a constant battle, and homework stress can lead to burnout and anxiety for kids if you’re not careful.

That’s why brain breaks for kids are so important for reducing stress and keeping kids motivated to learn!

But first, what is a brain break?

What are brain breaks for kids?

Brain breaks are mental breaks kids can take in between learning tasks.

They’re often used at school during class time, or at home during homework time. These activities can be active or relaxing, depending what’s needed for each child.

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto

The purpose of brain breaks is to switch neural activity to different networks.

When kids are working, most of their energy goes to specific parts of the brain that are used for attention and critical thinking. Brain breaks reset these areas to reduce stress and improve learning when kids return to task.

Brain breaks often focus on physical movement, mindfulness or sensory activities. These activities stimulate other areas of the brain that are equally important, but aren’t used as much when kids are working and learning.

Most importantly, brain breaks are:

Short — Around 3-5 minutes is optimal.
Pre-planned — Kids know they’re coming and can look forward to them.

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37 Brain break activities for kids to try

Use these brain break ideas to build up a list of activities you can pull from. Whether your child is in elementary, middle or high school, you can find an activity that works for them to break up the school day or homework sessions.

Physical brain breaks for kids

These brain breaks get kids up and moving. Help your child burn off some energy so they can stay focused when working by taking movement breaks between lessons.

1. Dancing

Encourage your child to get up and groove and do a brain break dance party. Take a quick dance break together, or even have a dance-off (singing along is also highly recommended).

A fun variation on the dance idea is trying out freeze dance, where kids have to freeze when the music stops.

Try these:

Kid-safe pop songs
Dance hits from around the world

2. Action songs

Action songs are unique dance breaks that provide exact instructions for what to do. Kids have tons of fun following along with the moves and learning each of the songs.

Try these:

Printable songs
Move and Freeze kids song
GoNoodle action songs

3. Cardio

Do some fun physical activities that get the heart pumping. Try alternating between exercises like jumping jacks, skipping and jogging in place.

Or throw on a kid-friendly video and learn a new workout together!

4. Balloon volleyball

All you need for this brain break is a balloon! Choose one in your child’s favorite color, then take turns passing it back and forth without letting it touch the ground.

For a challenge, add an extra balloon and see if you can pass them both at the same time.

5. Exercise ball

If you have an exercise ball handy, give your child a few minutes to sit and bounce. This is a super easy and fun way to quickly get some excess energy out.

6. Brain tricks

Try some action-based brain tricks with your child. For example, have them try to pat their head while rubbing their stomach, blink one eye while snapping with the opposite hand, or anything else you can think of!

This brain break is a fun way to challenge your child and help them develop important coordination skills.

7. Act like...

A fun way to engage kids is to give them different scenarios to act out. See how many they can do in 3 minutes. Then get them to give you scenarios so you can show off your acting skills, too!

Try asking them to act like:

They’re driving a car
They’re blowing bubbles
A bee is flying around them
They just met their favorite singer

8. Simon says

This classic action game is a fun brain break that also requires good listening skills. Create your own game or play a video version for your child.

9. Animal actions

Use dice or a spinner to choose random animals, then ask your child to act like that animal. You can also take turns being a different animal, then vote on your favorite at the end!

Image source: Life Over C's

Relaxing brain breaks for kids

These brain breaks help kids calm down and reset their energy. They’re especially helpful if your child is starting to feel stressed about what they’re working on.

1. Yoga poses

Get the body moving, while also helping kids relax and practice mindfulness. Yoga can be a huge stress reliever for all ages, so join in when you can!

2. Calming music

Listen to a relaxing song to help your child unwind. Have them sit somewhere comfortable, relax and enjoy the music in between learning tasks.

Try these:

Sleep music for kids
Relaxation songs for kids

3. Calming videos

Find short clips on YouTube Kids to play for your child. Choose a few new ones based on their interests, or find videos you already know they enjoy watching.

4. Coloring

Let your child color a picture (or a piece of a picture). This is a relaxing way to get creative juices flowing. Plus, they can display the final product when they’re done!

Use a coloring page or give your child a blank piece of paper to draw their own picture.

5. Deep breathing

Help your child decompress with some deep breathing exercises. This will instantly help them relax and relieve stress so they can feel ready to take on their next task.

Encourage your child to try this: breathe in through the nose while placing your hand on your stomach to feel it expand. Hold it here, then slowly breathe out through the mouth while feeling your stomach contract. Repeat.

Or, try a technique like 4-7-8 breathing or five finger breathing.

Sensory brain breaks for kids

Fresh air is always encouraged! Stepping outside for a few minutes can make a bigger difference than you’d think.

It gives kids a change of scenery and helps revitalize the senses, providing a welcome break from their homework.

2. Scavenger hunt

Give your child different things to find and explore throughout the house. During each brain break, they can try to find one new item on their list.

Image source: About A Mom

3. Playdough

You can do tons of different things with playdough. That’s why it’s always a favorite among kids!

Let your child build something new or just squish some playdough around — whatever they prefer.

Try this recipe for homemade playdough.

4. Sensory bin

Sensory bins are a popular option, especially for kids with sensory needs. You can change the items in the bin as often as you’d like to keep your child from getting bored or understimulated.

Image source: Friendship Circle

Skill-building brain breaks for kids

With these brain breaks, kids can still learn and develop new skills. Their brains still get a break when you switch the focus to a new activity.

Tip: Try to go back and forth between different subjects. For instance, if your child is working on math homework, choose a language brain break.

1. Puzzles

Get out a jigsaw puzzle and have your child work on a little bit each break, or challenge them to try different math puzzles to flex their mathematical minds.

2. Secret handshake

This brain break definitely requires your participation! Create a secret handshake with your child, then try to remember it (and maybe even add onto it) next time.

3. Segment sounds

This is an easy and fun way to build language skills.

Give your child a word or phrase, and have them segment it into sounds or syllables. They can do whatever action they want to while they segment, like clapping or stomping.

For example, the sounds in “cat” would be k-a-t. The syllables in dinosaur would be di-no-saur.

4. Story starters

Make a quick story during each brain break with story starters. Your child can either write their stories down or just say them out loud.

5. Write a book

Instead of individual stories, create a longer story together and keep building upon it as you go.

Each break, come up with a different page of the story. Once it’s written, you can go back and illustrate each page!

6. Activity pages

Give your child a fun activity sheet to work on during their brain breaks. This will keep kids on a roll with worksheets, while still switching up tasks and reducing overload.

Get fun printable activities here!

7. Brain teasers

Brain teasers give kids a bit of a challenge, but are also tons of fun to solve! Choose a brain teaser for whatever subject you want them to focus on during their brain break.

Try these 45 fun brain teasers for kids (with answers).

8. Riddles

Kids love a good riddle. Give them easy ones to see how many they can solve in one brain break, or try to stump them with a tougher riddle.

Try these 43 awesome riddles for kids (with answers).

9. Learn a language

Why not learn a useful skill? Language learning is great for kids’ development, and they might even find a new language they love!

Try one of these 10 best language learning apps for kids.

10. Learn to juggle

Try another interesting skill that your child can show off to their friends later! Juggling can also boost coordination and concentration abilities.

11.

Talent show

Each brain break, have your child perform a different skill, like singing, dancing or even juggling (once they learn how). You can also take turns and have your whole family take part!

12. Icebreakers

Ask your child a different question every brain break. You can make the questions up, or choose them from a list of icebreakers. Your child will have fun thinking of their answers, and you’ll learn more about their interests!

Image source: Miss Lifesaver

13. Alphabet game

Choose a category (ex. movies, food, jobs etc.), then take turns naming something from that category while going down the alphabet.

For example, if your category is food, one person might say “apples,” the next person “bananas” and so on. Categorization is an important skill to practice, but the alphabet game is entertaining, too!

14. Math dice

Take two dice (the bigger the better) and have your child roll them to solve math problems, with whatever operation you choose.

For example, if your child rolls a 4 and a 6, they have to add them together to get the correct answer of 10.

Brain break games for kids

A quick game gives kids a bit of fun in between work tasks, allowing their minds to reset. And you can have fun playing games with them too!

1. Board games

In between homework tasks, give your child a turn or two at a board game. Once the work is done, you can finish the game together!

Try Blokus: a fun board game that's just like Tetris.

Or try more board games for kids.

2. Heads Up!

This game involves guessing what image or word is on your forehead from the other player giving you clues.

It’s also conveniently timed for you, so after a round, your child will be ready to begin the next homework task.

Try the Heads Up! Kids app.

3. Indoor bowling

Find a level space in your home to set up a makeshift bowling lane. Then collect items to use as “pins” (try empty water bottles or toys) and use a small ball to knock them down!

4. Charades

Another classic game that everyone can enjoy! Write a few objects or phrases down, then take turns choosing one from a hat to act out. See how many each of you can guess. You can use a specific category or just make it completely random!

5. Minute to Win It

You might be familiar with the popular game show, but did you know you can play it at home?

Each minute to win it challenge is just that — a minute. That means it’s perfect for brain breaks. Each break, you can give your child a different challenge to complete using any household items you have lying around.

Try these Minute to Win It games for kids and family.

Benefits of brain breaks for kids

Ever been stuck for ages on a work task, only to complete it with ease after taking a quick break?

The same is true for your child. Without breaks, children’s minds can become too focused on the task at hand, which can actually prevent them from processing what they’re learning.

But regular brain breaks help your child’s mind reset, so they have more mental energy to learn!

Brain breaks can also:

Increase time on task
Help with self-regulation
Sharpen short-term memory
Reduce anxiety and burnout
Improve academic achievement
Benefit overall health and wellness
Boost attention and motivation to learn
Build new skills like creative thinking, kinesthetic learning and socioemotional awareness

Brain breaks are especially important for children with behavioral or sensory needs, but all children can benefit from taking some time to unwind.

5 Tips to use brain breaks effectively

1. Find the timing that works best for your child

Build a brain break schedule to help you remember to use them! This will also help your child stay motivated during work time, knowing they have a break coming up.

What should your schedule look like?

Research shows that after 10 to 30 minutes, time on task starts to decline. This means scheduling a 3-5 minute brain break every 20 minutes or so will be best for most kids. But depending on your child’s age and specific needs, this timing may need to be adjusted.

You can also plan breaks around tasks instead of timing. For example, you might decide to give your child a brain break once they answer 5 math questions.

Figure out what your child responds best to, and create a brain break schedule that works for both of you.

But be flexible when the time comes. If your child’s attention seems to be fading, start a brain break early. If they’re on a roll, hold off on taking a break.

2. Find the right brain break for your child

Think about what your child responds best to, then use this to figure out what kind of brain break they need.

Are breaks more effective when they relax or when they get up and move? Is it best to keep them learning or give their minds a rest? This could vary from day-to-day, so try to gauge energy levels to determine what will work best.

Make sure you have options from each category so you can use the most effective brain break each day!

3. Make a list of activities

Create a list to ensure you always have options. This way, you’ll have no problem thinking of a fun brain break to give your child when the time comes.

Write or print them on a piece of paper, or use a more creative option:

Put them on large dice or beach balls
Write them on paper or popsicle sticks to pull from a box or jar
Print a brain breaks bingo card to complete (you can use an existing one or make your own)

Image source: Some Semblance of Order

Once you have your list, you can choose the brain breaks yourself, let your child choose or make it a surprise!

4. Use a timer

Keep time with a stopwatch or phone timer to ensure your break lasts the right amount of time.

Too short, and kids might not get enough of a break. Too long, and they might become distracted and reluctant to return to the task at hand.

Make sure the timer is somewhere your child can see, so they can be fully prepared to get back to work when it’s time.

5. Talk about it afterward

When work is finished, talk to kids about their experiences.

This gives them a chance to provide feedback that will help you understand how you can optimize your brain breaks.

Ask your child the following questions:

What was your favorite brain break?
How did you find today’s work/homework?
How do you think the brain break helped you?

Brain breaks work for younger and older kids

At first glance, brain breaks might just seem like a fun distraction for kids to have a quick indoor recess. And while that’s true, there are so many more benefits for kids and educators.

Brain breaks provide relief from constant hands-on learning. They can relieve stress, alleviate pressure and even help boost self-esteem if done right.

Next time your child or students are working, watch how much they get energized from these short breaks. You might even start adding them to your day.

We hope you found a new favorite in this list of brain break ideas and activities.

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50 Educational Brain Breaks that Your Students Will Love!

Topic: Classroom Management,Healthy Students,Sponsored

Quick, easy activities to help kids re-energize, refocus and give their brains a boost.

Brought to you by Sanford fit

Brought to you by Sanford fit

Looking for movement ideas for your kids? Sanford fit has hundreds of free resources—like brain breaks, lessons, and videos—to help kids make healthy choices inside and outside of the classroom. See them all >>

Whether kids are learning at home or in the classroom, it’s important to build time into schedules for brain breaks. Maybe they need a movement break to get the wiggles out? Or a quiet moment to just stay still? Research shows that giving kids frequent brain breaks to reset their energy level improves their ability to focus, retain more, and stay on task. Here are 50 of our favorite educational brain breaks that are sure to increase productivity and give your kids a much-needed break. Almost every one of them can be done individually and safely by maintaining at least 6 feet between learners!

1. Use

fitBoost for a 3 minute break

There are so many great educational brain breaks out there. This is why we love this amazing free resource from Sanford fit. Click “Let’s Go!” and you’ll get three fun moves designed to get your kids warmed up, moving, and cooled down—perfect for physical fitness and mental alertness. Plus, there are easy-to-print cards with dozens of action-packed brain breaks to have on hand.

2. Practice “focus ball” breathing

Walk your kids through the following exercise: Stand or sit with legs and feet together. Bring your palms together in front of your chest. Keep your fingertips touching as you pull your palms apart, forming a ball with your fingers. Press your fingertips together until you feel the muscles in your hands and arms activating. See if you feel your core tighten too. Now close your eyes and as you breathe in, inflate your ball and as you breathe out, flatten the ball by pushing your palms together. (Then repeat these instructions for 60 seconds).

3. Try the old Ear-Nose Switcheroo

This is a quick and easy challenge to reset the brain. Instruct kids to touch their left ear with their right hand and at the same time touch their nose with their left hand. Then have them switch their hands and touch their right ear with their left hand and their nose with their right hand. Switch back and forth a few times. Then have them close their eyes, take a deep breath, and blow it all out.

4. Take a yoga break

Inspire kids to move, stretch, and practice mindfulness with fitFlow yoga. This activity makes incorporating yoga breaks easy with 22 printable cards, each with pictures and descriptions of 4 yoga poses. And don’t worry—it’s not a huge time commitment. The sequence on each card is designed to take only 3-5 minutes. See it in action here.

5. Just jump!

Sometimes kids just need to bounce their energy out. Have them pretend they are bouncing on a mini-trampoline (this will keep their movement on a vertical plane instead of all over the room) and give them a couple of minutes to let loose!

6. Take a cue from the stadium

Here’s one for a group of kids—start the wave! Beginning at one end of the room, kids stand up and throw their arms overhead, bringing them back down as they return to their seats. Each row follows until you reach the other end of the room. Amp it up by encouraging your kids to tap their feet or tap their hands on their legs so that they are in constant motion. This activity works great on Zoom too!

7. Stretch it out

Source: Mom Junction

It’s never a good idea to spend too much time sitting in one position. Allow kids to take a break and bring some flexibility back into their spines. Have them stand with their feet shoulder-distance apart. Put their left hand on their hip and raise their right hand overhead. Lean to the left and stretch their arm as far as they can to the left. Repeat on the right side. Then stand tall and slowly roll down one vertebra at a time until their hands reach the floor (or at least their shins). Have them take a deep breath then slowly roll back up. Repeat as necessary.

8. Stir the pot

Have kids visualize they are standing in front of an enormous cauldron. Inside the cauldron is an ooey-gooey pot of caramel. Take hold of a large stirrer and plunge it to the bottom of the pot. Slowly begin to stir in a clockwise direction. Have them use their whole body to help get a full range of motion in their wrists and shoulders. Instruct them to throw their hips into the action. After a minute or two, reverse the direction.

9. Make it rain

Conjure up a rainstorm! Sitting or standing at a desk or table, have kids tap 1 finger on the desk, then 2, then 3, then 4, then their whole hand until you all feel like you’re in the middle of a deluge. Work your way backward from 5 down to 1 as the storm ebbs away.

10. Focus on sound

Have kids sit quietly with their eyes closed. Ring a chime or gong. Have them listen carefully to the chime, feeling the vibration in their body as the sound reverberates and then slowly fades. Tell them to breathe slowly and deeply as they focus on the sound.

11. Practice mindfulness

These free printable cards are a great thing to keep in your desk. Each card will give a prompt for kids to try that will let them refocus and recharge. Perfect for moments when you need to bring down the energy in the room.

12. Chill out with this cross-body exercise

Have kids stand tall and cross one leg in front of the other while pressing the outsides of their feet together. Now have them cross their arms over one another at the wrists. Clasp their hands and curl their arms into their chest. Take a few breaths, uncross and cross the opposite way for a few more breaths.

13. Or energize with these

First, instruct kids to touch their left elbow to their right knee, then touch their right elbow to their left knee. Switch back and forth, going slowly at first, building speed until they are going at a vigorous pace. Next, do some windmills by standing tall with their feet shoulder-width apart, and their arms stretched out. Bend at the waist and touch their right hand to their left toes, then their left hand to their right toes. Switch back and forth.

14. Make lesson plans mobile

Source: @sanfordfitkids

Incorporate movement into classroom activities to keep the learning fresh.

15. Make Xs and Os

Walk kids through the following exercise: Sitting in a chair with your feet on the ground and legs together, curl your body into your lap, folding yourself into a tiny O shape. Next, open your arms and legs wide, forming an X shape with your body. Pull back into an O shape, then back out to an X shape. Repeat three times.

16. Energize in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

Get hearts pumping with a quick sequence of exercises. Call out 5 actions for your students to do as quickly as they can. For instance, 5 jumping jacks, 4 push-ups, 3 situps, 2 squat jumps, and 1 tree pose.

17. Practice another language

Photo credit/ASL Alphabet

Teach your kids the alphabet in sign language. Use brain breaks to practice by singing the ABCs while signing the letters. Then practice vocabulary words by spelling them out loud while signing the letters.

18. Take a cruise on an imaginary skateboard

Have your kids line up next to a wall and place one hand on the wall. Tell them to plant the foot closest to the wall and swing the other leg, as if pushing off the ground on a skateboard. Start slowly, with tiny swings, moving up to power pushes. Repeat on the other side.

19. Find out how it’s made

Remember that classic Sesame Street video about how crayons are made? We watched in awe as crayons rolled off the assembly line, wrapped in paper, and then slipped into those familiar cardboard boxes. Kids today are just as fascinated by how things are made! Here are our favorite videos about how things are made—from fireworks to LEGOs.

20. Break out the hot hands

This is a good break when you sense a weariness in the air. Have kids rub their hands together vigorously until they warm up. Tell them to close their eyes and place their hands over their eyes. Instruct them to breathe deeply as they clear their mind and refocus.

21. Take a break to groove

Music is a great way to reset the mood in a room and raise the energy level. Put on a fun song and have a 30-second freestyle dance party. Here are some kid-friendly music playlists.

22. Or take it to the next level

Teach your kids the steps to popular dances such as the Cha-Cha Slide, the Macarena, or the Kidz Bop Shuffle.

23. Try some facial gymnastics

Have kids get their silly on for 30 seconds. Tell them to wiggle their eyebrows up and down as fast as they can. Then try to raise one eyebrow at a time.

24. Open your chest

Source: @sanfordfitkids Open Your Chest Brain Break

We spend so much of our day hunched forward. Have kids take a break to open their chests and breathe deeply.

25. Take a doodle break

According to researcher Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, downtime is essential for brain health. Kids need time for their growing brains to integrate and process the vast amount of information they receive each day. In other words, it is actually beneficial to give our kids time to allow their minds to wander. Try this: Set a timer for 3-5 minutes and let kids silently doodle with pencil and paper or a dry erase board and marker while soft, calming music plays in the background.

26. Do nothing for two minutes

Never underestimate the power of stillness. When the energy gets a little ramped up, and it’s time for the entire class to take a pause, have them drop everything and glue their eyes to the screen as you show this countdown. The gentle lulling of the waves and the sight of the sun sparkling off the water will reset their nervous system in a jiffy.

27. Clap for a little call and response

Pep things up with a little call and response clapping. It’s simple to do and is often used in the classroom to get students’ attention. Simply clap out a pattern that your kids will repeat back to you. Switch out the pattern a few times until everyone is focused and engaged. Alternatively, try a vocal call and response. Sing out a few riffs and have kids echo the tune back to you.

28. Take a comedy break

Comedy is a great release when the atmosphere is feeling a little intense. Show a funny video clip or have kids volunteer to tell a joke or pose a few silly riddles.

29. Color yourself mellow

Even grown-ups have picked up on the coloring craze as an excellent way to calm down and zone out. Put on some nice mellow background music, set a timer, and pass out some of these free positive self-talk coloring pages.

30. Make a brain break spinner

How to Make a Brain Break Spinner

How's this for a brain break during the day?!

Posted by Sanford Fit Kids on Friday, January 4, 2019

One way to make sure educational brain breaks are effective is to change up activities. Check out this step-by-step video from Sanford fit that shows you how to make your own Wheel of Fortune-type game to help you add variety to brain breaks!

31. Write it out

Don’t underestimate the power of journaling or creative writing. Give your kids a 5- or 10-minute break to open up a page of their notebook and write about anything they’d like. They don’t have to share it with the class or do anything else with it; just use the quiet time to focus on something they love and want to write about.

32. Ramp up with a round of cherry pickers

This easy activity will get your students’ hearts pumping and give their brains a boost. Have them jump up off the ground, then down to the floor into a push-up position. From there, instruct them to hop their feet up into a frog position, then pop up to a standing position.

33. Clap on, clap off

When you say “clap on,” kids clap their hands vigorously together. When you say “clap off,” they stop as quickly as they can and freeze. Or follow along with this fun video.

34. Skip it out

When the energy is fading, and kids need to get their blood flowing, put on a peppy song and pull out the imaginary jump ropes. Have kids skip or jump rope in place until the song ends.

35. Spread your wings (in slow motion)

Walk your kids through this winged movement: Sit cross-legged on the floor. Stretch your arms down by your sides with your palms facing inward toward your body. Slowly raise both arms while rotating hands forward. When your arms reach shoulder level, your hands should be facing forward. Continue raising arms, slowly rotating palms so that by the time hands are overhead, palms are facing each other. Slowly lower arms, repeating the rotation (palms facing each other, palms facing forward, palms facing sides) until they are once again resting at your sides. As you raise and lower your arms, stretch them as long as you can, as if you are scraping the sides of the room and the ceiling. Repeat slowly three times, breathing deeply.

36. Exercise your answer

Source: @sanfordfitkids True or False Brain Break

This fun activity is an active community builder. Kids raise their heart rates while playing trivia.

37. Make like a blender

Tell kids it’s time to make fruit smoothies. Ask them to pretend they are in a blender and they are strawberries (or blueberries or bananas, etc.). Dramatically pour orange juice or yogurt into the air in front of you. Tell kids when you flip the switch that they need to wiggle and jiggle (separately, not together) until they are each individually blended up. Start with a slow speed, moving up to medium speed, fast speed, and finally turbo speed. And then reverse it! Start at turbo speed and go back to slow speed.

38. Celebrate with a silent cheer

This activity is perfect for the end of an activity or a sustained amount of work time—especially for kids who are learning remotely. Let kids stand up and silently cheer and gesture in celebration. How animated can they get?!

39. Do a full-body workout

This kid-friendly exercise video is great for your body and brain! Kids can follow along through a set of workout moves that will get their blood pumping.

40. Play popcorn

Students will all be sitting in their chairs, and at any time, a student can jump up and say, “Pop!” Once they do, that student remains standing. If two students pop up at the same time, everyone takes their seats, and the game starts over. How quickly can the entire class pop without having to start over?

41. Build a sensory pathway

These color-coded posters will take your kids through a different set of tasks to help them move, recharge and set their mood! Get the free set of posters from Sanford fit here.

42. Hit the wall

Pushing against a solid object is a good way to displace extra energy from your body. Have kids stand facing a wall with their arms stretched out in front of them, palms on the surface of the wall. Push the wall away with all their strength for a count of ten. Relax for five seconds, then push again. Other activities they can do at the wall include calf stretches and wall push-ups.

43.

Try a cat/cow pose

Have kids start on all fours and then give them the following instructions to complete the cat/cow yoga pose: Place your shoulders over your wrists and hips over your knees. Arch your back to the sky and tuck in the tailbone. Let your head fall between your arms. From there, sink the belly towards the ground, and lift the chest and chin. Gently alternate between the two poses while breathing deeply.

44. Grab your favorite GIFs

Make a slideshow of your favorite GIFs and have your kids act them out. Funny animals are a good place to start!

45. Find the object

Kids don’t even have to get out of their seats for this one, but they can! Have one student start by finding an object and saying, “I see something beginning with the letter [fill in the blank].” The first person to guess the item correctly gets to choose the next object. This can be a fun one to play on Zoom too! You can have kids add in additional clues to help.

46. 3, 2, 1 blastoff!

Instruct kids to stand and then squat down with their hands on the ground in front of them. All together, count down 3, 2, 1. When you get to zero, they should push up like a rocket, jumping as high as they can—letting all of their energy burst from their center.

47. Float with jellyfish

When you really need to take the energy in your room down a notch, turn off the lights, set a timer, and put on this amazing video. Kids will find themselves under the brilliant blue sea in the middle of a swarm of jellyfish. They’ll be mesmerized by the slow, fluid motions and lulled into calmness by the soothing music.

48. Quick as a snap, wink

Photo credit/Getty Images

This is a quick, easy refocusing activity. Tell kids to snap their left fingers while they wink their right eye. Switch to snapping their right fingers while winking their left eye. This activity is particularly effective for younger learners who may find both activities challenging.

49. Balance break

A great way to get kids out of their chairs is to practice balance. Have them hop on one foot. Then up the ante by having them stand on one foot and bend their other knee out in front of them.

50. Tabletop push-ups

Kids can use their desk, a chair, the side of their couch—anything really. Have them place their hands on the table and focus their eyes in the center, moving down slowly and pushing back up.

What educational brain breaks do you love? Sanford fit has some of our favorite brain break ideas that you can use in your classroom or at home.

How stress and experiences physically change our brain

April 7Health

After a psychological trauma, we become different people - it's true.

Serious shocks and chronic stress affect many aspects of life: appetite disappears, sleep is disturbed, and mental health in general suffers. However, few people know that psychological effects can ^{Can emotional trauma cause brain damage? / Highland Springs Clinic injure the brain. In the literal sense: they cause quite distinct physical damage to the gray matter.}

A recent study ^{by C. Allene, K. Kalalou, et al. Acute and post-traumatic stress disorders: A biased nervous system / Revue Neurologique, published in the journal Revue Neurologique, acute stress reactions and chronic mental disorders, provoked by the same severe stress, disrupt the functioning of two key brain systems - they are conventionally referred to as " defensive" and "cognitive".}

This can affect how the brain reacts to threats, including the simplest daily everyday problems and conflicts. The ability to restrain emotions, remember and process information also changes.

There are three areas of the brain that respond the most to stress.

How stress changes the brain

The amygdala becomes hyperactive and enlarges

The amygdala (amygdala) is a part of the nervous tissue that is primarily responsible for emotions. Particularly for fear and anger.

This zone plays the most important role in the work of the self-preservation instinct. The main task of the amygdala is to process information coming from the senses and detect a threat. The response to a fixed external danger is either anger (the first part in the famous fight-or-flight response) or fear.

Sanam Hafiz

Doctor of Psychology.

In people who have experienced severe psychological trauma, the amygdala may become overactive.

This means that the amygdala starts to trigger the fight-or-flight response at any moment, even if the person is not in danger.

This causes tension in the sympathetic nervous system: the heart pumps blood more actively, the muscles tighten, breathing quickens, the person becomes very attentive to trifles, his senses become more acute. In everyday language, this state is called "on edge". Psychologists have their own term - capture ^{Amygdala hijack and the fight or flight response / Verywell Mind tonsils.}

Seizure of the amygdala can result in a panic attack, a surge of emotions and aggression, and stress. The more hyperactive the amygdala, the more often and easier it is excited, the more the nervous system is depleted.

A person becomes irritable, quick-tempered, aggressive, cannot control himself. Stress develops into a chronic form, which causes problems with sleep, and the situation worsens.

Changes in the amygdala also occur on the physical level. Study ^{S. W. Lee, L. Gerdes, et al. A bihemispheric autonomic model for traumatic stress effects on health and behavior / Frontiers in Psychology, published in the Journal of Head Injury Rehabilitation, found that combat veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder have this area of the brain enlarged compared to those who does not have PTSD.}

The work of the prefrontal cortex is deteriorating

The prefrontal cortex is a more “intelligent” part of the brain that normally restrains the overly emotional outbursts of the amygdala.

The amygdala senses a negative emotion, like anger or fear, and the prefrontal cortex evaluates this emotion rationally. It weighs whether the danger detected by the amygdala is really so great and whether it is really necessary to disturb the parasympathetic nervous system.

For example, if you go to a meeting with your boss, anticipating a dressing down, the amygdala strives to turn on the fight-or-flight response.

But your prefrontal cortex tells you that visiting your boss is unpleasant, but not fatal. Thanks to this, the amygdala calms down, and you pull yourself together.

However, study ^{by A. F. T. Arnsten, M. A. Raskind, et al. The effects of stress exposure on prefrontal cortex: Translating basic research into successful treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder / Neurobiology of Stress, published in the journal Neurobiology of Stress, reports both acute and chronic stress weaken the prefrontal cortex, physically reducing the amount of active neurons.}

As a result, she loses her ability to control the reactions of the amygdala. Any danger, even imaginary, the brain begins to perceive as a mortal threat - and reacts to it accordingly.

The hippocampus shrinks and malfunctions

The hippocampus is the region of the brain that is primarily responsible for storing memories. It also helps to distinguish past experience from the present.

Psychic trauma disrupts the work of the hippocampus. This manifests itself differently in different people. For example, someone may forget part of their past, but the memories of the traumatic event will remain vivid and clear.

Others will panic every time the environment even slightly resembles the one they were in during the trauma.

This happens because the brain loses the ability to clearly distinguish between past and present. But the matter is not limited to special effects with memory.

Sanam Hafiz

In people with PTSD, the physical size of the hippocampus is sometimes significantly reduced. Such damage is caused by the constant worry and stress in which they live.

The smaller the hippocampus, the worse it copes with its functions. This means that the more difficulties with memory and rolling panic a person will experience.

What to do if the brain has been damaged due to mental trauma

There is no specific way to restore the brain after damage caused by acute or chronic stress. But there is still one definite point: you need to see a doctor as soon as possible. The best thing is to see a psychotherapist.

Sanam Hafiz

If psychological trauma is left untreated, it will become more and more difficult to repair damaged areas of the brain - such as the hippocampus or the amygdala - over time.

The doctor will examine you and ask you about your symptoms and experiences. And based on this, he will develop an individual treatment plan. It will include psychotherapy or medication, or maybe a combination of both.

How sunlight affects the brain and how much is needed for health

August 23Health

Long cloudy days can contribute to depression, and beach holidays can be addictive for some.

Iya Zorina

Author of Lifehacker, athlete, CCM

How does sunlight affect the brain

Light hits the retina and affects ^{How Does Sunlight Affect Our Mood? / BrainFact.org on special ganglion cells. They set the rhythms of sleep and wakefulness, affect cognitive functions and mood.}

Since these cells are most receptive to blue light, such as daylight, scientists speculate ^{How Does Sunlight Affect Our Mood? / BrainFact.org that the sun can make a big difference in emotional and mental performance.}

Improves mood and relieves symptoms of depression

Sunlight affects the amount of serotonin. This substance, which transmits signals between nerve cells and other tissues of the body, provides a good mood and a calm, but focused state.

This neurotransmitter is often referred to as the happiness hormone and is often deficient in depression.

One study tested ^{G. W. Lambert, C. Reid, D. M. Kaye. Effect of sunlight and season on serotonin turnover in the brain / The Lancet measured hundreds of healthy people in different seasons and found that the amount of serotonin in the brain was higher on sunny days.}

This is especially important for depressed people. Several studies have shown ^{1. S. Leppamaki, T. Partonen, J. Hurme. Randomized trial of the efficacy of bright‑light exposure and aerobic exercise on depressive symptoms and serum lipids / Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
2. M. Brown, J. Goldstein‑Shirley, J. Robinson. The effects of a multi‑modal intervention trial of light, exercise, and vitamins on women’s mood / Women & Health that sun exposure reduces the symptoms of this disorder. Especially when combined with exercise.}

Helps improve sleep

Serotonin is the precursor of another important hormone, melatonin, which is responsible for ^{A. Carrillo‑Vico, R. J. Reiter, P. J. Lardone. The modulatory role of melatonin on immune responsiveness / Current opinion in an investigational drug plays an important role in the fight against infections and inflammation.}

Exposure to bright sunlight in the morning helps ^{M. N. Mead. Benefits of Sunlight: A Bright Spot for Human Health / Environmental health perspectives for the body to start producing melatonin faster at night and sleep better.}

Regulating the rhythms of the "sleep hormone" can help alleviate the symptoms of insomnia, premenstrual syndrome and seasonal affective disorder.

Improves blood circulation

Several studies have confirmed that sunlight can affect blood flow in the brain. Such changes were noticed by ^{1. C. Dani, G. Bertini, E. Martelli. Effects of phototherapy on cerebral haemodynamics in preterm infants: is fiber‑optic different from conventional phototherapy? / Developmental medicine and child neurology
2. E. Matthew, R. G. Vasile, G. Sachs. Regional cerebral blood flow changes after light therapy in seasonal affective disorder / Nuclear medicine communications in infants after phototherapy and in patients with seasonal affective disorder.}

Provides a feeling of pleasure

Ultraviolet B (UVB) waves affect skin cells keratinocytes and promote ^{S. K. Karin, U. Schallreuter, A. J. Thody. Regulation of Human Epidermal Melanocyte Biology By β-Endorphin / Journal of Investigative Dermatology to release beta-endorphins, natural opiates that reduce pain and provide a sense of pleasure.}

In addition, scientists have found that UV rays activate ^{Nguyen N. T. and Fisher D. E. MITF and UV responses in skin: from pigmentation to addiction / Pigment cell & melanoma research dopamine production in the striatum, a brain structure that is part of the reward system and plays a role in the formation of addictions.}

In one study, sunbathers filled out ^{M. M. Warthan, T. Uchida, R. F. Wagner. UV Light Tanning as a Type of Substance‑Related Disorder / Archives of Dermatology questionnaires commonly used to detect alcoholism. And 53% of the participants showed signs of dependence on alcohol. In another experiment, 74 people out of 100 showed ^{C. R. Harrington, T. C. Beswick, J. Leitenberger. Addictive‑like behaviors to ultraviolet light among frequent indoor tanners / Clinical and Experimental Dermatology}}

Interestingly, the obsessive love of sunbathing is typical not only for people.

In one experiment ^{G. L. Fell, K. C. Robinson, J. Mao. Skin β-endorphin mediates addiction to ultraviolet light / Cell mice were irradiated with small doses of ultraviolet light - and they also found an increase in the level of beta-endorphins in the blood plasma.}

Scientists suggest ^{Nguyen N. T. and Fisher D. E. MITF and UV responses in skin: from pigmentation to addiction / Pigment cell & melanoma research that mammals need this mechanism to get them to get out in the sun and thus avoid vitamin D deficiency.}

Supports memory and attention

Daytime sunlight has a wavelength of 470-480 nm and has the greatest effect on photosensitive ganglion cells: improves ^{1. S. Gais, G. Vandewalle, M. Schabus. Wavelength‑dependent modulation of brain responses to a working memory task by daytime light exposure / Cerebral Cortex
2. G. Vandewalle, E. Balteau, C. Phillips. Daytime light exposure dynamically enhances brain responses / Current biology
3. W. D. S. Killgore, A. Alkozei, J. R. Vanuk. Blue light exposure increases functional connectivity between dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and multiple cortical regions / Neuroreport working memory, alertness and attention, helps to reduce distraction and not get stuck in thoughts.}

This is especially pronounced in people with depression. One review study looked at 16,800 participants over 45 and found that frequent sun exposure protected ^{S. T. Kent, L. A. McClure, W. L. Crosson. Effect of exposure sunlight on cognitive function among depressed and non-depressed participants: a REGARDS cross-sectional study / Environmental Health of people with this disorder from cognitive decline.}

Protects against vitamin D deficiency

One of the ways sunlight can benefit memory, attention and mood is getting enough vitamin D. This substance is produced in the skin when exposed to UVB rays and affects the health of many systems and organs, including the brain.

In one experiment, they found that mice with a vitamin D deficiency learned significantly less than their counterparts with a normal diet.

Scientists, after checking the state of the brain of animals, found ^{P. E. Mayne, T. H. J. Burne. Vitamin D in Synaptic Plasticity, Cognitive Function, and Neuropsychiatric Illness / Trendsin Neurosciences, that due to a lack of a useful substance, the perineuronal network of the hippocampus (something like a scaffold that supports nerve cells) has decreased in them. The number and strength of connections between neurons in this brain structure also decreased.}

Scientists have concluded that vitamin D deficiency makes the perineural network more sensitive to enzyme action, leading to its destruction, harming hippocampal nerve cells, and impairing memory and learning abilities.

Is it worth it to be in the sun as often as possible

Since daylight is good for mood and brain health, the conclusion suggests itself that you need to walk under the sun more often and go to the beach whenever possible.

However, do not forget that ultraviolet radiation is not the most useful thing. Overexposure to UVB rays can cause ^{R. Pandel, B. Poljšak, A. Godic. Skin Photoaging and the Role of Antioxidants in Its Prevention / ISRN dermatology Photoaging is the appearance of deep wrinkles and age spots due to oxidative stress and loss of collagen protein. Moreover, mutations in damaged keratinocytes are capable of ^{A. V. Laethema, S. Claerhout, M. Garmyn. The sunburn cell: Regulation of death and survival of the keratinocyte / The International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology lead to the development of skin cancer.}}

^{Sun Damage: Protecting Yourself / Cleveland Clinic ^{Sun Damage: Protecting Yourself / Cleveland Clinic is advised not to go out in the sun during the high UV hours of 10 a. m. to 4 p.m., use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30, and hide in the shade and wear clothing that covers most of the skin.}}

In theory, the less UVB rays exposed to the skin, the better for its condition.

At the same time, there is a risk of not getting enough vitamin D, which is necessary not only for good mood and vigor, but also for strong immunity, bones and overall health.

In order not to increase the risk of diseases and photoaging, it is worth adjusting the amount of sunbathing and taking into account the characteristics of your body.

How Much Sunshine Will Be Enough

There are no hard and fast rules on the amount of sunlight needed for health and well-being.

Thus, in a study on the treatment of depression, significant improvements were observed ^{M. Brown, J. Goldstein-Shirley, J. Robinson. The effects of a multi-modal intervention trial of light, exercise, and vitamins on women’s mood / Women & Health after a daily 20-minute walk. Approximately the same amount of time needed0009 M. N. Mead. Benefits of Sunlight: A Bright Spot for Human Health / Environmental health perspectives to get your daily dose of vitamin D - assuming the sun is high and the person is not wearing SPF or covering 40% of their skin with clothing.}

At the same time, it should be noted that not all people should do this. It is not safe to go out in direct sunlight without sunscreen:

For fair skin that burns quickly. In this case, the risk of skin cancer and photoaging is greatly increased.
People who are highly sensitive to sunlight. This may be an innate quality or a consequence of certain medications.
People with a predisposition to skin cancer. Risk factors include ^{Skin Cancer / Cleveland Clinic cases of similar diseases in relatives, many large moles, actinic keratosis, organ transplantation, reduced immunity due to diseases.}

In these cases, you can get the necessary amount of vitamin D from food and supplements, and to maintain a good mood and mental ability to use ^Y.