HEATHER HOLTE

CLASSROOM MOTOR BREAKS

BENEFITS OF MOTOR BREAKS

• Better concentration and focus
• Improvements in math, language and memory
• Decrease anxiety
• Increase positive behavior
• Good coping strategy for kids with ADHD & ADD

Motor breaks do not have to be elaborate you can simply do jumping jacks with your class or run in place. Even just a minute helps. Motor breaks also help when transitioning to another subject. Studies suggest a motor break every 20-30 minutes for Elementary age kids.

The best exercises are ones that cause vestibular stimulation. This system helps kids develop skills in coordination, balance, calming down, and becoming more focused.

FOCUS MOVES

5-4-3-2-1 In this simple game, students stand up and the teacher (or leader) has them do five different movements in descending order. For example the teacher would say: “Do five jumping jacks, spin around four times, hop on one foot three times, walk all the way around the classroom two times, give your neighbor one high-five (pausing in between each task for students to do it).

Trading Places Have students stand behind their pushed-in chairs. Call out a trait, and everyone who has that trait must change places with someone else (students who do not have the trait stay where they are). Examples: “Everyone with curly hair.” “Everyone who ate cereal for breakfast.” “Everyone who is wearing stripes.”

Dance Party! Put on some rockin’ music and dance! If you can make the room semi-dark and have a black light or other special effect, your kids will love it!

Keep It Up Students must keep a beach ball from hitting the ground. Add two or three balls to make it even more fun.

Simon Says An oldie but a goody!

Would You Rather Ask a “would you rather” question and have students show their choice by moving to one end of the room or the other. Have a few kids share why

Physical Challenges Challenge students to do something physically difficult, such as standing on one foot with arms extended, or this one: Grab your nose with left hand, and grab your left earlobe with your right hand, and then quickly switch so that your right hand is on your nose and your left hand is grabbing your right earlobe. Yoga poses could also be a good variation.

Jump Skip Counting Have students count by twos, fives, tens etc. while jumping with each count. You could also practice spelling words this way.

Line Up! Have students line up using a specific criteria, such as age (use day and month, not just year), height, alphabetically by middle name, hair length, etc.

Find It Fast Call out a color or other trait (e.g. something round, something made of wood), and students must find an object in the room that fits the trait and get to it quickly.

There are thousands of options for classroom motor breaks. The best advice is that if the teacher buys in and believes in them, the students will.

OTHER EXAMPLES

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Resources: Pinterest, library, local gym trainers, Google, gonoodle, behavioral specialists, PE teachers, coaches,& OT Therapist all have valuable ideas for brain breaks. Just ask! The most important thing is to just do something! Just move!

References are found in the research portion of this project. Thank you!