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Growing Hands-On Kids

Growing Hands-On Kids

Child Development Tips, Tools, and Strategies

You are here: Home / Sensory & Behavior / 10 Brain Break Activities for Kids

10 Brain Break Activities for Kids

October 21, 2014 By Heather Greutman 6 Comments

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Children naturally learn by movement. I am realizing this more and more as my daughter gets older (she is now 2 years old). But toddlers aren't the only ones who need movement in their lives. ALL children can benefit from movement or brain break activities. So today I am sharing 10 brain break activities for kids to help them stay alert, on task, and get the wiggles out during the day.

These are great not only for homeschoolers but in the classroom as well.

Need a brain break? Here are 10 great brain break ideas for kids of all ages.

10 Brain Break Activities for Kids

1. Jumping Jacks – How many can you do in a minute?

2. Jumping on a mimi trampoline – How long can they last before getting too tired?

3. Crawling through tunnels or under objects (see my idea for a tunnel activity to encourage crawling).

4. Cross Crawls or Marching – March the feet up and down and cross the arms to touch the opposite knee

5. Heavy work activities such as pushing, pulling, objects. (see my idea for a laundry basket push game).

6. Scooter board activities (see my fall scooter board activity, winter scooter board activity, or obstacle course relay).

7. Wall pushes – stand far enough away from the wall that you can touch the wall with your hands while your arms are straight. Then bend the elbow and lean in towards the wall.

8. Bear or Crab Crawls

9. Take a short walk or hike outside

10. Play with a parachute (Or make this DIY version from And Next Comes L)

For more great brain break activities, check out my friend Heather Haupt's Ultimate Guide to Brain Breaks book. It comes in a paperback or ebook format and has 60+ brain break ideas that can be used as cards. Plus she explains the science behind brain breaks in an easy to read and understand language.

I recommend her book all the time, especially for parents who have wiggly kids at home.

The Ultimate Guide to Brain Breaks eBook

This is a Google Hangout where Heather was a guest and she gave lots of great tips on brain breaks and other ideas for kids based on her book.

Here are some other resources if you are looking for ways to teach your active and wiggly kids at home.

  • Organizing, Alerting, and Calming Activities for Children – Comes with a free printable
  • 40 Sensory Break Ideas for Kids – Lemon Lime Adventures
  • Adapting Homeschool for Wiggly Kids – Raising Lifelong Learners
  • How the Vestibular System Affects Your Child's Behavior

You can also check out my Bilateral Coordination and Vestibular & Proprioception Pinterest boards for more movement ideas.

Follow Heather G. | Golden Reflections Blog's board Bilateral Coordination Activities on Pinterest.

Follow Heather G. | Golden Reflections Blog's board Vestibular & Proprioceptive Activities on Pinterest.

Sharing with: Crafts on Sea, Hip Homeschool Mom, The Mommy Club, Totschooling, B-Inspired Mama, Homeschool Creations, The Jenny Evolution 

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Filed Under: Sensory & Behavior Tagged With: Autism, For Parents, For Teachers, For Therapists, Gross Motor, Sensory, SPD

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CONTENT DISCLAIMER: Heather Greutman is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant.
All information on the Website is for informational purposes only and is not a replacement for medical advice from a physician or your pediatrician. Please consult with a medical professional if you suspect any medical or developmental issues with your child. The information on the Websites does not replace the relationship between therapist and client in a one-on-one treatment session with an individualized treatment plan based on their professional evaluation. The information provided on the Website is provided “as is” without any representations or warranties, express or implied.
Do not rely on the information on the Website as an alternative to advice from your medical professional or healthcare provider. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment as a result of any information provided on the Website. All medical information on the Website is for informational purposes only.
All activities outlined on the Website are designed for completion with adult supervision. Please use your own judgment with your child and do not provide objects that could pose a choking hazard to young children. Never leave a child unattended during these activities. Please be aware of and follow all age recommendations on all products used in these activities. Growing Hands-On Kids is not liable for any injury when replicating any of the activities found on this blog.
YOUR RESPONSIBILITY The Website was developed strictly for informational purposes. You understand and agree that you are fully responsible for your use of the information provided on the Website. Growing Hands-On Kids makes no representations, warranties, or guarantees. You understand that results may vary from person to person. Growing Hands-On Kids assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions that may appear on the Website.

Comments

  1. Jen Schneider says

    October 27, 2014 at 10:46 pm

    I’m always looking for fun brain breaks and these look great! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  2. Karissa Barber // The Acting Mom says

    October 29, 2014 at 9:11 am

    I’m a mom to 4 kids, 3 who are boys so I love this post! We homeschool and it can be hard to keep things focused on learned. I love your ideas and your other posts at the bottom. So much information to help. Love it!

    Reply
  3. Love says

    April 8, 2015 at 10:42 am

    My daughter will love these, pinning it!

    Reply
    • Heather Greutman says

      April 11, 2015 at 10:00 pm

      Awesome, thanks for pinning!

      Reply
  4. Nicole says

    April 10, 2015 at 4:02 pm

    Oh, this is a great resource! I definitely have a very wiggly kid who needs to do this kind of stuff!

    Reply
    • Heather Greutman says

      April 11, 2015 at 10:00 pm

      Glad this was helpful for you Nicole!

      Reply

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