Brain Breaks: your answer to improved classroom performance!
- info817394
- Nov 4, 2022
- 3 min read
Do you ever feel like your students are restless and need a break during classroom teaching? If so, brain break videos are the answer for you. Brain breaks are short periods of time during which students can engage in physical activity or relaxation exercises in order to refresh their minds. In this blog post, we’ll discuss what brain break videos are, the benefits of using them in the classroom, and different types of brain breaks that you can try.
How do brain breaks work?
The quick structured breaks mobilise different networks of the brain and the shift in brain activity allows regions blocked by stress or high-intensity work to re-engage!
The neuroscience of brain breaks
For new information to become a memory, it passes through the amygdala (an emotional filter) and then reaches the prefrontal cortex. When students’ brains become overwhelmed, the amygdala instead becomes a stop signal. Even if they don’t become overwhelmed, the amygdala eventually reaches capacity for conduction of new information to memory. New learning cannot pass through to reach the prefrontal cortex and sustain memory. Brain Breaks can be planned to restore the amygdala into the optimal state for information flow. As a general rule, concentrated study of 10 to 15 minutes for primary school students calls for a three- to five-minute break.
What are the benefits of brain breaks?
The brain needs physical activity to function optimally. Sedentary behaviour is linked with negative health outcomes, including obesity and heart disease.
There are many benefits of using brain breaks in the classroom, including:
- improved focus and concentration
- increased alertness
- improved academic performance
- reduced stress levels
- improved behaviour
Overall, these benefit classroom behaviour and performance, grounding core subject learning, enhancing learning readiness and increasing on-task behaviours.
What types of brain break videos are there?
There are many different types of brain break videos that you can use in your classroom.
Some of the most popular and effective videos include:
Teachers can use brain break videos throughout the school day to provide students with short breaks from learning. This can help improve students' focus and concentration, as well as reduce stress levels. There are many different types of brain break videos that teachers can choose from, so there is sure to be something that appeals to every classroom.
How long can children focus for?
Children can focus for extended periods of time if they are given the right tools and environment to do so. In this paragraph, we will discuss how long school-aged children can focus for, as well as strategies teachers can use to help their students stay focused throughout the day.
The average child can sustain attention for around 10 minutes on any task before needing a break. For most primary school-aged students, 3–5 minute brain breaks every 20 minutes is ideal. Research indicates that there is a direct correlation between how often students are allowed to take brain breaks and their level of on-task behaviour in class
What else helps children stay focused?
There are many things that teachers can do to help their students stay focused in class, including:
- providing a quiet and distraction-free learning environment
- establishing clear rules and expectations for behaviour
- using positive reinforcement
- breaking down tasks into manageable chunks
- incorporating brain breaks into the lesson plan
Children can focus for extended periods of time if they are given the right tools and environment. By incorporating brain breaks into the lesson plan, teachers can help their students stay focused and attentive in class. Brain breaks are a great way to provide students with the physical and mental break they need to refocus and perform at their best. Give brain breaks a try in your classroom today!
At Movement Education, we have put together a collection of quick, easy and fun Brain Boosts that you can do with your class from Reception to Year 6. Brain Breaks are an evidence-based behaviour strategy that help children to stay focused, be engaged in their learning, develop cooperation skills with their peers and maintain a positive attitude. We've designed a range of Brain Boost videos from chair-based and partner workouts to mindfulness exercises and stretching. So whether your pupils need to re-focus after the playground or warm up the body and brain before a content-heavy lesson, there's a video for you.
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