Brain Breaks for High School

When a student gets to high school, it is challenging to keep up with class and work schedules, extracurricular activities, and social lives. Teenagers require brain breaks for high school to help the brain work more efficiently in the classroom. Brain breaks recharge the brain to decrease stress and increase productivity in the classroom.

ARE BRAIN BREAKS GOOD FOR STUDENTS?

Brain breaks are not only good for students, they are necessary! Elementary school students use brain breaks to energize or relax and increase focus in the classroom. Brain breaks are good for middle school students for increased problem-solving and creativity during classroom tasks.

DO HIGH SCHOOLERS NEED BRAIN BREAKS?

The trick to success in high school is to unlock the motivation and engagement of students in the learning process. Brain breaks for high school students are beneficial to decrease stress and prevent boredom in the school environment. Short brain break activities can increase the focus of high schoolers to concentrate on a subject longer.

Brain breaks can involve short exercises that involve movements such as jumping jacks or stretches. These breaks can even involve quiet time such as deep breathing exercises or resting their head on the desk. Another short break can include taking a walk around the classroom or allowing communication among their peers. Incorporating that brief pause or downtime can improve the mood of high schoolers and help students reset their brains.

HOW OFTEN DO STUDENTS NEED A BRAIN BREAK?

Just as our muscles need rest at times when we work them too hard, our brains need rest too! In elementary school, lunch, recess, and gym classes are important breaks for the mind and body during the day. Younger students should take at least a two-minute break for every 15 minutes of teaching lessons to reboot their brains. Find something the whole class enjoys doing such as freeze dance or using learning stations during lesson plans.

It becomes more challenging to incorporate brain breaks for middle and high school students due to their jam-packed schedules filled with classes, homework, practices, work, and home activities. These kids should take at least a five-minute brain break for every 30 minutes of teaching lessons. Something simple such as the rock, paper, scissors game, or stand-up stretches can work wonders to reenergize students and teachers in the classroom.

MOVEMENT BREAKS FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS 

Teachers say they see some of their students yawn in class or fall asleep, especially during those early morning classes. High school students say they are bored and tired in school. Movement breaks benefit both high school students and teachers in improving productivity and efficiency in the classroom and can increase the engagement of students in the learning process. Breaks such as walking or jumping jacks are great for increasing oxygen and blood flow to the brain.

BRAIN BREAKS FOR HIGH SCHOOL – IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS

It just takes a little creativity and giving choices to motivate older students in school. Try including each student by having them write down a brain break activity from a list and place it in a jar for random drawings. Brain breaks can include all sorts of activities that are physical, mental, or skill-building.

Physical brain breaks include a movement activity that is energizing and alerting. On the other hand, mental brain breaks include calming and mindfulness exercises. Skill-building brain breaks are great for the entire class to work together or in small groups. Here is a list of some great brain-break ideas.

PHYSICAL MOVEMENT

• Switcheroo Seats Brain Breaks – download for FREE 30 different ways to mix up the classroom.  Fun for all ages!
• Push-up breaks – complete push-ups while seated to lift the body or push-ups against a wall.
• Walking breaks – walk around the classroom to observe different stations of activities that can be tied into a lesson.
• Pass the ball – throw a ball around the classroom to answer questions on a topic presented by the teacher.
• Basketball toss – throw a ball in an over-the-door basketball hoop or in a trashcan to win a bonus point or piece of candy.

MENTAL CALMING

• Deep breathing exercises help decrease stress and anxiety, increase calmness, strengthen sustained attention, sharpen the ability to learn, and more! 
• Meditation exercises help increase learning and attention by focusing on a thought or an object.
• Gentle stretches help release tension in the muscles from sitting too long at a desk. Download a free printable on classroom stretching.
• Tai Chi exercises help improve brain function with many great resources on youtube videos.
• Yoga poses help improve focus and concentration by using a combination of physical poses, breathing techniques, and meditation.

SKILL BUILDING

• Roll Some Fun Brain Breaks – roll the dice and complete the activities! Download two free Brain Break game boards!
• Crossword puzzles and word searches – incorporate themed teaching lessons each week.
• Card games or card tricks – work in small groups or have each student share a card trick.
• Scavenger hunt – participate in an outdoor nature scavenger hunt or selfie scavenger hunt by taking selfies with the objects. We know teens love their phones!
• Sudoku games – easy or challenging games that can be played on the school Chromebook or IPad. Download free Sudoku puzzles here.

As adults, we know we need a quick brain break once in a while at work by going to get fresh air or a cup of coffee so we can come back to our desks and refocus on the task at hand. High school students need brain breaks as well to increase their ability to learn and balance their emotions throughout the school day. I promise you, the benefits will be endless for both teachers and students.

RELATED POSTS:

Brain Breaks Before or During Testing – 10 physical activities to get the brain ready to focus pretest or during tests.

Positive Benefits of Brain Breaks – 7 positive benefits of brain breaks to help achieve academic success.

Set SMART Goals for Movement Breaks – examples of SMART goals to achieve success in the classroom and a FREE SMART goal-setting template to download.

One Minute Brain Breaks – quick activities to reset your students.

ARTICLE WRITTEN BY:

Kimberly Orlando, MOTR/L – Kimberly Orlando received her Master of Occupational Therapy from Chatham University in Pittsburgh, PA in 2001, and received her Level 1 Handwriting Specialist Certification through Handwriting Without Tears in 2012 in the areas of Pre-K Readiness, Printing, Cursive, and The Print Tool Evaluation. With 21 total years of experience as an Occupational Therapist, she has 6 years of experience providing services in hospital and home health care settings and 15 years of experience in early intervention and school settings (Pre-K through middle school levels). Kimberly also has experience tutoring children with fine motor and handwriting concerns.