Brain Breaks and Break Spaces

Brain Breaks and Break Spaces Karen Harshfield, Counselor at North & West Gresham Elementary Schools harshfield2@gresham.k12.or.us

Why Brain Breaks? -Angela Handscom (Ped. Occupational therapist) from the Washington Post • In order for kids to learn and pay attention, we need to let them move! Real Mom Nutrition Brain Breaks “Children naturally start fidgeting in order to get the movement their body so desperately needs and is not getting enough of to “turn their brain on.” What happens when the children start fidgeting? We ask them to sit still and pay attention; therefore, their brain goes back to “sleep.”

Research

Let’s Move! • High Five Challenge! • Melting • GoNoodle / Get Moving • Pop See Ko • GoNoodle / Koo Koo Kanga Roo High School Resource

Why Break Spaces? • Teaches kids to take care of ones self in order to build skills for self regulation. • Makes it socially the norm. • Keeps kids in the class so they are still hearing the instruction. • Maintains relationship with the teacher.

Stress • It is important to teach kids what stress is and how to handle stress at school. This way you have language to use to encourage a student to use the space. “Joey, you seem stressed right now. Why don’t you go give your brain a 5 minute break and then we can figure out what you need to get through math.” • “Jose, need a fidget to through this lesson?” • I have lessons for this if you would like.

How to Introduce the Break Space Elementary • Ideally you will introduce it in a community circle. If you do not do community circles, introduce it as you would when you teach a new procedure in class. • You can read a story about it (just make a quick little book with pictures of the space) and talk about how to use the space, then review ways not to use the space. End with 1 or 2 students showing how to use it.

Continued • Use language such as “At times, we all get a little overwhelmed. Some of us do better working while we settle our minds, some of us may need a 5 minute break to let our brains rest. One of the tools we have in our class is a break space. Only 1 student at a time can use it…” • Then go through the items and show how to use them. (This is a stuffed animal you can cuddle with. This is a ball you can squeeze…)

How To Introduce Break Space to Middle/High • You may be more likely to have breaks at their own desks or if not used punitively in the hall to maintain “saving face” with peers. • Break box with sketch book, fidgets, stress balls, etc. that can be mobile. • Show to kids and tell them anyone can grab something when they need it or you may toss something to someone if you think it will help.

Examples

Examples (HS Basket)

Examples

Individual Break Spaces • Individual Break Boxes to use at desk or designated space. • Paper or fabric around desk (very useful for kids that feel like others are looking at them)

Questions? • My contact: • Karen Harshfield

Brain Breaks and Break Spaces