Children are full of energy and enthusiasm. Sometimes they misbehave because they don't have an outlet for all those wiggles! These activities can be used between reading groups, content areas, or other times children need a break. The good news is that they'll be exercising their brains as they release stress and learn! Hint! Write these ideas on a language experience chart or on sentence strips for your pocket chart. Engage children in choosing activities and leading classmates in these songs and games. Your brain needs to move every 15 minutes or more, So this month brain breaks are in store. Wiggle, sing, move, and let the blood flow. Oxygenate the brain and watch learning grow!
CROSSING THE MIDLINE
Draw a line down the middle of your body. That's called the midline. Every
time you cross over that line, you are helping connect the hemispheres in
your brain.
Put on some music and have children follow along as you cross left hand to the right side of your body, right hand to the left side of your body, cross over with your feet, etc.
*Give children a piece of toilet paper for a streamer and have them follow along as you make figure eights in the air, circle the streamer around your body, wave it high, swing it low, and so forth.
*Staple tissue paper streamers to a straw and have children follow along
as you make cross lateral movements to music.
JUGGLING
Children can improve eye-hand coordination and cross the midline by juggling
scarves, paper towels, or wadded up paper balls.
Begin by having children toss up and catch one ball or scarf. Can they toss it and catch it one time? Can they toss it, clap and catch it? Can they toss it, turn around, and catch it?
Add a second ball or scarf and see what they can do. Try juggling to music.
Hint! To make inexpensive juggling scarves, cut up netting fabric into 12" squares.
PATTY CAKE
Have children play hand clap games, such as "Miss Mary Mack" or "Say, Say My Playmate."
Nursery rhymes or skip counting are also good for doing cross over hand claps with a partner.