Brain breaks are short, intentional pauses in learning that help students reset their focus, energy, and attention.
You’ve probably heard of brain breaks. But you might have thought, “Yeah, but I don’t have time for that.” Or “Yeah, but brain breaks aren’t that important for students, are they?”
And this makes sense! After all, brain breaks can take time away from important teaching or practice time. When your pacing guide or curriculum expectations are tight, it can be tough to justify taking away even more time, even for a short brain break.
Some high-energy brain breaks can be disruptive or distracting. You might worry that you’ll lose control of your class or that transitioning back to learning will take even longer than the brain break itself!
Maybe you worry that brain breaks will require you to dance, sing, or get silly in front of your students…and that’s just not your personality.
These are valid concerns.
But the truth is, when brain breaks are used well, your classroom doesn’t feel chaotic; it feels responsive. You’re no longer fighting your students’ energy. You’re working with it.
Brain breaks are important – not just for your students, but for you too.
(Related reading: 5 Signs Your Class Needs a Brain Break)
Brain Breaks Help You Manage Classroom Energy
There are different types of brain breaks.
Some brain breaks are high-energy:
- Say 21 (a fast-paced counting game with a partner)
- Dance Party (a whole-class energy boost)
Some brain breaks are low-energy:
- Different Direction Circles (a quick coordination activity that forces focus)
- Ear & Nose Switch (a fun challenge that resets attention)
(Related Reading: Check out this blog post about the 7 best brain breaks for grades 4-8.)
When your class is energetic and having a difficult time focusing, pick a brain break that’s low-energy. Give directions in a calm voice, move slowly, and patiently demonstrate every step of the brain break.
If your students are falling asleep at their desks, use a high-energy brain break. Make your voice loud, get excited (or pretend to be), and hype up the brain break directions.
Pro Tip: Partner activities tend to be higher-energy than solo activities. If you let students pick their partners (which I recommend), they’ll be more likely to reengage if they’re with their friends.
Brain Breaks Improve Focus and Attention
Think about the last time you were stuck in a boring PD session or staff meeting. Chances are, the presenter stood at the front of the room and talked for hours…while you were stuck in your chair.
Student attention span is typically less than 20 minutes, and often less – even for older students.
When your students’ minds start to wander, you won’t be able to get them to refocus simply by continuing to push through your lesson or lecture.
Caveat: This doesn’t mean I never suggest pushing through a lesson.
- If time is short and a lesson is critical…push through.
- If students just had a brain break 3 minutes ago…push through.
- If your teacher instincts tell you it’s not the right time for a brain break…push through.
However, think about yourself in those boring PD sessions. Do you retain more information because the presenter keeps talking? Or would you rather take a short break, stretch your legs, talk to a friend…and then get back to the material?
Brain Breaks Help Re-Engage Older Students
If you teach older students, you’re facing an uphill battle for their attention.
Chances are, your students have had 5, 6, 7, or 8 years of not being engaged. They’ve been stuck sitting in desks, being talked at and lectured to, and given rote or repetitive practice tasks.
They may not be used to being asked to stay actively engaged for long periods of time.
So their brains have picked up the habit of checking out as soon as a task becomes too long or too hard.
Brain breaks interrupt that pattern.
If you’re consistent with using brain breaks to reengage students, your class will start to be more engaged.
Pro Tip: Using brain breaks to shift old habits takes time. Start at the beginning of the school year, and provide students an engaging brain break every time you notice their attention wandering. Some days that might be every 5 minutes. Other days you might be able to go for 15 minutes or more between breaks.
Pro Tip: You don’t always need to complete an official “Brain Break Task” every time students need to refocus. Switching from teacher instruction to student practice, or from independent work to partner work, also reengages the brain. But that’s talking about lesson pacing, which is a topic for a different blog post!
Brain Break Challenge
Don’t try to tackle all brain breaks at once. Pick one or two to start. (I like “Ear & Nose Switch.”)
For the next 3 days, pay attention to when your class’ energy is opposite of what you’re looking for. If you expect them to be calm, but they’re wild…do a brain break. If you expect them to be energetic, but they’re lethargic…do a brain break.
Then come back and tell me: What changed? Which brain break did you use? How did it go?
Leave a comment, then come grab your free set of 8 brain breaks that actually work. You get my 7 favorite classroom-tested brain breaks, plus a bonus one and a student energy level guide so you know which brain break is best to use.
F.A.Q.
Brain breaks are short, intentional pauses in learning that help students reset their focus, energy, and attention.
They can be physical (like a quick movement activity), mental (like a short game), or social (like a partner interaction). The goal isn’t to “waste time”—it’s to help students return to learning more focused and ready to engage.
Yes, but not because they add more content.
Brain breaks improve learning by helping students access the content you’re already teaching. When students are overwhelmed, tired, or unfocused, they’re not retaining much anyway. A short reset can make the rest of your lesson more effective.
Brain breaks aren’t meant to follow a strict schedule; they’re meant to be responsive.
Instead of watching the clock, watch your students. If their energy is too high, too low, or their focus is fading, that’s your cue.
Some days, you might need a brain break every 5–10 minutes. Other days, your class may stay engaged for much longer. Over time, you’ll start to recognize the patterns and adjust naturally.
That usually means the type of brain break didn’t match what your class needed.
If your students are already energetic, choose a calm, low-energy brain break with slow movements and quiet directions. If they’re sluggish, go with something more active and upbeat.
Brain breaks aren’t one-size-fits-all. The key is matching the activity to your students’ current state.
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