Give Me A Break!

Let's face it, being a student these days is pretty tough. They have so much they are accountable for today. That's why I try to make learning as interesting as possible! If it's fun it is pretty painless. One strategy that I consistently use in my classroom is the use of movement breaks. According to ADDitude Magazine, "Exercise improves learning on three levels: It optimizes your mindset, by improving alertness, attention, and motivation." Those three levels are pretty important to learning!

Movement breaks don't have to be a half-hour aerobic session in the classroom, they can be quick 5 minute breaks placed throughout the day. My students love their movement breaks. Whenever I see them starting to fade, we take a break and move!

Youtube has made finding movement breaks so much easier! They have some great activities you can easily display on your Smartboard! Here is a list of some of my favorites breaks from youtube.com.

1. Monster Mash Halloween Energizer- This break is awesome for the month of October! It's done to the song "The Monster Mash," and it has the students sit like a pumpkin once the song is done!
2. The Penguin Dance- I love penguins, and my students definitely love acting like one! This song and dance is high energy and so much fun!
3. The Banana Song- This break is pretty quick, so I will play it twice when we need it!
4. The Sid Shuffle-  Sid the Sloth from Ice Age leads students in doing the Sid Shuffle. They show people from all around the world dancing, so you can add a little geography into this one.
5. Peanut Butter Jelly Time- The only thing bad about this one is that it will get stuck in your head all day long!
6. The Gummy Bear Song- This is from Just Dance Kids 2. My students love this one.
7. Just Dance Kids- There are tons of fun dance songs for your students! Just do a search for Just Dance Kids.
8. Fitness Freddie- Freddie does five-minute fitness breaks for your students. It is like a five-minute trip to the gym.

What movement breaks have you tried in your classroom? I hope you have fun moving with your students!