Virtual Home Learning Resources: Brain Breaks
If you’re the parent of a school-aged child, you’ve likely noticed a change in your child’s behavior, especially if they are facing a change in their school routine. Kids may be experiencing more frustration and anxiety than they have before, and they may be more easily or quickly overwhelmed. Virtual learning, whether full or part-time, can be challenging for kids as they try to access their teacher, peers, and education while seated in front of a screen for multiple hours a day. If you are anything like me, you are cautiously entering the 2020 school year with plans A through Z on your mind and preparing for there to be some in-person and more virtual learning ahead.
As I set up my at-home classroom in our upstairs hallway, I knew I had to have an easy-to-use tool to help my boys feel less overwhelmed by all that this year will bring. Brain breaks immediately came to mind as a trick I used daily in my own classroom. Thinking back to how important it was to look for cues from my students when they were getting fatigued with their learning, I knew I had to have a brain break activity at the ready for our home classroom, too.
A brain break is exactly what it sounds like: it’s a moment for you to step away from what you are doing, give your brain a break, and move your body. It’s a well-known trick amongst teachers and probably the most valuable tool for maintaining engagement and focus in a classroom. Now that parents are supporting learning at home, it’s time that they knew this teaching trick. A brain break can be anything from a set number of jumping jacks to a few minutes of yoga. The Nora Project created a resource, available for download below, called Take a Break with Your Name as a tool to help families build in brain breaks to their at-home learning routine. This simple activity encourages students to complete a different action for every letter of their name. Try spelling other words with the activities too!
Your children will appreciate this time to step away from a screen and move their bodies a little, and we know your child’s teacher will be impressed by this new part of your routine, too! If you try this at home, be sure to tag The Nora Project in social media posts!