SEND Support Service (SSS): Ideas for Movement Breaks - WNC

Fun activities that everyone can try!

Physical Challenges

Yoga poses could be a good variation. Challenge children to do something physically demanding, such as standing on one foot with arms extended. Or grabbing your nose with your left hand, grabbing your left earlobe with your right hand, and then quickly switching (so that your right hand is on your nose and your left hand is grabbing your right earlobe).

Limbo

All you need is a long stick and someone to hold it. Music is helpful, too.

Find It Fast

Call out a colour or other trait (e.g. something round, something made of wood), and children must find an object in the room that fits the trait and get to it quickly.

Dance Party

Put on some rocking music and dance! If you can make the room semi-dark and have a black light or other special effects, your children will love it!

Freeze Dance

Similar to Dance Party, except that every so often, the music stops. Children must freeze and hold their position until the music begins again.

Keep It Up

Children must keep a beach ball from hitting the ground. Add two or three balls to make it even more fun.

‘Simon Says’

An oldie but a goody!

Recorded Movement Songs

Older children might enjoy a simple Zumba routine, YMCA, or the Macarena.

Plates

Give each person a paper plate. Walk around the room, balancing the plates on your heads. If you drop a plate, you must 'freeze' until another person picks it up and places it back on the other person's head (while keeping their own plate in place, of course).

Jump Skip Counting

Have children count by twos, fives, tens, etc., while jumping with each count. You could also practice spelling words this way.

Search for "Brain Breaks" on YouTube. There are lots of videos that are great fun to follow. Just search for them and try a different video each time.

Be creative. You can even make up your own games!