Brain break wheel

18 breaks

About this wheel

Spin the wheel to pick one of 18 brain breaks that take about a minute. The list mixes movement such as jumping jacks and marching in place with calm moves such as slow breathing, tree pose and stretching to the ceiling.

Teachers use it between lessons, after a long carpet time or before a test. Let a student press the spin button so the class sees the choice is random, then do the break together for 60 seconds. At home, use it for a homework pause. Pairing a high-energy break with a calm break gives a class a quick reset in two spins.

The mode is Allow repeats, so a favorite break can come back. Choose Everyone once to cycle through all 18 over a week. Add your own breaks in the list box, one per line. Press Fullscreen to show the wheel on the board, and use the Space bar to spin.

All 18 brain breaks

  1. Stretch to the ceiling
  2. Ten jumping jacks
  3. Shake out your hands
  4. Slow breathing, five counts
  5. Stand and twist
  6. March in place
  7. Roll your shoulders
  8. Touch your toes
  9. Wall push-ups
  10. Silent dance
  11. Balance on one foot
  12. Neck rolls
  13. Freeze dance
  14. Wiggle like a jellyfish
  15. Tree pose
  16. Simon says for 30 seconds
  17. Stretch like a cat
  18. Chair twist

Questions

How long does a brain break take?

About 60 seconds. Set a timer, do the move together, then return to work. Eighteen breaks cover a full month of weekday mornings if you use one each day.

Can I keep only calm breaks?

Yes. Delete the high-energy lines such as Ten jumping jacks and March in place from the list box and keep slow breathing, tree pose and stretches.

Are the breaks safe in a small room?

Yes. Each one can be done standing beside a desk. Wall push-ups and balancing on one foot need a little space, so remove them if desks are tight.

Can students choose the break?

Yes. Let a different student spin each time. Press the Space bar to spin from the keyboard while the class watches the board.