Brain gym exercises free printables plus#

Heather Greutman is a homeschool graduate turned homeschool mom blogger. Any paper will do the trick, but card stock would be ideal.įor more reading information on this topic visit:Īlerting, Calming and Organizing Activities for Kidsġ5 Brain Break Exercises for Kids (and video)ģ0 Quick One Minute Sensory Breaks for Kids

Brain gym exercises free printables plus#

You’ll get the printable, plus join my weekly newsletter! Click Here to Download and Subscribe Don’t get caught struggling to remember your options! Place it on the fridge, in a frame or even in your child’s calm down spot so they remember them as well. I have made a simple printable for you that has all of these sensory breaks in a simple and easy to display format. This post comes with a free printable to help with you in a bind. Print this Free Sensory Break Cheat Sheet

Headphones to block out unnecessary noise.

Chewing gum (all natural chewing gum option).

Drinking water through a water bottle with a Bite Valve.

Popcorn jumps (jumping from a squat position and then landing back in a squat position).

Chewing toys or tools such a Chewable Jewelry.

Ball Pits (make your own by filling up a small swimming pool with balls).

Ball Pass (Stand back to back and pass a ball by turning to the side in one direction, than reverse).

Animal Crawls (can you crawl like a bear? crab? frogs? seals?).

Crawling through tunnels or under objects.

Jumping on a mini trampoline or large outdoor trampoline.

It was great for me to be able to focus and soak in all the information we were learning about. I was recently at a continuing education course and I absolutely loved that the Occupational Therapist giving the presentation gave us 15-20 minute breaks every hour to hour and a half. You also need to give yourself a sensory break throughout the day. Breaks can last anywhere from 10-15 minutes.Īnd adults, don’t forget to add yourself in here as well. So if you can at least get a break in every 1-2 hours, that is ideal.

Realistically this may not always be the case.

Children in fourth grade and above it is suggested to have a break every 45 minutes. Also children younger than 3 can really not be expected to focus for much longer than 5-10 minutes, and some much less than that. It has been suggested that children ages 3-9 need a break every 15 minutes. Giving them breaks throughout their day lets their brains take a rest and reset, but they are also still learning vital life skills in these sensory breaks. We all know that children learn best through movement and exploring with their hands. Sensory breaks are a way for any child, whether they have sensory needs or not, to reset, decompress, and get the blood flowing back into their brains. Which is why sensory breaks are SO important for them. they have difficulty regulating the sensory input they are receiving. A person who is able to modulate well is someone who notices the sensory stimuli coming in, filters out unimportant information and their emotions and behaviors reflect appropriate responses to the situation or environment.įor children or adults with modulation disorders such as ADD/ADHD, Sensory processing disorder, or Autism etc. It is a time for them to gain the sensory input they need in their bodies to stay alert, on task, and focused.Įach of us has our own way in which we modulate or control our sensory systems. For children with sensory needs, this is often referred to as a sensory diet or sensory break. What is a sensory break?Ī sensory break or “brain break” is a fancy word for just taking a regular old break from seated learning activities or sedentary activities. Today I wanted to share with you some different sensory break ideas that are great for kids of any age. And with my background as an Occupational Therapy Assistant, sensory activities are something I used constantly with my kids in the school system. Sensory activities are one of my favorite things to write about and also do with my daughter. Have you ever heard the term “ sensory break” and weren’t quite sure what that meant? Or maybe you are more like me and you have run out of idea and need more sensory break ideas.