Have you ever noticed that the longer you spend on a task, the harder it is to concentrate? Kids are the same way, although the issue can be even worse. When young kids spend their days buried in schoolwork, it becomes hard for them to concentrate and focus. It can also dull their creativity and make it difficult to retain information. There’s an easy solution to this problem, though, and it’s called brain breaks. Brain breaks refer to small bursts of physical activity throughout the day. The idea is to alternate learning with five to 10 minutes of brain bursts to improve focus and performance. Let’s go over some brain breaks you can use at home. Break these out when your kids are in the middle of a long study session or working through loads of homework.
Jumping Brain Breaks
Jumping activities such as jumping rope and jumping jacks are easy to do and will get your kids’ minds off school work. Consider turning it into a challenge. Count the number of jumping jacks your kids do in one minute. Then let them rest for a few seconds and have them try again. Go through several rounds, seeing if they can beat their high scores.
Shadowboxing
You can also have your kids do some shadowboxing for brain breaks. They can jab, uppercut, and hook their way through the brain break. This is especially fun if your kids already have an interest in martial arts. Then it’ll be a fun way to practice their skills.
Hula Hoop
Hula hoops are more than a blast from the past. They’re also perfect for brain breaks. Just like with the jumping jacks, you can turn this into an individual competition. Time your kids as they spin the hoop and see how long they can go. Then give them a short break and repeat. They’ll be laughing so hard at the end that math and science will be the last thing on their minds. However, once they go back to the books, they’ll feel refreshed and ready to take in the information.
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Shoot Some Baskets
Have you ever noticed how some people keep little basketball hoops at the office? They do that because it’s a great way to help their minds reset in between tasks. Your kids can get the same benefit by shooting baskets during brain breaks. You don’t need to buy a fancy hoop. Instead, you can get an over-the-door basket.
These are just some activities that you can use for brain breaks. Talk to your kids as well to find out what grabs their interest. They might have a favorite activity that they’d like to use, or they might prefer that you guide them. Either way, a little bit of physical activity will go a long way when it comes to focus and performance.
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