De-Stress the Family with Brain Breaks!
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Need some tools ready for de-stressing the family?
Brain breaks are a great tool used in schools to re-focus kids and well… even give the teachers a little break!
Brain breaks are 5-10 minute activities that incorporate a little fun or calming time out from the status quo. It’s a chance for kids and adults to...
Reset
Think clearly
Get back on track
Here’s a list of brain break ideas you can try…
1. MUSIC! Stream your favorite family playlist or try Mindful Kids, a Youtube channel that plays relaxing background music and you can find them here.
2. YOGA! I love The Kids' Yoga Deck: 50 Poses and Games or have the kids join in your favorite yoga video! There are many yoga videos for kids on YouTube as well! Nameste!
3. Work on a puzzle for 10 minutes or try an individual puzzle such as these water games or Kanoodle.
4, Share a fun healthy snack like celery and peanut butter or quesadilla and apple slices. Maybe arrange fruit and cheese into fun shapes or make faces with of them.
5. GoNOODLE! It’s a fun website to help kids to get their wiggles out or unwind. Parents can do it too! You can sign up for a home account here and it is FREE!
6. Teach your kids a game from your childhood like marbles or jacks. Remember doing the Cat’s Cradle with string? Grab some string and show the kids!
7. Coloring books like this Kaleidoscope Book can be worked on a little at a time. Don’t have a coloring book? Grab some paper and a black pen to draw your own designs and then color them in. My grandmother had us trace coasters over and over to make similar designs and then color them in.
8. HOPSCOTCH! Get some sidewalk chalk and draw the boxes. Consider drawing it on your front sidewalk for others to come upon on their family walks. Forgot the rules? They can be found here.
9, BATHTIME! It calms kids down and cleans them up! Add some bubbles? How about bringing unusual toys into the tub like blocks, cars or Tupperware?
10. PICNIC DINNER! Surprise the kids! All it takes is a picnic blanket and some sandwiches. Eat outside in your backyard! Maybe eat on your living room floor? Take precautions for potential spills.
11. Have a tea party break. Favorite stuffed animals are invited!
12. Do a 10-15 minute video game challenge?
12. Have the kids create some brain breaks that they would find fun. Maybe a mini round of musical chairs or a lego building contest of their choice?
An occasional chocolate chip cookie with milk can do the trick too!
The sketch below may apply to after school breaks but in this time of shelter in place, I think we all can appreciate the big spiral ball of stress the kids are carrying, just with different stressors!
GO TAKE A BREAK!
Parenting is not about perfection! It’s about the POWER in your PLAN! Think it! Note it! Parent it!
I love sharing fun and useful products for parents! Some links I use are affiliate links including links for Amazon.com. I get paid a small commission, without any additional charge to you if you make purchases from the links. The commissions are used to fund this site in order to bring fun and helpful content to parents! Thank you!