Index Finger and Thumb- This Activity Defines the Connections Between the Right and Left

Index Finger and Thumb- this activity defines the connections between the right and left brain hemispheres. Point your index finger on one hand and you thumb up on the other, now switch, and keep switching.

Ear and Nose Touch- this activity reinforces the struggle that our right and left hemispheres have to deal with when processing information. Right hand to left ear, left hand touching the nose, on a signal switch. Right hand to your nose and left hand to right ear. Keep switching and a steady pace.

Spock Hands/”VW”- this activity reinforces the struggle that our right and left hemispheres have to deal with when processing information. Start with two fingers to each side as you spread into a “Spock” or “v” shape. Next move fingers to give you a finger-2 fingers-finger pattern or a “w.” Pinkie and pointer are away and ring and tall together.

Cross Toe Lunge- This brain break is a stretch. First of all, reach your arms straight out on the sides. It is like you make a "T". Now take your right hand and reach out to touch your left toe. Hold it for 10 seconds. Come back up and take your left arm and touch your right foot and hold it for another 10 seconds. Remember to keep your arms straight. Make sure that your students don't hit their partner when they stretch their arms out.

Toe Tapping- Stand Up. Face your partner. Both you and your partner put out your right leg and tap your right feet together 1 time and say "1" out loud. Tap your left feet together 3 times and say "1, 2, 3" out loud. Tap your right feet together 2 times and say "1, 2" out loud. Continue the 1, 3, 2 toe tapping pattern alternating feet. How fast you can go? Shadow Box 1-3-2- Same pattern using a shadow box technique throwing imaginary punches in the air.

Partner Book Pass-Students stand back to back and they turn to pass the book to their partner. One partner will turn to the right while the other partner turns to their left. This will have the pair meeting in the middle to one side. They will hand the book across and then turn in the opposite direction. Continue for a short time and then ask the children to reverse the direction.

Hand Shake #2 - You will be doing a lengthy handshake with your partner. Stand up and find a partner. Decide who is A and who is B. Tap your right elbows together. Tap your left elbows together. Person A: Give a crossing over low side five to your partner with your right hand. (right hand to right hand) Now do a fist bump with your right hand. (A fist bump is making a fist, and lightly touching finger sections that are closest to the wrist) Person B: Give a crossing over low side five to your partner with your left hand and then do a fist bump with your left hand. Bump your right shoulders together. Bump your left shoulders together. Person A: Make an X in the air with your right arm over your left. Person B: Make an X in the air with your left arm over your right. Now while slapping each other’s hands move them together back to their correct side. Now do a double fist bump. (Opposite hands will be touching) Repeat this handshake over and over as fast as you can.

A,B,C…1,2,3- Stand Up. Use your index finger and write a large "A" in the air out in front of you and at the same time say out loud the number "1". Now use your index finger and write a large "B" in the air out in front of you and at the same time say out loud the number "2". Continue writing the letters in the air and saying the numbers out loud as far as you can go or until the end of the alphabet. Variation: Have students write the letters in the air with their weak hand Extra Challenge: Alternate saying the letter and then the number.

ITSY BITSY SPIDER-1. Stand up. Put your hands out in front of you. Take your right hand thumb and touch it to your left hand index finger. Now take your right hand index finger and touch it to your left hand thumb. Rotate both hands to move upward so that you can now reach your right hand thumb to your left hand index finger. Then keep rotating your fingers and thumbs so that you are "walking up the water spout" Now do this behind your back. Try going "down the spout" as well. Once you've mastered this, then do the same process with your index finger and your pinkie. This is tough.

2 Arm Stretch Energizing Brain Break Try to take a brain break every 25 minutes in your class. This brain break is simple. You just stand up, and put your arms stretched out in front of you and your wrists touching. Move both arms together all the way to the left. Your left arm will be completely straight and parallel with the grounbd. Now move your arms back over to in front of you and then swing them all the way to the right. In this case, your right arm is stretched completely straight. Hold and stretch each swing for 15 seconds. Guns and Roses Brain Break (school friendly “L” & “O”) 1. Stand Up.2. Make a gun/“L” with your right index finger and thumb. Keep your other fingers tucked in.3. With your left hand put all your fingers straight up. Then move just your index finger to touch your thumb to make a circle "rose"/“O”.4. Now switch and make a rose with your right hand and a gun/“L” with your left.5. Keep switching back and forth as fast as you can. Some of my students can really do this one fast.

Cat and Cow- On the floor, get on your hands and knees. Put hands under shoulders and knees under hips. Arch your back up and keep knees and hands on the floor. “Cat stretching” or Angry Cat” Let your belly hang down low and feel as if it is heavy. This is done while breathing in and out and makes you look like a cow on the farm.

Diamond Stretch- (like Groin area stretch)-Sit on the floor with bottoms of feet together and knees bent to sides. This position should look like a diamond. Next slide your feet out and away from you while still holding them together. Reverse the process and repeat several times slowly. Feel a stretch, not pain.

Down Dog with Leg Lift- On the floor, get on your hands and knees. Put hands under shoulders and knees under hips. Push one of your legs high and extend carefully. Lower your head toward the ground. Keep your arms straight and hold for 5-10 seconds. Relax and return to start and change the extended leg.

Figure 8s- Sit on the floor on your bottom with one of your feet out. Slowly make a figure 8 shape with your foot. Repeat the pattern several times and then switch feet. Now try using the opposite direction. Once you get the hand of the movement the students may increase the speed of the pattern trying to focus on accuracy. Try this with any body part that you like and see how it goes.

Fly Catch Jumps- Squat down low to the ground and bend your knees. Now slowly extend up and off the ground slightly as you reach your arms above your head. Repeat this same motion again a little quicker if you choose and clap your hands at the hand as if catching a fly.

In& outs/Burpees/Squat thrusts- Start in a standing position and crouch down t o the floor with knees in and bent. Slowly extend your legs out behind your body. Hold the position for a moment or two and then bring your legs back into the crouch position. Now stand up and jump into the air. Repeat the sequence and increase the speed and/or the time you hold the position. Elbow Knee Tap-Stand with arms at sides. Bend and touch right elbow to left knee as you raise your left leg. Stand and then switch and touch left elbow to right knee. Extend arms for a slightly higher challenge. Cross Crawl-Cross Crawl accesses both brain hemispheres simultaneously, and stimulates receptive as well as, expressive hemispheres of the brain, facilitating integration. In this contra lateral exercise, similar to walking in place, the participant alternately moves one arm and its opposite leg and the other arm and its opposite leg.

The Gravity Glider-The Gravity Glider is a movement re-education process to restore the integrity of the hamstrings, hips and pelvic area. The movement uses balance and gravity to release tension in the hips and Pelvis, allowing the participant to discover comfortable standing and sitting postures. Sit comfortably on a chair, crossing one leg over the other at the ankles, and keeping knees relaxed. Bend forward and reach out in front of you, letting your arms glide down as you exhale (allowing gravity to take over) and up as you inhale. Reaching forward from the rib cage allows the legs and the back muscles to lengthen and relax. Repeat three times and then change legs. Slap Count- Face each other with your palms up. Person A should take their right hand and cross over and hit person B’s right hand and say 1 Then person A should take their left hand and cross over and hit person B’s left hand and say 2 Person B does the same except says 3 and 4. This repeats until you reach 30. Variations Go up by 3’s 5’s, or any number. Start at a number and go down by another number (like start at 34 and go down by 3’s) Start at one and double each number Each person spells their own name or any other vocabulary from class Make a pattern like the left hand always adds 2 and the right hand always adds 3 Each person spells a word and each tries to figure out the other person’s word. Rocks, Paper, Scissors, Math-You can only use the numbers 1, 2, 3 or 4. You can’t use your thumb as a number. You must hold your hand flat. The first person to add the numbers together wins that round. Have students play the best of 5 rounds. Variations are that one person is negative; both are negative, or multiply the numbers.

Calf Pump- As you lean forward onto the back of a chair, one foot forward and exhale, press the back heel gently to the ground. As you release, lift your heel up and take a deep breath. Repeat three times on each side. The more you bend your forward knee, the more lengthening you feel in the back of the calf.

Alphabet Clap- Have student sit facing each other with their right hand of their right knee and their left hand on their left knee. One student will begin by reaching across their body to their partners matching hand and say “a” then with the other hand reaching across and say “b”. The partner then takes a turn with “c & d”. Switch which partner goes first each round. Switch which hand is used to lead with each round to get the most out of this activity. **Students who cannot read will/may struggle with this activity. The will not know the alphabet letter with enough confidence and will be unable to cross the body.

Word Clap-Older students can practice spelling words using the Alphabet Clap.

Number Clap- Same as the alphabet clap, but with numbers. Counting, odds and evens, multiplication tables, etc.

Link/Hook-Ups (Dennison) - Stand with feet crossed over one another. Extend arms out in front, with hands positioned so that the thumbs are pointing down towards the floor. Cross hands, one over the other. Roll arms and hands with hands remaining crossed up to the chest and hold that position. Close eyes and maintain balance for 20 seconds.

Link/Hook-Up Challenge- while you are hooked- up have a partner point to a finger (without touching it) and you try to move it. Your brain will have to find it because it is hid on the other side of your body.

Double Doodle - Draw a letter or shape with your best (dominant) hand. Next, draw the shape or letter with both hands at the same time. Can you draw the same pattern? Try in, out, up and down. Vary the items that you draw.

Juggling -Children can improve eye-hand coordination and cross the midline by juggling scarves, paper towels, or wadded up paper balls. Begin by having children toss up and catch one ball or scarf. Can they toss it and catch it one time? Can they toss it, clap and catch it? Can they toss it, turn around, and catch it? Add a second ball or scarf and see what they can do. Try juggling to music. Hint! To make inexpensive juggling scarves, cut up netting fabric into 12" squares. Tighter budget…use shopping bags from supermarkets(true recycling)

Foot and Hand- Draw a circle with your foot on the floor while trying to write your name with your hand. Start with your foot moving and then add the writing portion. Reverse it and try with the writing first and adding the foot. Next, try using opposite sides of the body.

Energy yawn: relax our voices. Pretend to yawn. Put you fingertips against any tight spots you feel on you jaws. Make a deep, relaxed, yawning sound, gently stroking away the tension.

Mirroring: Find someone near by and decide who will be the player/actor and who will be the mirror. Simply have the actor move in slow motion and the mirror will mimic the movements. As they get better challenge the children to reach across their body as they move. Switch roles after a short period of time.

Hand & Elbow: Sitting or standing, reach down and touch your right elbow with your left hand. Repeat using the opposite sequence; touch left elbow with the right hand. Repeat and continue switching, speed is not that important, but accuracy is on this one.

“Sit Up Straight” in your seats- Without knowing it, your teachers were engaging the left side of the brain. Dunn and Dunn found that the surface of the chair affects learning. The Left Brain takes in new information; it is activated for new learning by the hard surface and sitting tall movement. In order to be engaged, students must be somewhat uncomfortable and this “turns on” the brain. After information has had a chance to be learned activating the Right Brain helps to expand on learning and increases creativity. Too promote this action provide for a more relaxed sitting position or even lying down posture.

Position 1-2-3 – (Jen Kimock, Edgewood Elementary Music) - Jen does this activity with her students during chorus rehearsal. You can have your students do it during the day in class. She starts off showing the students proper position for singing which also happens to be successful in learning(how clever). She calls this position “1” and the students sit up tall with good posture. Position “2” is a bit more relaxed, but is still manageable for singing and learning. Position”3” is a relaxed posture and is to be used between songs or during breaks. The best part is that Jen uses this like a game with her students. She teaches them the positions and then practices in a “Simon Says” type activity; calling out “position 1”, “2”, “3”, “2”, “1” etc. This game becomes an effective teaching tool for her rehearsals. I have even observed her asking selected students to call out the positions, which adds to the excitement, fun and effectiveness of the tool.

Figure Eight -Brain Breaks are excellent for students to get re-focused. We should get our students up and moving every 25 minutes. Here is a brain break that your student can do with a simple spiral notebook. Take the spiral notebook and move it in a figure eight motion weaving through the legs. Of course, you want to do it as fast as possible. Also, when you get fast, you can try the opposite direction. Crab -I got this idea from Tony Schlorff who got the idea from the good folks in El Paso Texas. Thanks for passing this one along. I call it the Crab. This is an individual Brain Break. Stand Up. Put your arms out in front of you and match your fingers from each hand together and then match your thumbs together. Now put lower your middle fingers so that the knuckles touch. Keep them flat against each other. Now un-touch and retouch your thumbs. Now un-touch and retouch your index fingers. Now un-touch and retouch your ring fingers. Lastly, un-touch and retouch your pinkies. Good luck. This one was difficult.

The Waiter -This brain break will see how agile your arm is. Brain Breaks are refreshing and help to get your productivity back up to par. This brain break is from a colleague Randy Smith. Back in the day Randy was a waiter. He imagines himself with a load of dishes in his hand. Thanks Randy for the idea. You might want to go straight to the video because it is hard to describe with words. Stand up. Lay a piece of paper or a spiral notebook on the top of your right hand without grabbing it. While balancing the spiral on your hand, tuck it between your right arm and waist so that the spiral will now be behind you. You will Flair your arm out away from you for this step. Again, keep the spiral balanced on top of your hand. Keep turning your arm so that the spiral will get back to the original spot. If you have mastered this, try your other hand. Many people ask me about getting the students settled after the brain break.

Toe Tapping- Stand Up. Face your partner. Both you and your partner put out your right leg and tap your right feet together 1 time and say "1" out loud. Tap your left feet together 3 times and say "1, 2, 3" out loud. Tap your right feet together 2 times and say "1, 2" out loud. Continue the 1, 3, 2 toe tapping pattern alternating feet. How fast you can go?

Finger Taps -This Brain Break is usually easier on one side or the other. Try it out and see. Stand up. Make an X with your arms out in front of you. Move your palms to face you with your fingers up in the air. Lock your thumbs together. With your index finger on your right hand, try to touch each of the finger tips of your other hand, one by one. Now take your middle finger on your right hand and do the same thing and touch the finger tips of your other hand one by one. Do this same process for your ring finger and pinkie on your right hand. Now do the process for your left hand index, middle, ring and pinkie fingers.

Pretzel Stretch with your Fists -You will be stretching and outlining a pretzel with your fists. Preparation: Draw a pretzel on the board like the one shown. Stand up. Put your hands clasped together in front of you to make a fist. Imagine that your fist is at one of the end points of the pretzel. Now keeping your hands together, draw the outline of a pretzel. You will be stopping and reversing directions at each end point of the pretzel. Try to do this as fast as you can. Now outline a huge pretzel that touches the ground and stretches to over your head in the same way as before.

Gotcha - Purpose: Try to grab another person’s finger on one side of you, while at the same time avoid being grabbed by the person on the other side of you. Stand up and get into groups of 3-10 people. Form a circle with your group. Each person should hold out their left hand with their palm flat and facing up. Now take your right hand index finger and point it directly into the palm of the person to your right. When the instructor says “Gotcha”, you are to try to grab the person’s finger that is in your palm, and at the same time avoid being grabbed by the person you are pointing to. Repeat with your arms crossed.

Hand Shake # 1 – Brain Breaks are great to re-engergize your students. You will be doing a lengthy handshake with your partner. Stand up and find a partner. Decide who is A and who is B. Shake right hands. Shake left hands. Now do a right hand fist bump, and then a left hand fist bump. (A fist bump is making a fist, and lightly touching finger sections that are closest to the wrist). Now do a right hand hammer tap. Person A will put their right fist out. Person B will lightly tap A with the bottom of their fist. Now Person A will lightly touch the bottom of their fist to person B’s fist. Now do a left hand hammer tap. Now while crossing your arms do a high ten. Now do a double fist bump. (Opposite hands will be touching)Next do a regular high ten. Repeat this handshake over and over as fast as you can.

Squat Clap Stand facing a partner and reach across right hand to right hand with the partner. Squat down and using your opposite hand clap once above and once below the connected hands counting until you reach the number 10. Now switch hands and repeat the process with the opposite hands. Add to the challenge and start over using a double clap each time.

Criss Cross Stand facing a partner and you will begin a pattern that can be repeated in sequence. Reach across right hand to right hand with the partner and then left hand to left hand. The next step is right foot to right foot and then left to left. Continue repeating this pattern increase the speed as you gain confidence.

Partner Pencil Focus- Have students sit facing each other. Have the student with the pencil hold the pencil to their partner’s nose and then slowly withdrawl the pencil. Repeat cycle five times and the switch. Next have the student with the pencil move the eraser to around a clock while the others student follows with eyes only. Chop Wood- Chop wood five or ten times and you'll get lots of blood going to the brain! Have children put their arms in the air as if holding an ax. Pretend to chop wood by bringing arms down and bending over as they say, "Aayah!"

Criss-Cross Clap- have two students sit facing each other , sitting “criss-cross applesauce”. The pattern for the clap is as follows: Clap together---- Clap right Clap together--- Clap left. Clap together --- REPEAT

Clap together --- Clap right Clap together--- Clap left Clap together--- touch right hand to left shoulder Clap together--- Clap left hand to right shoulder & REPEAT Next level: ADD opposite knees Next level: ADD opposite toes Criss-Cross Walk - Once again, using a line that has been taped or painted on the floor, have the children stand to one side of the line. With the outside foot, cross over the line and take a step forward. Now using the remaining foot, cross over the line and take another step forward. Try this activity for 30 steps or more for best practice.

Letter Aerobics- Explain that some letters are tall. They start at the top dotted line. Some letters start at the middle dotted line. Some letters have a tail. They go below the line. >Stretching up in the air for tall letters, putting hands on waist for short letters, and touching the ground for letters with a tail. (Optional -Sing the "Alphabet Song") For example: A- hands on waist B- hands in air G- touch ground >Use letter aerobics for spelling out words on the word wall, spelling words, or vocabulary words. You can also clap in the air for tall letters, clap in front of you for short letters, and clap down near the floor for letters with a tail.

PULP Fiction --Spread index and tall finger on your right hand to make a “V.” Sweep the “V” over your eyes (like a mask) from left to right. Then make a “V” with your left hand and sweep it over your eyes from right to left.

Swim -Stretch right arm in back of you and bring up in front in a circular motion crossing over the left side of the body. Make a similar movement with the left arm as if swimming.

Hitchhike -Stick up your thumb as if “hitching” a ride. Wiggle your right thumb from left to right in front of your body. Then wiggle your left thumb from right to left in front of your body.

Swim -Stretch right arm in back of you and bring up in front in a circular motion crossing over the left side of the body. Make a similar movement with the left arm as if swimming.

Monkey -Extend fists in front of your body and pretend to climb a vine with right hand up in the air on the left side of the body; then left hand up over the right side of the body.

Funky Chicken - Put hands under armpits to make wings. Bounce up and down as you stand on your right foot and flap your wings twice. Then stand on your left foot and flap your wings twice.

Egyptian - Right hand by eyes pointing right with left hand pointing behind back. Stand on right foot, bend left knee and stretch slightly forward. Reverse and put left hand by eyes as you look left. Right hand behind you as you stand on your left leg. Jerk - Point right foot. Extend left hand and jerk (shake) in the air. Point left foot and extend right hand in the air and jerk. Twist - Bend elbows and move back and forth in front of you as you twist your body at the waist. Hand Jive - Here is a pattern you can do with your hands. Slap hands on thighs twice. Clap hands twice. Shuffle right palm over left twice. Shuffle left palm over right twice. Make fists with fingers and thump right fist on top of left fist twice. Then thump left fist on top of right fist twice. Stick out thumb on right hand and move over right shoulder as if hitchhiking. Stick out thumb on left hand and hitchhike behind left shoulder. Continue repeating this pattern. (There are many variations, or you can make up your own.) Patty Cake - Children stand and face a partner. Children clap and then touch right hands together. Clap and touch left hands together. Do this to music, jump rope rhymes, or nursery rhymes

Double X Shake -Children shake hands with their right hand as they also cross over and shake with their left hands. Their arms should form an “X” as they do this.

Wiggle Wiggle - Children extend their arms with their palms up. Cross over palms and clasp fingers. Bring clasped fingers up and in toward the body. Challenge them to look at a finger and try to move it. Takes some “brain power”, doesn’t it? Hint! Let children do this with a partner. One child double crosses palms while the other child points at various fingers to be moved. Remind them not to touch the finger. Just point to it! Balance - Have children balance on one foot for as long as they can. (Watch the second hand.) How long can they balance on the other foot?

Going Crazy - This is so silly, but my students loved it, and it was a great way to relieve stress! Begin by crossing your right leg over your left knee. Place your right elbow on your knee and prop your chin in that palm. Begin saying the sentence below: http://BrainBreaks.Blogspot.com Sample YouTube Links http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4HLjT1xw3M Waiter http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dB5k_a-Zk3k&feature=related Guns & Roses http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hptU9I8PTdc&feature=related Handshake #2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yj2blKm7wMw&feature=related Five http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHhBYNoQekk&feature=related Figure “8” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQJXMKDYitU&feature=related T Stretch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McYJpjwYgbE&feature=related Wave http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=np9PLpT7HXA&feature=related Palm Tapping http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-H8fYWQDUE&feature=related Finger Tips http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICxsQuoK_94&feature=related A,B,C, 123 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESUK7_Zv54U&feature=related Rock, Paper, Scissors Math