As students are adapting to distance learning, parents may find that their young children need to take a break from their workload to re-energize, refocus, and refresh their minds! 

Brain breaks are short breaks, taken in regular intervals, to give students a chance to release pent up energy, regulate their emotions, and ultimately circle back to their classwork, renewed and ready to tackle their next set of challenges. These breaks do not have to be educational in nature, but can certainly provide opportunities for learning, development, and personal growth. Doodling, jumping jacks, or watching a short, humorous video would all be great choices for a simple brain break!

The New York Public Library has several digital resources that can support creative, engaging, and educational brain breaks that allow students to step away from the virtual classroom and into a more calm, focused headspace. 

Take a peek at a few of the brain breaks we suggest that utilize both familiar and new digital resources. Most of them require a library card. If you don't have one and live in New York State, you can apply for a digital card via our SimplyE app.

Take a Calming Moment with Naxos Music Library

With the stress of distance learning, children need peace and tranquility more than ever. Play a song from Naxos Music Library and have children close their eyes and focus on their breathing while the music plays. This will help to promote calmness, and give them a chance to regulate their emotions. When the song ends, students can open their eyes and stretch to ready themselves for schoolwork again. 

Walking Storybook with Scholastic Teachables

Print out a leveled storybook from Scholastic Teachables and hang each page (in order!) on the walls of a room, at eye-level for the child. Then, have them take a walking journey around the room to read the book! If the child has read the book before, hand the pages up, out of order, and have them build the correct sequence on the floor by finding and grabbing the pages in order. 

Clap and Dance with NYPL Sings!

Parents can download NYPL Sings!, a unique album of librarian-created songs that inspire children to become lifelong learners—and help them start moving! Parents can play a song from this album to get their 4 or 5-year-olds clapping, dancing, and moving for an energizing brain break. No library card required!

Practice Mindfulness with BrainPOP

BrainPOP has a number of activities that directly support mindfulness and social-emotional learning—and act as great brain breaks! Students can watch the mindfulness movie and then practice mindfulness on their own, or choose a topic they’re interested in and watch a short video to learn more!

Get Moving with BookFlix

Ever heard Chicka Chicka Boom Boom on BookFlix? If not, the catchy tune is perfect for children looking to take a dance break! Want something more challenging? Have kids see if they can create the letters of the alphabet with their bodies as they come up in the song!