Ways to use this list
- Between lessons: spin one break while the maths books go away and before the reading books come out, so the change of subject takes two minutes, not ten.
- After a test or a noisy assembly: press Calm and spin once, so the class comes back to the room before the next task.
- Rewards: let a well-behaved table spin the next break.
- Online lessons: share the screen and do the break together.
- After lunch in grades K–2: press Active for one spin to use up the extra energy, then Calm for a second spin before carpet time.
- Small rooms, or a class with a wheelchair user: press Seated, and every break on the wheel works without anyone leaving their chair.
Press Spin the wheel, tap the game or press the Space bar. Change the list in the box as you
like: add your own, delete what doesn't suit you, or write *2 after an entry to give it double the
chance. The game buttons switch the same list to a duck race, hat, claw machine and more.
The full list (36 entries)
- Stretch to the sky – calm: reach up tall for five seconds, then fold down slowly towards your toes
- Deep breathing x5 – calm: five slow breaths, in through the nose and out through the mouth
- Hand tracing breath – calm: trace up each finger of one hand as you breathe in, and down as you breathe out
- Shoulder rolls – calm: five slow rolls backwards, then five forwards
- Listen and count – calm: eyes closed for 30 seconds, then share how many different sounds you heard
- Air writing your name – calm: write it in the air with a finger, then an elbow, then a foot
- Squeeze and let go – calm: squeeze your fists for five seconds and let go, then your shoulders, then your toes
- Seated twist – calm: sit tall, turn to look behind you for three breaths, then switch sides
- Silent I spy – calm: the teacher describes something in the room and everyone points to it without a word
- 10 jumping jacks – active: also called star jumps; count them out loud together
- Freeze dance – active: dance while the teacher plays or hums a tune, and freeze the moment it stops
- Shake it out (count down from 10) – active: shake each hand and foot ten times, then nine, all the way down to one
- Wall push-ups – active: hands flat on the wall at shoulder height, ten slow push-ups
- March on the spot – active: knees high for 30 seconds, then march in slow motion
- Run on the spot – active: 20 seconds as fast as you can, 10 seconds still, three times
- Pretend skipping rope – active: turn an invisible rope and skip 20 times
- Animal moves on the spot – active: the teacher calls an animal, such as a frog, flamingo or bear, and everyone moves like it
- Cross crawl – active: right elbow to left knee, left elbow to right knee, 20 times
- Touch the floor, touch the sky – active: squat to touch the floor, then stretch up on tiptoe, ten times
- Balance on one foot – focus: 20 seconds on each foot, then try it with your eyes closed
- Simon says – focus: only move when the instruction starts with "Simon says"
- Count to 20 as a class – focus: anyone says the next number, but if two people speak at once, start again from 1
- Opposites – focus: the teacher says "hands up" and you put them down; "stand" means sit
- Clap the pattern – focus: the teacher claps a rhythm, the class copies it, and it grows longer each time
- Silent ball (pretend) – focus: throw an imaginary ball to someone across the room without a sound; they catch it and pass it on
- Mirror your partner – partner: copy your partner's slow movements exactly, then swap leader
- Rock, paper, scissors tournament – partner: whoever loses becomes the winner's cheering fan, until two long lines of fans meet in a final
- Thumb wrestle – partner: best of three, then swap hands
- High-five pattern – partner: high five, low five, side five, then invent a fourth move together
- Finger maths – partner: on "go", both show one to five fingers, and the first to say the total wins
- Desk drumming – silly: drum on the desk with your fingertips, loud then soft, fast then slow
- Tell a joke – silly: one volunteer tells a joke, and everyone groans or laughs
- Smile at three people – silly: catch the eye of three classmates and smile without saying a word
- Silliest face – silly: pull your silliest face for ten seconds, then freeze and look around
- Statues – silly: the teacher calls out a teapot, a tree or a rocket, and everyone becomes a statue of it
- Air guitar solo – silly: fifteen seconds of the loudest silent guitar solo in the room
📖 Related guide: How to pick students at random, fairly
Questions people ask
How long is a brain break?
One to three minutes is enough. A common rhythm is one break for every 20 to 30 minutes of sitting still, sooner for younger children, with a timer on the board so the class is back at work on time.
Can I use calm breaks only?
Yes: press Calm and the wheel keeps only the quiet ones, such as hand tracing breaths, shoulder rolls and listening for sounds. They suit the minutes before a test or the end of a busy break time.
How do I settle the class again after an active break?
End every active break with ten seconds of stillness: hands on heads, one big breath out, then sit. Or spin a calm break straight after. Agree one signal, such as a clap pattern, that always means the break is over.
Which brain breaks work for older students?
Middle and high school students prefer breaks with a point or a challenge: the rock, paper, scissors tournament, count to 20 as a class, finger maths and clap the pattern. Delete the sillier ones if they groan, but keep a stretch, because teenagers sit through long lessons too.
Does it work on a projector?
Yes: use fullscreen, and switch to the balloons or duck race for extra excitement. Turn on the countdown so the whole room counts down with the screen.