Brain Breaks Video

Fun Brain Breaks Activity

Brain breaks are essential for kids because they help improve focus, reduce stress, and boost overall productivity. Short, regular breaks allow students to refresh their minds, preventing mental fatigue and promoting better concentration when they return to learning tasks. These breaks also provide an opportunity for physical movement, which can enhance cognitive function and emotional well-being. By incorporating brain breaks into their daily routine, kids can maintain higher levels of engagement and enthusiasm for learning, leading to a more effective and enjoyable educational experience.

Do you have fidgeting kids? Do you need to take a moment to let them get their wiggles out? Maybe it's time for a brain break!

Sometimes, if you just allow students a few minutes to get their energy out with a "brain break," they will become better listeners and learners once you start the lesson back up. I created a little video that takes no preparation. Just click play and let your kids have a few minutes to move their body. Brain breaks are a great way to improve the mood of you and your students. After all, it can be quite entertaining to see kids move and groove, bend and reach, and skip in place. There is also lots of humor to be found when the teacher joins in. But, the best part is they can get a little break and then get back to the lesson. There are two options for watching the video. You can watch it right here via YouTube, or you can download it from my Teachers Pay Teachers store.

Brain Breaks Video

If you would prefer to download it from my store, just click this link: Brain Breaks

Positive Reinforcement in the Classroom

positive- affirmation, approval, indicating acceptance, having a good effect, marked by optimism

reinforcement- the act of reinforcing, making stronger, to stimulate or encourage

I don't know about you, but I love positive reinforcement.  I think it is a natural desire to want positive affirmation for our actions.  Even in my teaching job, I love it when someone tells me I did a good job or gives me an award.  In the teaching world, it may be something simple like a note left on your desk from your principal or being given a special jeans pass for doing something over and beyond. Wouldn't you be crushed if your principal walked out of our room only leaving you with a negative comment.  Just imagine!  I don't want people to focus on what I have done wrong, and I don't think when it comes to a student's behavior the focus should just be on the negatives. Now, I am not completely saying that kids don't need to have inappropriate behaviors pointed out to them, because I feel they do.  But, once you have given a child an understanding of what appropriate behaviors are, I think it vital to catch them in the act and point it out to them, offering them the positive reinforcement for that behavior.  Tell them right when  you see them do something good.  Make it a point to be positive, and with some teachers this is not an automatic, so they may need to make a conscience effort to do this. One suggestion is to set up a behavior management system in your classroom that is based on positive reinforcement.  I have done this for years, and I have found it to be very effective.  Most kids naturally want to please, and I have even found over my twenty years of teaching that 'bad' kids want to do well too.  Sometimes those kids are the ones that hear negative after negative after negative.  It is up to us, the teacher, to stop that for them.  Tell them how well they did.  You never know, you might be able to offer the positive affirmation that the child has never before received.  Try it. :-)

As a reminder to think positively, I made this FREE positive thinking Poster.

Positive Thinking Poster for Teachers

Feel free to pin.  Just hover over the image.

For your classroom, you will love this positive reinforcement "Pocket Bucks" money system.  Check it out in my Teachers Pay Teachers Shop for all of the details.  It has everything needed for a colorful positive reinforcement bulletin board.  This can be used for whole class, or you can use an individual pocket for one child if needed.

Pocket Bucks for Positive Reinforcement 

Feel free to pin.  Just hover over the image.

Another fun idea that the kids will love are my Arm Charm Brag Bracelets.  Check those out too.

Brag Bracelets

Feel free to pin.  Just hover over the image.

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                  For more fun and creative ideas for the classroom, click the above picture to go to my store.

Classroom Management

Classroom Management Idea

Need an extra component to add to your behavior/classroom management system?

Everyone likes to be told they are doing something good, right? Well this idea was devised for that very reason. I am a believer that if you tell kids they are doing something right, give them compliments, their next behaviors will follow that same pattern. When you see a child smiling, tell them how much you loved seeing them smile, or when they made someone else smile. :-) When you see a child doing something brilliant, tell them..... 

This package includes 26 words that go along with each letter of the alphabet. Hence, the name... The ABC's of Positive Thinking. Each piece of paper has 2 word that can either be cut apart of left on one whole piece. There is a title page as well that can also be hung with the words. 

The idea is that you would hang the words on the wall either vertically or horixontally, leaving enough space to hang cards below or beside each word. This can also be used on a bulletin board. When you see a child displaying one of those words, write their name on one of the coordinating cards and hang it with the word. Say in front of the class, "Johnny really brought JOY to our class when he....."

You will find that this behavior management method of positive thinking forces you to be a positive thinker towards your students. If you have a word that is left with no names, ask the kids why they think no one is displaying that behavior and that the goal should be to work your way under that word. 

Even if you just put up 1-3 words a day, you will have accomplished positive thinking. You can also start over each nine weeks if you wanted to, so that the names don't stretch around your room.

Another suggestion is to laminate a bunch of the name cards and write on them with a Visa V marker that will erase.

I hope these cards will bring lots of compliments to your classroom and help you with your classroom management/behavior management.

Check out my Teachers Pay Teachers by clicking the link below to purchase this item.

Classroom Behavior Management System

Share the Sweetness!

Thank you for helping to spread the word about Classroom Confections.

We appreciate you 'liking' us on facebook, tweeting about us, or pinning us on Pinterest.

For more fun and creative ideas for the classroom, click the above picture to go to my store.

If you are a teacher and you like what you see, please visit often.