October

Brain Break Game: Silent Ball

This game is great because you can incorporate a little physical activity and coordination while maintaining an enviably silent room. Get a soft, medium-sized ball and let students grab a spot for themselves around the classroom. The goal is to not let the ball drop to the floor. Students must constantly pass the ball to each other without using any words or noises.

More ideas: YouTube videos

November

Brain Break Game: Morph Ro-Sham-Bo

Before you start:

  1. Have the whole group gather in a contained area.
  2. Explain the evolution of all life in our group goes in this order: First the egg, then the chicken, the dinosaur, rock star, superhero.
  3. Each stage of evolution has a corresponding action – egg is low to the ground with hands over their head, chicken walks like a chicken and clucks, dinosaur has arms outstretched like big jaws, etc.
  4. Demonstrate clearly the different steps and order of evolution, including what to do if you win or do not win Rock Paper Scissors (also called Ro Sham Bo).
  5. Make sure that everyone knows how to play Ro Sham Bo.
  6. Remind players that they can only do Rock Paper Scissors with someone who is at the same stage of evolution, this encourages players to interact with many different people, not just their friends.

How to Play:

  1. Everyone begins as an egg.
  2. Students mix up, pair up and play Ro-Sham-BO.
  3. The person who wins evolves to the next step, the person who did not win goes down a stage. If the player is already an egg s/he remains an egg.
  4. Players pair up again, only with someone who is in the same stage of evolution.
  5. When a player evolves all the way to a superhero, s/he is finished and can fly around the area.
  6. Game ends when all the players are also superheroes or when the time limit is up.

Game Source

More ideas: YouTube videos

December

Brain Break Game: One Word at a Time

A story is told, with each person adding one word at a time. In a circle, the story is started, with each person in turn adding one word. It usually starts with ‘Once – upon – a – time’. The idea is to keep your thoughts free flowing, so that you don’t try to guess what is coming or force the story in a particular direction. It is not always easy to maintain a logical flow for the story, although it is always amusing. If the group is too large, break into smaller groups or pairs.

Variations

  • Players can say “full stop/period” to end a sentence
  • Play the game in pairs, where both participants act out the story as it is told. In this case, tell the story in the present tense and as ‘we’. For example, ‘We – are – climbing – a – mountain. – Look – a – giant -spider – coming – towards – us. Quick – run!’
  • Throw or roll a ball around the circle in any order. Add your word then pass the ball to the next person. (This variation ensures that players pay more attention)

More ideas: YouTube videos

January

Origami Frog Jumping Contest

How To Make a Paper Jumping Frog - Fun & Easy Origami - Bing video

Instructions:

  1. Give each student a piece of origami paper. If you do not have origami paper, each student will need printer paper and scissors.
  2. Start the "How to Make a Paper Jumping Frog " YouTube video.
  3. When the students are creating their frogs set up a racecourse with a start and finish line.
  4. Line up all frogs on the start line. Count down from three, and see what frog makes it to the finish line first!
  5. If there are more students than space allows, make it “tournament style” with a few students racing their frogs at a time, and the others along the sidelines cheering.

Nature Art

Nature art is a fun way to get the students outside, tap into their creative side, and have them work together.

Instructions:

  1. Put the classroom in small groups. Tell each group they will have 15 minutes to build an art piece with objects found in nature i.e. snow, sticks, lichen.
  2. Explain that students cannot use any tools. They can only use their hands and fantastic brainpower.
  3. Show your class some examples of nature art or watch ~30 seconds of this YouTube video about Andy Goldsworthy nature art to get the students inspired: Andy Goldsworthy Naturalist Artist - P1 - YouTube
  4. Give each group 3 minutes to brainstorm nature art ideas. Once the three minutes are up have everyone get ready to go outside. Remind everyone to stay in their groups!
  5. Start the 15-minute timer.
  6. Once the 15 minutes is up have all the students circle around the teacher.
  7. Go on an art walk as a class and see each art piece. If the group wishes, they can name and describe their art piece to the class.

More ideas: YouTube videos

February

Land, Sea, Air

This simple game requires listening and a line on the ground. Pick a spot with a natural line, such as a tile, or place a small piece of tape on the floor. Identify behind the line as land, in front of the line as sea and jumping directly up as air. Have the kids follow your directions. Say the commands land, sea and air in no particular order. If the kids make a mistake have them do three jumping jacks and try again.

Categories Ball Throw

Have your students form a circle and toss around a ball, hacky sack, or bean bag—you could even use a rolled-up paper ball. Choose a category such as animals, colors, or things you find outside. One child starts by throwing the ball to a classmate, who then has five to 10 seconds to name something from that category. If they can’t think of anything to say, the turn passes another player.

Games Source

More ideas: YouTube videos

March

Irish Freeze Dance

On YouTube, Spotify, or Pandora play some Irish music while the students dance around the classroom. Everyone must freeze when the teacher, or designated person, pauses the music. The last person to freeze when the music shuts off is in charge of the music the next round.

St. Patrick's Relay Race

  1. Cut out a large number of SHAMROCKS; write a different instruction on each one for a relay race — Such as: Skip crawl, crab walk, hop, walk backward, etc.
  2. Duplicate the words for the number of Teams you will have to play. (Example: Three teams equal three sets of instruction words.
  3. Divide the children into groups (if not even, have one child go twice)
  4. Put the SHAMROCKS at the end of the room in a pile for each team.
  5. On go, the first player on each team runs up to the pile and takes a SHAMROCK. They do what the Shamrock shape instructs.
  6. When the first players get back– the next players run to the shamrocks–and play continues…Return the shamrocks to the bottom of the pile until ALL have had a turn.

Games inspired by: 15 Fun St Patrick's Day Games for Kids - Kid Activities

More ideas: YouTube videos

April

Green Walk

Go on a ‘green team walk’ with your kids and bring along some gloves and a bag. Students will enjoy feeling the impact that they have on the earth as they help clean up their own neighborhood or street!

Nature Walk

The first step to loving the environment is immersing yourself into the environment. Take your class on a nature walk and play close attention to what you hear, smell, and see!

More ideas: YouTube videos

May

Camouflage

  1. Bring your class outdoors to an area with a lot of hiding spots.
  2. One student will be the "IT" participant. This student stands in the middle of the designated area (Teachers, tell the students how far they can go). The "IT" student closes their eyes, yells “camouflage”, and starts counting down from 30.
  3. When the 'IT' student counts down from 30 all other student run and and hide as well as possible from the 'IT' student.
  4. At the end of the 30 seconds the person who is 'IT' has to find everyone, but can only rotate where they are standing, no taking steps. If they see someone they must call out the location and the persons name. When the person is found they must come out and sit near the teacher.
  5. If the IT can’t find anyone, they yell “camouflage” again counting this time to 10, and everyone has to find a new hiding place, but they have to ALWAYS be moving closer to the IT.
  6. After the third round of yelling camouflage the 'IT' person yells 'Come tag me'. The first student to tag the 'It' student wins and gets to become the next 'It' person. If the IT person finds everyone before the third round they get to choose the next 'IT' person.

More ideas: YouTube videos

 

If you have any questions, please email communityhealth@tfhd.com or call 530-550-6719.