Pause that Lesson, It’s Time for Some Spanish Brain Breaks!
Did you know that after nine minutes of an online class most kids start to tune out? You can increase that number to somewhere between 10-30 minutes for in-person classes. Kids (and adults!) have a limited attention span which makes planning for breaks an essential part of any lesson. So, please, please, please… pause that lesson and do one of these Spanish brain breaks below!
What’s a brain break?
A brain break is a short break that allows students to move, relax, reenergize, and refocus. You can choose between more upbeat brain breaks, like dancing and music, or calmer breaks, like yoga or meditation. But the idea is that it’s quick (5 minutes or less), pre-planned, and done before kids have hit their frustration level.
Why are brain breaks so important?
Because you can’t teach anyone once they’ve reached their limit. Short pauses in the day lead to a reduction in stress, anxiety, and fatigue. And research shows that kids learn better after these intermittent breaks.
Should they be planned?
Yes (and also, no!). You do want to let your kids know when to expect them. Either after a certain number of minutes (“We’ll take a break in 10 minutes!”) or after a task is completed (“Once you finish your Spanish homework”).
However, you also want to be flexible. Take into account the level of exhaustion and fatigue in your kids. If a break needs to happen earlier than planned, do it.
Spanish Brain Breaks
Vamos GoNoodle
My absolute favorite is GoNoodle because they have a huge selection and their number of Spanish brain breaks is constantly growing. Their dedicated Spanish section is called Vamos GoNoodle.
Breaks range from upbeat and high energy to tranquil and relaxing.
Basho & Friends
What I love about Basho & Friends is how versatile these Spanish brain breaks are. They create original music content to teach kids Spanish (as well as French, Mandarin, and English). But, the videos aren’t overly basic or childish so they can be used for a good range of ages and ability levels -whether that’s in Spanish class, a bilingual classroom, or at home. And they’re catchy enough for teachers and parents to enjoy them too!
Super Simple Español
However, if you’re looking for Spanish brain breaks for younger students then Super Simple Español is the clear winner. They have an expansive list of songs on YouTube that are either animated or with puppets. These are great for getting the littlest Spanish and bilingual kiddos moving and singing.
Mark D. Pencil
This YouTube playlist has a few videos that are Spanish Brain Break activities, instead of songs. Students copy the movements and instructions. These are great for teaching how to follow directions and for getting kids moving.
Smile & Learn Español
Next up is yoga. Kids can follow along to animated stories that incorporate yoga poses (all in Spanish) with Smile & Learn Español! Note, some of these videos are over five minutes.
YOGIC
Another fantastic Spanish yoga find is YOGIC. Their videos are available on YouTube and are a combination of a story with yoga movements. If you prefer to have students learn yoga poses, they have video tutorials of those as well. They take a more calmer route than Smile & Learn video’s above and are equally worth adding to your brain break rotation. All of YOGIC’s videos are under five minutes.
Mind Yeti Español
Lastly, what if your students need something on the calmer side? Then Mind Yeti is the research-based resource that you need. They focus on social-emotional learning, but more specifically what we’ve now labeled as mindfulness. Mind Yeti provides videos that help calm kids down and realize their goals. You can view their Spanish brain break videos for free on YouTube.
These Spanish brain break ideas are perfect to use in the classroom or at home and for all levels of Spanish. They are here for your kids to recharge and refocus on their learning, but they’re also just plain fun and relaxing.
If you need more ideas for activities to do at home check out these 8 No Hassle, No Prep, At Home Spanish Activities for Kids.
