What are movement breaks?
Movement breaks are brief breaks from seated activities that allow children to move their bodies.
Why are movement breaks important?
Research has shown that movement breaks:
- Help children focus in school.
- Help children manage and control their emotions (self-regulation).
- Contribute to overall health and well-being.
Here are some activities for movement breaks:
Movement Songs
- Head, shoulders, knees, and toes
- If you’re happy and you know it
- Hokey pokey
- Resources like YouTube and GoNoodle have many options for movement songs
Movement Games
- Simon says
- Freeze dance
- Red light, green light
- Duck, duck, goose
- Hopscotch
- Obstacle courses
- Popping bubbles
- Parachute games
Heavy Work Activities
- Wall or chair push-ups
- Pushing, pulling, or carrying heavy objects around the room (medicine ball, laundry basket, books, heavy backpack, etc.)
- Jumping on a trampoline
- Jumping jacks
- Wheelbarrow walks
- Tug of war
- Yoga poses (apps like Super Stretch and games like Yogarilla are helpful yoga resources)
- Animal walks (walking on hands and feet like a bear or crab, galloping like a horse, frog jumps, etc.)
Blue Bird Day fosters socialization, sensory regulation, and pre-academic learning in children ages 2-7 years in therapeutic rotations that simulate preschool and kindergarten settings. Our compassionate therapists practice a relationship-based and family-centered approach, provide parent training, and collaborate on goals and individualized intensive treatment plans for your child.
We believe in a collaborative and multi-disciplinary team approach to therapy. A team of occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, dietitians, developmental therapists, behavioral therapists, physical therapists, and therapeutic assistants are created for each child to ensure child and family are fully supported and the best possible results are achieved.
Options for individualized, group and virtual therapy sessions are available as well.
Want to learn more or you have a specific question? Feel free to connect with us here!
