Teacher’s Brain

4 Engaging Brain Break Activities Your Students Will Love

Wondering if you should be adding in more brain breaks to your days with your students?

Think of brain breaks as super important timeouts for our little ones in elementary school. They’re not just about taking a break – they’re like power-ups for our students! 

brain breaks for kids

These short breaks do more than give a breather from lessons; they actually help our kids think better, feel happier, and make the whole classroom experience way more awesome. 

In elementary, every day is a mix of excitement and learning, throwing in brain breaks is like adding a secret ingredient to help our little learners grow and have a blast.

What is a brain break? 

Brain Breaks are short activities that help energize your students. They last about 1 to 5 minutes. They require no or little prep and help send oxygen to the brain to help students retain information.

Looking for brain break activities? I have you covered! 

There are many things you can do like getting some physical activity, watching a short video on YouTube, taking a dance break, playing a game, or making a craft. One of my favorite brain break activities is coloring! 

If you are looking for some high-quality coloring sheets that will keep your students occupied, these are perfect for you. 

Dinosaur Coloring Pages

brain break coloring pages for kids

These dino coloring pages make great discussion starters and writing prompts!

Unicorn Coloring Pages

unicorn coloring pages for kids brain breaks

These unicorn coloring pages are the perfect magical break from learning. 

Winter Coloring Pages

winter coloring pages

These help keep students and you calm and make great wall decorations!

For even more brain break fun, you can check out this brain break activity resource! 

brain breaks for kids

This is my favorite collection of 48 different Brain Breaks. These task cards can be used as transitions, breaks during an activity, something to raise or lower the energy of the group, team-building activities, and so much more!

What’s included?

• 48 Printable Task Cards in Black and White (4 per page) PDF

• 48 Printable Task Cards in Color (4 per page) PDF

• 48 Printable 8×10 Cards in Color (1 per page) PDF

• 48 Goofle Slides in Color for Digital Displays or Sharing at a Distance

• 2 Editable Slides to Create Your Own Brain Breaks (Google link digital option provided in the PDF)

Place them on a ring, on popsicle sticks, or in a crayon box for easy storage!

Use the Google Slides in presentation mode to randomly pick a brain break.
Looking for more classroom management tips, check out my post here!

5 Reasons to Use Morning Work in Kindergarten

Picture this: It’s a bright, bustling morning in your kindergarten classroom. The tiny tots are shuffling in with sleepy eyes and contagious energy. As a teacher, you know that the first moments of the day set the tone for everything that follows.

morning work

That’s where the magic of kindergarten morning work comes into play. It’s like the secret ingredient in your morning routine that can transform chaos into calm, hesitation into confidence, and groggy minds into eager learners.

If you’re looking for morning work ideas for kindergarten or morning work worksheets, you’re in the right place! 

But first, let’s discuss the advantages of having morning work in your kindergarten classroom.

Smooth Morning Transitions

Morning work is like the secret sauce that makes our mornings smoother than a fresh jar of peanut butter. It gives our little ones a structured start to the day, helping them transition from home to the classroom routine with ease. Less chaos, more focus!

Independence Boost

You know that feeling when a kindergartener proudly completes a task on their own? It’s like a warm cup of coffee for our teacher hearts! Morning work encourages independence. They’re tackling challenges right away, building confidence as they go.

Skill Reinforcement

Think of morning work as a daily dose of learning vitamins. It reinforces the skills we’ve been teaching. Whether it’s reviewing letters, numbers, or shapes, these quick exercises keep their growing brains engaged and active.

Time Management Skills

In the real world, time management is a superpower, right? Well, morning work helps our little ones develop those skills early on. They learn to manage their time by completing tasks within a set period. It’s like a mini time-management boot camp!

Teacher Prep Time

Last but not least, morning work can be a lifesaver for us teachers. While the kiddos are busy, we can take a moment to assess their progress, prepare for the day, or have a quick chat with parents. It’s like a small gift of time in a busy morning schedule.

You may be wondering what to do for kindergarten morning work? 

This resource is all you need! 

morning work

This engaging morning work for kindergarten covers reading and math skills and is super easy to implement. These no prep packets are perfect. They will help keep your class calm while reviewing skills at their own pace for the entire school year. 

You’ll never find yourself scrambling for morning activities again!

This resource  covers:

❀ Handwriting Uppercase and Lowercase Letters

❀ Sight Word Practice 

❀ Beginning Letter Sounds

❀ Months of the Year

❀ Days of the Week

❀ Handwriting Sentences

❀ Word Families

❀ Silent /e/

❀ Digraphs

❀ Number Sense

❀ Ten Frames

❀ Counting

❀ Number Lines 

❀ Writing Numbers 

❀ Counting On

❀ Shapes

❀ More and Less Than

❀ 3D Shapes

❀ Graphs

❀ Place Value

morning work

What’s included? 

Pg 1-42 – Aug. and Sept. (Handwriting, Letters, Numbers, Colors, Sight Words, Counting)

Pg. 43-84 – Oct. and Nov. (Handwriting, Letters, Numbers, Ten Frame, Counting, What Comes Next)

Pg. 85-126 Dec. Jan. (Word Families, Vowels, Counting, Greater than, Less Than, Handwriting)

Pg. 127-168 – Feb. and March (capital letters, lowercase letters, word families, shapes, counting on, less than)

Pg. 169-210 April and May (digraphs, tens and ones, 3D shapes, graphs, and silent /e/)

Each page has an extended activity for students to do on the back of the page for early finishers. It is designed to model once to the whole group, and students should be working independently for each set (4 Weeks.) 

There are only mild changes in this packet each month to make it easy for students to follow the pattern each morning. I provide different fonts, so students get used to seeing letters that look different. 

morning work

The number and the number word is used so students get familiar with number word recognition. I tell students to look at their crayons to find the color word to help them figure out the color on their own to create independence. 

I print my pages out to create a journal to easily store papers, leaving the back blank for the extended activity. My students could move on to the next page if they finished. You can just give one individual sheet, if you like to ensure students don’t move on to the next page.

Check it out here! 

For more kindergarten morning work activities, check out my post here!

3 Reasons To Use Escape Rooms In First Grade

Imagine turning your classroom into a captivating escape room where first-grade students become code-cracking detectives, working together to unravel mysteries while secretly building essential skills. Sound fun??

That’s where escape rooms for elementary school come in! You can use in person escape rooms or digital escape rooms, they’re all a blast!

escape rooms

What are escape rooms? 

Escape rooms are immersive and interactive adventures where participants are “locked” in a themed room and tasked with solving a series of puzzles, riddles, and challenges to unlock the room’s exit within a set time limit. These puzzles can range from deciphering codes to manipulating objects and finding hidden clues, all while working together as a team. 

Escape rooms offer an exciting way to engage individuals or groups in problem-solving, critical thinking, and collaborative exploration. 

This exciting twist on learning can ignite engagement, foster teamwork, and sneakily enhance critical thinking in the most thrilling way possible!

Using escape rooms in your first-grade lessons can be so much fun and beneficial for your little learners. 

Here are three exciting reasons why you should definitely consider doing an escape room activity with your students:

Super Engaging Learning

Imagine turning your classroom into a mysterious adventure land! Escape rooms are like real-life puzzles where students work together to solve problems and find clues. This hands-on approach keeps their minds active and engaged, making learning a thrilling experience. Your students will be so excited to explore and discover new things while trying to crack the codes.

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

Escape rooms encourage teamwork and collaboration in the most exciting way. Your first-grade students will have to work together, share their ideas, and help each other out to solve the puzzles and unlock the mystery. This not only promotes social skills but also teaches them the value of listening to their friends and working as a team. Plus, seeing their classmates as puzzle-solving pals will create a warm and friendly classroom atmosphere.

Sneaky Skill Building

Shhh, don’t tell the kids, but escape rooms are sneaky little teachers themselves! While your students are having a blast cracking codes and deciphering clues, they’re also practicing essential skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, and logical reasoning. These skills are like superhero powers that will help them tackle all kinds of challenges throughout their learning journey.

So there you have it, my dear teacher friend! Incorporating an escape room activity into your lessons can bring a wave of excitement, teamwork, and skill-building to your classroom. Your first-grade students will adore the adventure, and you’ll love watching them learn and grow in such a creative way. 

Looking for the perfect escape room resources to get started? I have you covered! 

This First Grade Escape Room Bundle is just what you need! 

Use these 9 Escape Rooms to guarantee student engagement while they learn and solve a classroom mystery. With little prep, your students will work as a team to break into a box, which breaks them out of the classroom as they beat the clock!

What’s inside this download?

Get 9 Escape Room Mysteries focusing on sight words, comprehension, numbers, alphabet, Veterans Day, Halloween, ice breakers, word building and addition for a low price. The Escape Rooms range from pre-k to 3rd grade, but all of these hit 1st grade benchmarks.

Check it out here! Looking for more escape room fun? Check out my post!

5 Back To School Resources That Will Make Your Year Better


It’s almost time to head back to the classroom! 

As we gear up to welcome our new students and reunite with the familiar faces, it’s essential to be equipped with the best resources to make this academic year a smashing success. 

If you’re looking for back to school activities, classroom decoration ideas, classroom management resources, or back to school resources for teachers, you’re in the right place! I’ll be sharing some fantastic back-to-school resources that will help us create engaging lessons, foster a positive classroom environment, and make this school year the best one yet! 🚀

back to school

What do you do to welcome kids back to school? 

It all starts with your classroom! Creating a warm and welcome environment can work wonders when it comes to easing students’ stress and making them feel comfortable. Add colors and even a fun classroom theme to bring life to a cold and bland classroom. 

The next step is implementing a good classroom management system that will make expectations clear, and then you want to have some fun with back to school and get to know you activities! 

Here are 5 back to school resources to get you started!

1. This Boho Rainbow Classroom Decor Bundle is adorable and welcoming!  

back to school classroom decoration ideas

Create an inviting classroom decor with this calming boho Rainbow-themed set! This is a calm theme with editable pages to easily personalize. Use the suggested fonts or create your own.

What is in the download:

  • An Editable Calendar Set
  • Editable Birthday Chart
  • Editable Daily Visual Schedule 
  • Classroom Jobs Set
  • Color Word Posters & Name Tags
  • An Alphabet Line (Print and Cursive)
  • Back to School Welcome Banners, Forms, Posters & Labels for Binders

2. Try out the Desk Pet Pals Classroom Management System

back to school classroom management system

Need a great way to help your class improve daily behavior? I have you covered with this editable Powerpoint and Google Slides! Use these slides to personalize editable text boxes. Use mini erasers or the virtual pets provided to improve student’s behavior.

This resource comes with everything you need to implement this fun and engaging resource including behavior contracts, charts, pet store price list, signs, writing prompts, pet personality posters, and so much more! Just add some pet erasers. 

Try it out free here! 

3. Wondering what’s a good activity for the first lesson? Try out this Back To  School Gingerbread Man Campus Hunt activity! 

back to school Ginger Bread Man Hunt resource

Are you looking for a back-to-school activity to help students learn where different locations are on your school campus? This is a week of lessons integrating reading with a campus hunt for the Gingerbread Man! There is enough to keep your kiddos busy for weeks learning with this fun theme. It is full of extras too! Check it out!

4. Try out this First Day Jitters Glitter Slime Activity to ease the nerves

first day of school activity

Love reading First Day Jitters to your students to help them get rid of their nervousness during the first week of school? The Jitter Glitter Slime included in this week lesson plan is always a huge hit with students! Use this at the beginning of the year to get students excited about science and teach them about inferences!

5. Don’t forget a fun craft! Check out these First Day of School Hat Crafts

back to school craft

Looking for an engaging activity to do with students to celebrate the first day or week of school? Have them create their own first day of school hat to wear while using the provided writing prompt to explain their favorite part of the first day, and give them a certificate!

I hope you and your students love these resources and that you have a marvelous first day of school! 
Want more back to school resources? Check out these beachy classroom decor ideas.