15 Classroom Exercise Breaks for Students & Teachers

The benefits of physical activities should not be just limited to recess or hours when one has nothing else to do. But for young children and school-going students, exercise is as important as one could imagine. Classroom exercises and a healthy physical routine help kids sharpen their physical and mental health. It improves stress management, helps them improve their learning capacity, and also energizes the brain for competitive study.

Incorporating exercise into your daily routine has many benefits, regardless of your age group. This article will focus on the best classroom physical activities for school-going children and teachers to foster a healthy learning lifestyle.

Yoga Break

Nothing hits the peaceful spot better than yoga does. Hence yoga should be an integral part of an exercise routine. Moreover, yoga can also help kids let go of the pressure and pain which builds up after an entire day of sitting. Some active stretches, seated stretches, and relaxing when standing on your feet are all wonderful ways to restart the body's physical activity.

Meditate

Meditation is a relieving experience, and who says young minds are stressed? Practice 5-10 minutes of daily meditation as an essential part of kids' daily routine before they start their day and watch them become more peaceful and better at managing tough challenges.

Jump

Kids will love this one, and as we speak about hyperactive 6-7-year-olds, you know they will be pleased with these classroom exercise breaks. Jumping is an extraordinary way of letting energy out while having fun at most. You can ask the kids to imagine bouncing on a trampoline or even hold out the competition to see who gives up jumping the last. While there would be lots of noise in the classroom, it will be all worth it for your result.

Star Jump

Another variation of jumping for kids is the star jump, where they burn off their energy and work the lower back and thigh muscles. Start with a simple squat until the thighs are parallel to the floor. Jump, reaching up your hands to make a star, and drop back to a squat position.

Squats

Besides star jumping from the squat, simple squats are also highly beneficial classroom activities for students aimed to move the lower body. Repeat 10-15 squats each day to make the thigh and glutes stronger, and this exercise is also helpful for kids who are into sports.

Stretch the Entire Body

Give children a stretch so they can regain some spine flexibility. Put them in a standing position with their feet shoulder-width apart. They raise their right hand upwards and place their left hand on their hip. Lean to the left and extend your left arm as far as possible. On the right side, repeat. When their hands are on the ground, they should stand tall and gradually roll down, one vertebra at a time (or at least their shins). Have them inhale deeply before rising slowly. Repetition is required.

Desk Exercises

If you told the children that their study desk could be used for some fun too, they would be pretty excited about it. But in this case, we are talking about a standing desk. Standing desks are a wonderful change in any workplace or study place, and one of the greater benefits of these types of desks is the easy standing exercises. And for this one, you wouldn't even have to wait till recess, which could be one of the classroom exercises for students before each lecture. You can purchase healthy height adjustable desks in bulk from office furniture for sale or other discounted programs for schools.

Mountain Climbers

A wonderful way to burn belly fat and improve digestion mountain climbers is simple where you can place your hands shoulder-width apart. Place them sturdy on the ground and move your legs as you climb a mountain. Make sure to keep the back flat while doing so.

Shoulder Blast

This one easily could be a desk exercise before starting a lecture. All you need is to hold your arms out to both sides straight. Make arm circles in the forward direction and gradually increase your rotation to larger ones. Then reverse the direction and repeat the same.

Cross Body Exercise

Kids should cross their legs in front of each other while standing erect and putting their outside feet together. Have them now cross their arms so that the wrists are touching. Wrap their arms around each other and clasp their hands. Take a few breaths, uncross, and then take a few more breaths crossing the other way.

Sign Language

This seems not as common as other classroom exercises but has many benefits. Teach your kids sign language and help them memorize the alphabet through actions. This will not only sharpen their motor skills but also improve their vocabulary and help communicate them better with people who have special needs.

Hand Walks

Other than standing stretches, it is equally important to relax your upper body, and hand walks are a fun and interesting way to do so. This is simple, and all you need to do is bend down on your waist and place the palm of your hands on the ground. Walk your hands to one end, down back to the center, and move towards the other side.

Encourage Healthy Regime

If your school at a greater level is aware of the need for proper physical activity in a study place, then you probably have a school gym as well. Rather than just basic recess, visiting the school gym a few times a week is wise. Over there, they can use the equipment and practice a proper workout routine which will fuel them for the whole day. Schools can have indoor cycling bikes or a foldable walking treadmill so kids can burn off some calories and work those muscles. However, this idea is only suitable for high schoolers and not little ones.

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Mindfulness

Our minds are as tired as our bodies get; hence mental health should be a major priority from an early age. Make sure to add meditation to a part of your daily routine. Practice thinking about a happy memory or perfect moment and live those memories while closing your eyes. The kids will find themselves in a better mood and energy instantly.

Energize

Classroom exercises in a short sequence to get the heart rate up. Ask your students to complete 5 tasks as rapidly as they can. Five jumping jacks, 4 pushups, 3 sit-ups, 2 squat leaps, and 1 tree pose are a few examples.