Saying “Yes” to Classroom Brain Breaks

By Skylar Primm, Lead Teacher

The Challenge

In the last decade and change, brain breaks have become a common feature in elementary classrooms. Walking the halls of a primary school and peeking into classrooms, you’re likely to observe students having a one-minute dance party, taking a mindful moment together, or playing a game of silent ball. Whatever the specific format, the idea is to give young learners a chance to move their bodies, enhance blood flow to the brain, and help them physically and mentally transition between parts of the day. Countless websites, apps, and other resources have sprung up to support educators in providing these moments of levity with their students.

But what about our older learners? At the secondary level, the drive to cover content, perform well on standardized tests, and control access to devices leaves little room for breaks beyond passing periods and lunch. It’s just not enough. Students — and teachers — do not get enough time outside or away from screens. We know this. We’ve known this for a long time. Last year, I tried to do something about it. This year, I’m going to continue.

In the 2024–25 school year, I was a participant-leader in the Wisconsin Sustainable Teaching and Learning (WSTL) Collaborative, an outgrowth of the Colorado State Sustainable Teaching and Learning Collaborative. Our collective goal was to pay more attention to the things that brought us joy and hope in the classroom. I also worked to keep my own circles of control, influence, and concern in mind. One of the intersection points between these ideas that had a major impact in my classroom was taking brain breaks alongside my students.

Last Year — Saying “Yes”

One of my middle school students, whom I’ll call Oliver, asked me every day if we could go outside. Or when we would be going outside. Or what game we should play outside. An aficionado of gaga ball, four square, and kickball, he’d also be happy to take a hike or provide community service, just so long as it was outside. At some point in the year, I realized that I should start saying “yes” to him more often, because those were the times I felt joy and hope. “Yes” to going outside. “Yes” to playing games with him and the other students. “Yes” to taking time out of our busy schedule to do something unstructured.

It was beautiful. Dr. Peter Gray has written and spoken extensively about the benefits of free play for human flourishing, most famously in his 2013 book Free to Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More Self-Reliant, and Better Students for Life. I watched my students build stronger relationships among one another, develop practical problem-solving skills, and learn to advocate for their needs through play. I also saw myself developing different relationships with students, finding new paths to stress relief, and taking much-needed breaks from the fluorescent lights and screens that dominate so much of our work in the twenty-first-century classroom. Every time I heard Oliver excitedly tell other students, “Mr. Primm is playing!”, my load felt a little lighter.

I don’t want to discount the very real challenges and objections that are likely coming to mind as you read this. I experienced them myself. Any time I said “yes” to playing a game with my students, I was saying “no” to something else. But here’s what I’ve decided about how I spend my precious time as an educator — there’s never going to be enough time to catch up with everything, so I will take care of the essentials and do the best I can with the rest. Another challenge with outdoor play is the weather, especially in Wisconsin. I imagine that most schools have a gym they can use, but we do not. Instead, we adapted to conditions. Sometimes, we might play a card game or a board game instead of something outdoors. Other times, my students would simply choose to play in the snow.

A final challenge is my own aging body. I’m in my mid-40s, and students delight in pointing out how very, very old that is. I have to be aware of my own limits and open with students about them. I think of this as just another way to connect and humanize our relationship, and it means that sometimes joining them for play means cheering them on or pitching for kickball without running. Our society tends to devalue rest, and I think that normalizing taking breaks as needed is another important lesson for me to share.

Next Year — More Intentionality

Going forward into the new school year, I’m going to continue saying “yes” to brain breaks and play. Oliver will be back, and I am sure he’ll hold me to the expectations we set last year. To that end, I aim to be more intentional and proactive about scheduling those breaks. I’d also like to incorporate more student leadership in the schedule and plans — any time I can hand ownership over to students, I want to. As part of amplifying my students’ power, I’m hoping to spread the idea of breaks to the other parts of our school day. If we all have a better sense of our bodies’ and minds’ needs throughout the day, we’ll be able to build a more humane environment for everyone.

Ultimately, what I have discovered is that this is where I want to focus my efforts within my circle of control. I can’t change national policy by myself, but I can change my plans for the afternoon. Thirty minutes of gaga ball might not change the world, but they’ll change things for my students today… and for the future.

Skylar L. Primm (he/him) is lead teacher at Koshkonong Trails School, a project- and place-based school in Cambridge, Wisconsin. In 2017, he was the recipient of a Herb Kohl Educational Foundation Fellowship in recognition of his teaching, leadership, and service, and in 2021 he was named the Wisconsin Association for Environmental Education’s Formal Educator of the Year. You can keep up with his work at skylarprimm.com and contact him at pbl.skylar@gmail.com.

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