Brain Breaks in Early Childhood Classrooms: Teacher Perceptions, Break Logistics, and Barriers to Implementation

• In Event: Thursday Roundtable Session 4:20 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Stress and Coping in Early Childhood (Table 4)

Abstract

Attention is a finite cognitive resource and many educators face challenges maintaining students’ attention during instruction. Brain breaks (short-breaks away from instruction) are one potential solution to support attention and learning. This exploratory study delves into the utilization of brain breaks in U.S. K-2 classrooms. Teachers (N=796) completed an online survey on the landscape of brain break usage and the perceived benefits and drawbacks of breaks for both teachers and students. Teachers frequently use brain breaks in their classrooms, but the extent of their usage varies by subject area. The most common break types were physical activities, videos, and dancing. Teachers reported that brain breaks were beneficial for both students and themselves; however, implementation barriers were also identified.

Authors

• Karrie E. Godwin, University of Maryland - Baltimore County

• Freya Kaur, University of Maryland - Baltimore County

• Audrey J. Leroux, Georgia Institute of Technology

• Amanda Moreno, Erikson Institute