50 No Prep Brain Break Games For Your Classroom
Anyone tired of hangman or heads up, 7 up? Yeah…me too! They’re fun but it’s nice to have some new things to add some variety. I’ve really been trying to build my bank of brain breaks to offer my students lots of different types of breaks. Whether you need breaks during a work period to shake things up, or as a transition game or even when you have awkward minutes as you wait for the bell to ring or to be called down to the gym, these games are sure to infuse some fun.
I’ve been testing them on my students and they are always hoping we finish our work early to have time for a game.
Lots of these are tried and true classics and some are ones that are new to me that I’ve discovered from various sources. Additional explanation/example videos are linked where possible.
In this post you will find number games, word games, music, drama & movement games, drawing games, mindfulness and just for fun.
Number games
21
Stand in a circle. As a group we will be counting up to 21. Going around the circle, each person takes a turn to say up to three numbers so the first person could say (1, 1-2, or 1-2-3). Continue around the circle until someone says 21. They’re out!
Count to 10, one student at a time.
This is a very hard one especially in a larger group so you may want to split your class in two groups to start. Stand in a circle so that everyone can see everyone. Your goal is to count up to 10 saying one number at a time. The catch? Students have to randomly count, not just go around the circle in order and if two people say the same number at once you restart. Patience is key!
For example - Ben says 1, Nina says 2, but then Nick and Mandy both say 3…we start again.
Bingo Bongo Splat
Students are trying to guess the secret number by using logic. It’s sort of like a Wordle with numbers.
Group together! *Incorporates movement & math
The teacher will call out a certain number (“4”) and students will have 10 seconds to get into a group of that size. You’re not out if you don’t make it into a group, you can try again on the next round.
To make it more difficult, you can include math facts. “Get into groups of 2x2” “Get into groups of 10-6”
Finger addition/multiplication war
This game is played in pairs. Students will each put one hand behind their back and make a number with it (one is holding up 3 fingers, the other is holding up 4 fingers, for example). On the count of three, they will draw their hands from behind their back. The first person to correctly say the sum of the fingers wins. In our example it would be 7.
More advanced players can do both hands behind the back.
You could also do this with multiplication by multiplying the numbers that are drawn.
7 fingers
The magic number is 7, or 8, or whatever you want. We’ll use 7 for the example
On the count of three, the teacher and students will all hold up their hand(s) with fingers up. The goal is that whatever the teacher holds up and student holds up adds up to 7
So if the teacher holds up 6, anyone holding up 1 would get to stay standing. If they were holding up a 5, it wouldn’t add up to 7 with the teacher’s fingers so they’re down.
Secret number
Asking only yes/no questions, students will try to figure out the teacher’s (or their partner’s) secret number. Find a list of questions and a 100 chart HERE.
Word games
One word story
You will tell a story one word at a time. Ideally you’re in a circle on arranged in a way that’s clear which order you’ll go in. The first student starts with one word (One), then the next student comes up with another word (morning), then the next student continues (a)…
Word for word - Check out my post on how to play
This is an amazing vocabulary game, especially for language learners. Teams will take turns playing a type of “tug-o-war” with letters to get them to their side. They pull letters to their side by giving words that start with that letter. Careful, no repeats!
Wordle - Play online
Remember the Wordle craze? Well it’s still around and fun to try to figure out the word as a class
*Ideal for older students with strong spelling and vocab skills
Questions story
You will tell a story using only questions. Ideally you’re in a circle on arranged in a way that’s clear which order you’ll go in.
The first student starts: “Where did the dog go?”
The next continues with: “I’m not sure, should we go look for him?”
The next continues with: “Do you know where his leash is?”
20 question headbands
Use an index card or flashcard to put above your head.
Ask yes/no questions that will help you figure out what it is like:
Is it an animal?
Is it something you can eat?
Is it in this room?
Scattergories
Give students a letter and a series of categories (easy to find online). Within a give amount of time, they need to think of something in each category that starts with the chosen letter.
1, 2, or 3 word passage
This game works the same as 21, but you’re reading a short passage. You’ll need everyone to be able to see the same passage so this is great if you can project it on your board. Going around in a circle, each student has the chance to say up to three words. Continue around the circle until someone says the last word. They’re out!
Island packing list/I’m going on a picnic
You’ll need to decide the rule for things allowed on the picnic. Maybe it’s green things, or things that begin with the letter B, or things that you can eat…
Students will take turns asking if they can bring X on the picnic
Their goal is to try to get everyone to figure out the rule.
Fortunately, unfortunately
Everyone will stand in a circle. Students will take turns saying sentences and alternating between beginning with “fortunately” and “unfortunately”. The first sentence can just be nomal.
Ex: Today I went to the grocery store. Fortunately I brought the list. Unfortunately the list blew away in the wind. Fortunately I had my running shoes on so I ran to catch it. Unfortunately it blew into a tree. Fortunately it wasn’t too high up. Unfortunately a bird flew into the tree and took my list…
Would you rather?/Do you prefer?
A classic game that could involve further discussion or movement.
As simple as “would you rather eat bananas or orange” or something like “would you rather have no toes or no fingers”
To incorporate movement, assign sides of the room so that students can walk back and forth.
Password
This is just like the game that used to be on TV. Jimmy Fallon often plays it with guests on his show too.
Divide into two teams. Each team will need a player that comes up to the front and faces their team. You will give each team the password. Their objective is to make their parter guess the word using only one-word clues before the other team’s player.
Why? Because…
Each student gets two pieces of paper. On the first piece they will write a question starting with “why”. On the second piece of paper, they will write an answer starting with “because”.
Collect all the papers into two baskets. Mix up all the questions and then mix up all the answers.
Now draw one from each basket and read them aloud. They won’t make any sense but you’re sure to have a laugh!
Ex: Why do giraffes have long necks? Because the water is very cold.
Memory
Put a series of objects out for students to see. Give them 1 minute to study them and then hide them. Students will write down as many as they can remember in a notebook or on a personal whiteboard. This could also be done in groups with less time.
Tongue twisters (virelangues en français)
Find some tongue twisters in a book or online and have competitions to say them.
Telephone
Sit in a circle and pass a message around by whispering it to each other.
3 words
Students need to be in pairs.
The teacher will choose three unrelated words and tell them to the class (you may also wish to write them on the board just in case). Partner A will have a minute to tell their partner a story that incorporates all three words.
Ex words: boat, sandwich, tulip
Disappearing man (AKA hangman)
As an alternative to hangman that’s a little less hang-y, you can start with a person on the board and erase parts of them as they get letters wrong.
2 truths & a lie
You may want to give students a bit of time to think about their truths and lies. Have students take turns coming up to the front and sharing their three facts. Their classmates will try to guess which is the lie.
This is best done with older students, the young ones are pretty obvious about it!
Movement, Drama & Music games
Boom - Clap - Snatch
You will need a pencil or other objects that students can grab. Two students need to sit facing each other with the object between them on their table, desk or floor.
They will listen to your words “boom”, “clap” or “snatch” and do the appropriate movement (boom = hit table, or knees) (clap = clap) (snatch = grab the object).
Splat!
This will be played in a large circle. The chief splatter will go into the middle of the circle.
The chief will spin around and point to a student and say “splat”.
That student ducks down and the two students on their side have to turn towards each other and say “splat” as they throw “pies” at the person who had to duck. If the person doesn’t duck, they’re out. If they do duck, the one who gets “splatted” last is out.
Circle switch
You will need some space for this so it’s best to do it in a carpet area or even outside.
Students need to get into a big circle and have one person go in the middle.
The goal is to have two players silently cue each other to switch spots without the person noticing.
The middle player’s goal is to get into one of the open spots.
*Movement must happen in the middle of the circle, not on the outside.
*More than one pair can move at the same time
Alien-tiger-cow
Everyone will stand in a circle. On the count of three, students will have the choice to be either an alien, a tiger or a cow and will do the appropriate movement. The group that has the least amount of players will be out. So if there are 7 aliens, 5 tigers and 8 cows, the tigers would be out. They step out and we play a second round.
Alien = fingers on head like antennae
Tiger = claws out
Cow = fingers on stomach like utters
Grandma’s footsteps
One student will be grandma and face a wall. Everyone else will be on the other side of the room.
The other players try to advance quietly and get close enough to tap grandma on the shoulder.
Players can only move when grandma isn’t looking…but grandma can turn around at any moment.
If she sees anyone moving, they must return to the start.
Whoever taps grandma on the shoulder gets to take the place of grandma and the game restarts.
Wink murderer (or the winker - to be less murder-y)
This will be played in a large circle. Select one student to be the detective, they will leave the room.
Once they’ve left, the other students will sit in the circle with their eye closed. The selector (teacher) will tap on a shoulder to let the winker know they’ve been selected.
The detective returns and goes into the middle of the circle.
The winker kills people by winking at them. When winked at, the player should fall over or leave the circle.
The detective has 3 guesses to find the winker.
Rhythm detective
Select one student to be the detective. They will need to leave the room.
Now select a rhythm leader who will guide the class in making a rhythm by clapping, tapping on their desk or on their legs etc. When the leader changes their rhythm, so does everyone else.
Once the rhythm has started, the detective can enter the room and will get three guesses as to who the leader is.
Remind your students not to stare at the leader. They should be able to see them for when they change the rhythm but if everyone is looking at Jane, it’s pretty obvious that Jane is the leader.
Look!
Everyone sits in a circle with their heads down, eyes to the ground.
The leader will say “1,2,3 Look!” and everyone must put their head up and look directly at someone.
If the person you’re looking at is directly looking at you, you’re out. You yell “ahh” and fall to the ground. If you’re looking at someone but they’re looking at someone else, you’re safe.
Find it fast
You will give a rule (find me something blue) and students will scramble to find you something blue and bring it to you.
This is definitely a little wild so not ideal to do if you’re trying to bring down energy.
Heads up, 7 up
Ah the old classic! 7 students come up to the front of the room to start the game.
Everyone else has their heads down (no peeking!) on the table or desk and their thumb pointing up, in a thumbs up position.
The 7 will walk around the room quietly and gently tap the thumb of one person each. Then they return to the front of the room.
When all 7 are back, you can say “heads up, 7 up” and the 7 students whose thumbs were tapped can stand up.
They must choose the person they think tapped them. If they’re correct, they swap places. If they’re incorrect, they sit back down.
Thunderstorm
Make a thunderstorm by using body percussion and voice sounds.
Tap your hands on your legs, snap, make popping noises, make shhhhh sounds…
Silent ball
You will need a soft ball to pass around the room.
Students can spread out and sit in their chairs, on desks, on the floor etc.
Students will be passing the ball to each other silently.
The student is out if:
They drop the ball
They make a deliberate bad pass
They make a noise
Play continues until there is only one player left.
Charades
Grabbing scrap pieces of paper, have everyone write an animal, an action etc.
Students can take turns acting out the different pieces of paper.
Human knot
You’ll need some space for this one.
Split the class into two groups. Each group will stand in a circle. Players will reach out and grab hands with people opposite them. Each hand should go to a different person.
Now try to untangle yourself without letting go of hands.
First team finished wins!
Simon Says
This one needs no explanation!
Freeze dance
Play your favourite tunes and have a dance party. Stop the music and freeze!
Line up by… but NO talking
Get students to line up based on a specific rule.
The catch is they cannot talk to teach other.
Have them line up by height, birthday, in rainbow order of shirts…
Cooperative stand up
Students will be in pairs. They will sit on the floor back-to-back with their legs outstretch on the floor. They will interlock their arms. Now, try to stand up together.
Freeze dance & justify
Put some music on and have students dance around the room, putting their bodies in a variety of shapes.
Pause the music and have everyone freeze.
Now ask a few students to justify their position. Creativity is key! Once a few have justified, restart the music and play again.
For example, if they are bent over with their arms on the floor and their justification is that they are a zombie walking down some stairs.
Yoga
There are tons of yoga for kids videos on Youtube. One I really like is Cosmic Kids Yoga
Pat your head, rub your belly
The old classic! Try to get your hands to do two things at once. Other options include:
Draw circles with your hands in opposite directions
Circle your head in one direction and circle your tongue in the opposite direction
Circle your foot and try to draw a 6 in the air with the same hand
Give a thumbs up with one hand and point with another. Now switch quickly back and forth.
Drawing games
Two and a crayon (From Mr. Kyle Cohen - see instructions & video)
Put students into pairs and give them one crayon and a piece of paper. They must create a drawing using that crayon BUT both need to be holding onto it at the same time to draw.
Pictionary
The old party game that is sure to give some laughs.
Put students into teams and have them race to figure out the drawings.
Mindfulness & meditation
Mind Yeti (free!) OR Headspace (Educators can get a free account!) My students love the kids meditation that are only a few minutes long .
Just for fun
DVD screensaver - last man standing
This is such a silly one but could be useful in a moment where you really need a brain break and just want something fun. I saw this posted by @MisterKnoll, you can see the video HERE.
You need to be able to project onto a surface that can be written on. Students will write their initials on the board, then play a video of the DVD screensaver that bounces around. If the symbol goes through your name, it gets erased. Last man standing wins!
Heads or tails - last man standing
You will need a coin for this.
I saw this posted by @thedailyplannerau. Check out the video HERE