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High school brains work overtime — whether writing an essay or solving multi-step equations, they need a moment to hit the pause button. That’s where brain breaks for high school come in. Ditch the yawns and glazed-over stares with quick and fun brain breaks perfect for snapping students back into the lesson. Use them as a quirky bell ringer, an exit ticket, or a mental reset for a tough topic to grab your students’ attention.
Energize and engage with movement moments
Teens need to move — it’s not just an elementary need! High schoolers benefit just as much (if not more!) from adding a bit of movement into their daily lessons. Physical activity can break up the monotony, get their blood flowing, and reenergize their brains for better focus and engagement.
You might start your lessons with a quick bell ringer and pause after 20-30 minutes to give students a minute or two to reset and recharge. Ending the day with a fun activity that gets them out of their seats, especially one that combines movement with answering a question or reflecting on what they’ve learned, can also leave a lasting impression.
Break up your lesson with a few of these movement activities:
- Pound out the stress: Using hands, feet, pencils, pens, etc., have students follow a beat you create. Then, select a student to start the next beat that everyone follows.
- Follow the leader: Designate someone in the class as the leader, or even yourself. Call out simple movements and stretches, and have the students replicate them.
- Pass the ball: Have students silently sit in a circle or on their desks. Give them a squishy ball to silently pass around to one another.
- Make it snow: Students should pull out a piece of paper and write a single word to describe something that is frustrating them. They should crumple the paper and throw it into a designated area of the room. Every student then grabs one of the “snowballs” and reads the word.
- Shoot the answer: Ask students a question. Have them write their answers with their name on a piece of paper and shoot it into a basket. This makes a great exit ticket.
- Walk the line: Engage their love of music by designating a different genre of music to each side of the room. Students choose their genre, and the side with the most gets a silent dance party.
- Create a human GIF: Allow students to break up a long lesson by pausing to have them morph into a human GIF. Others can try to guess their GIFs and even vote on the best one.
- Try balance or bust: Set aside a minute or two to focus on a movement that emphasizes balance, like a tree pose.
- Play the floor is lava: It’s an oldie but a goodie. Randomly tell the kids that the floor is lava and they must find a way to avoid getting burned.
- Fly away your stress: Have students write down one thing that is stressing them out or causing them to worry for the day. They then turn it into a paper airplane and try to fly it into the trash can.
- Pick and move: Create different cards with movements on them. Students get in a circle, and you throw out the cards. Each student grabs a movement and tries to hold it for a minute without a sound.
Challenge teens with fun brain games and brain teasers
Making your brain break for high school fun with a game is a great way to allow teens to take a breath and recharge their batteries. This is particularly true for grueling lessons where everyone is struggling. If you know a lesson will be hard to grasp, start the lesson with a timer and play a fun five-minute game.
You can even make the act of choosing the brain break fun by having a student roll a die to decide what you will do today. For example, six might be a movement break, while five is a logic puzzle. Whether you are using a bell ringer or exit ticket, try games like:
- Build a story: Start a story with a simple sentence. Then, each student must add a word to the story until you’ve reached everyone. It can get pretty hilarious.
- Make a one-minute scribble story: Give students 1 or 2 minutes to scribble. They must then create a quick story based on their scribbles.
- Create a group echo: Create a funny scenario, like “My name is Lisa, and I went to the store for Oreos.” The next student must say the line the first student said, but build on with their name and what they bought. Continue until someone messes up the chain.
- Craft an alphabet chain: Suggest a category and have students start with a word that begins with A and move to Z.
- Name five things to bring: Give students a fun scenario, like being trapped on a deserted island. They have just 10 seconds to list five things they should bring.
- Play the memory game: Have students close their eyes. They then need to list different things on a wall or in a specific corner of a room — the closest one wins.
- Find what’s different: Change something on your desk or in the class. Give students 1 or 2 minutes to figure out what has changed.
- Identify that title: Students have to guess book or song titles using emojis and pictures.
- Have a tongue twister battle: Give the students a tongue twister and see who can say it the fastest.
BRAIN TEASERS VOL. 1 – Logic, Word Sense, Puzzles, Lateral Thinking – Fun Stuff
By Laura Randazzo
Grades: 8th-11th
The collection is available in Google Slides and PDF formats. It includes 38 brain teaser questions promoting high-level thinking and discussion. Answer keys are also provided for each question. These are great for brain breaks, sponge activities, and team activities.
Engaging Riddles: 99 Brain Teasers for Bell Ringers and Morning Meeting (Set 1)
By Teachers Resource Force
Grades: 5th-12th
Enjoy a collection of thought-provoking riddles and puzzles for various classes to use as bell ringers or morning work. This collection includes 99 riddles designed specifically for the teen market. It is available in PowerPoint format.
Bell Ringers, Early Finishers, Brain Breaks, Fun Friday Activities and Puzzles
By Real Cool English
Grades: 6th-10th
This package includes word puzzles, logic challenges, fun facts, and writing prompts designed for individuals and collaborative teams. Two versions are available, and so is teacher support to help you get started with the 35-sheet package.
Bell Ringers, Brain Teasers & Riddles | Morning Meeting | Volume 1
By Mister Harms
Grades: 6th-9th
Standards: CCSSRF.5.4a; CCSSW.5.10, W.6.10
Expand your students’ minds by harnessing their critical thinking skills with riddles and logic puzzles. This package includes 30 brain teasers with answers in printable worksheets or a Google Slides version. These are broken down into 20 medium-difficulty and 10 harder teasers.
Jumpstart thinking with a simple brain break prompt
A good brain break for high school doesn’t require an intricate prompt or game — there are no-prep options, too. It can be as simple as having a brain break box with several prompts where you have your kids pull one out and do it. It’s also a great icebreaker for your SEL check-in.
Set a timer for a minute, and try these great brain breaks for high school prompts:
- Go air hula hooping
- Jam out to your favorite rock song
- Pretend to walk on the moon
- Walk around the room like a ninja
- Do an exercise
- Take deep breaths
- Follow guided meditation
- Pop like popcorn
- Describe your fantasy pet
- Trace objects around the room with a finger
- Act out swimming through spaghetti
- Describe how you would brush your teeth with broccoli
- Mime walking on shoes made of sticks
- Listen and analyze the sound of a clock
- Imagine you are blowing up like a balloon
- Become a firework popping in the sky
- Draw a work of art with your nose
- Write your full name in cursive with your elbow
Explore the benefits of brain breaks for high school students
Think of brain breaks like rest periods at the gym. Just as your muscles need time to recover, your brain needs quick breaks to refocus and recharge. These short mental breathers can improve concentration, boost memory retention, and help students process new information.
Recent research shows that even a one-minute break gives the brain time to refocus. It also helps students destress and return to tasks with a fresh perspective.
Movement brain breaks, like a quick stretch or jog in place, get the blood flowing and increase alertness. Plus, games and fun activities lift the mood and build classroom community.
So, the best brain breaks for high school aren’t just about focus: They’re moments that support self-regulation, social connection, and long-term success.
Give them a break with fun activities from TPT
Need a quick way to boost energy and focus in your high school classroom? Brain breaks are the perfect solution! They get students moving, laughing, and recharged, whether you use them as a bell ringer, mid-lesson refresher, or a fun exit ticket. Give your students a minute to refocus with even more brain break resources for high school on TPT.