Active School Week is here, and what better time to get your class up and moving? We all know how important it is to get kids active throughout the day, but let’s be honest, between busy schedules, packed lessons and rainy weather, it’s not always easy to make time for it. That’s where movement breaks come in!
Movement breaks (also known as “energisers” or classroom brain breaks) are short bursts of physical activity that you can squeeze into the school day without needing any equipment or even leaving the classroom. They’re quick, they’re fun, and most importantly, they work. These little activity breaks help improve concentration, boost mood, and cut down on long periods of sitting, which studies show take up about 50–70% of a typical school day.
Before we jump into the fun stuff, it’s worth remembering why all this movement matters. The current physical activity guidelines for children and young people recommend that kids get an average of at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity every day throughout the week. That can sound like a lot at first, but it adds up quickly with things like PE, active play, sports, and yes, classroom movement breaks!
These guidelines also highlight the importance of breaking up long periods of sitting. So those little bursts of activity sprinkled throughout the school day aren’t just fun, they’re actually super important for kids’ health and focus. (Want to learn more about the guidelines? We’ve broken it down in a handy blog post. Check it out here.)
So whether you're already planning fun events for Active School Week or just want to sneak in a little more classroom based physical activity during lessons, here are 10 of our favourite teacher-approved, classroom-friendly ideas to help your students stretch, shake and smile their way through the day.
Everyone loves a bit of bingo, and this version adds a fun fitness twist! Each child gets their own bingo card filled with different exercises like 10 jumping jacks, 5 squats, or toe touches. Call out an exercise at random and when students hear one that’s on their card, they have to stand up, do the move, and mark it off. First one to complete a row shouts “Bingo!” and wins.
It’s a great way to mix movement with memory and a bit of friendly competition. Perfect for Active School Week!
Top tip: You can download our ready made fitness bingo cards here to save time!
This one is a fun twist on the classic memory game, perfect for a small group or a full class circle. Start by saying, “I packed my bag and did 5 jumping jacks.” The next person repeats that and adds a new movement: “I packed my bag and did 5 jumping jacks and 1 squat.” And so on.
Not only does this game get everyone moving, but it also works on memory and listening skills. Plus, it can get pretty silly, which is always a win in our book!
An easy classroom energiser and total energy booster. Start by shaking each arm and leg eight times, then four times, then two, then one. Get faster and sillier with each round. It’s fast, it’s fun, and it gets everyone laughing while waking up tired muscles.
This one is great for lesson transitions or when the class is losing focus.
This one is as fun as it sounds. Call out different animals and have students move like them. Hop like a frog, stretch like a cat, crawl like a bear, or scuttle like a crab. You can keep each movement going for 30 seconds before switching to the next one. They can perform these movements on the spot at their desk, or if there’s space they can carefully move around the classroom!
It’s creative, playful, and helps kids use a whole range of muscles. A great addition to your Active School Week movement ideas.
Pair students up and have one lead while the other mirrors their movements. They can do slow stretches, silly dances, or energetic moves like jumping or lunges. After 30 seconds, switch roles.
This builds concentration, teamwork, and body awareness. Plus, it's a great way for quieter students to take the lead.
A simple and effective way to add fun and physical activity to the classroom. Play some music and let kids move around, dance, or even march in place. When the music stops, they freeze! You can add a theme to the freeze too: “freeze like a superhero,” “freeze like a ballerina,” or even “freeze like a robot”.
Ideal for transitions or brain breaks between lessons.
This gentle classroom movement break is perfect for a slower paced moment in the day. Have students stretch their arms up and reach from side to side, like they’re painting a rainbow in the sky. Big arcs, deep breaths, hold and stretch.
This one doubles as a calming strategy while still getting bodies moving. A great post-lunch or pre-home time activity.
Call out different colours with matching actions:
You can mix it up and speed up the colour changes for added challenge! This one gets hearts pumping and minds focused, making it a great brain break to refocus students.
Call out emotions and let the class act them out using movement. For example:
This is a fun way to explore emotional expression while getting in some sneaky physical activity. Great for SPHE lessons or when your class needs to let off a little steam.
Assign an exercise to each number on a dice. For example:
Roll the dice and the whole class does the activity together. Want to make it more interactive? Let students roll the dice themselves!
Getting active during school hours doesn’t have to mean huge changes or big time commitments. Movement breaks are a quick and easy way to bring more physical activity into your classroom and they don’t require equipment, prep, or even leaving the room.
During Active School Week, it’s the perfect time to try out a few of these teacher approved classroom movement ideas and see what works best for your class. Who knows, your students might even ask for them again and again!
Want to get involved? Tag us in your Active School Week fun and show us your favourite classroom energisers in action. Happy moving!
Looking for even more ways to keep your class moving during Active School Week and beyond? We're uploading a new activity video everyday on our YouTube channel! Each one is quick, fun and designed for kids to follow right at their desks, no equipment or extra space needed. It's a great way to add a little extra movement to your day without any extra prep. Click here to check out our YouTube channel and follow along.
