Brain break cubes give restless wiggles a joyful, learning-filled outlet all year long! The Gross Motor Brain Break Bundle includes 31 themed brain break sets, so preschool, kindergarten and elementary children can roll a cube and move their bodies in fun, theme-based ways.

Kids don't just sit still all day. They wiggle, giggle and need to MOVE. One roll might have them stomping like an elephant, the next might send them flying like a helicopter and the next might challenge them to move slowly like a sloth. The variety keeps the excitement fresh and makes it easy for teachers and parents to sprinkle movement into the day.

With this brain break cube bundle, you get

• 31 themed brain break sets for every month, season and celebration
• Gross motor movement, sensory play and action-based learning in every roll
• Color and black-and-white cube inserts
• DIY cube templates, so no special supplies are needed
• An easy fit for circle time, transitions, indoor recess and therapy sessions

No planning, no stress. Just roll, move and learn!

What's Included

• 31 themed brain break sets with colorful cube inserts featuring kid-friendly actions
• Color and black-and-white cube inserts (the black-and-white inserts double as a coloring activity and save printer ink)
• DIY cube templates to print, cut, fold and tape into a ready-to-go cube
• Teacher directions with step-by-step setup instructions

Themes in This Bundle

• Spring Brain Breaks
• Summer Brain Breaks
• Fall Brain Breaks
• Winter Brain Breaks
• Ocean Animal Brain Breaks
• Farm Animal Brain Breaks
• Rainforest Animal Brain Breaks
• Zoo Animal Brain Breaks
• Camping Theme Brain Breaks
• Transportation Theme Brain Breaks
• Community Helpers Brain Breaks Set #1
• Community Helpers Brain Breaks Set #2
• Baa, Baa Black Sheep Brain Breaks
• Thanksgiving Brain Breaks
• Butterfly Brain Breaks
• Construction Brain Breaks
• Emotions Brain Breaks
• Dinosaur Brain Breaks
• Pizza Parlor Brain Breaks
• Workout Exercise Brain Breaks
• Bugs and Insects Brain Breaks
• Dance Brain Breaks
• Clothing Brain Breaks
• Dentist Brain Breaks
• Farm Brain Breaks
• Hiking Brain Breaks
• Picnic Brain Breaks
• Playground Brain Breaks
• Weather Brain Breaks
• Water Play Brain Breaks
• Christmas Brain Breaks

Why Teachers Love It

• A year of movement in one bundle: With themes from zoo animals to transportation to seasonal fun, you always have a brain break that fits your current unit.
• Calmer transitions: Short bursts of action help children release energy before sitting down for more focused tasks.
• No cube? No problem: Pop the inserts into a soft photo cube or print the DIY cube template.
• Saves ink and adds fine motor work: Children can color the black-and-white inserts before the gross motor play begins.
• Sub plans made simple: A brain break cube is an easy, no-prep activity to leave with a substitute.
• Helpful in therapy sessions: Action verbs and theme vocabulary support speech and ELL goals, while the movement gives structured gross motor input for OT.

Skills Students Practice

Primary Academic Skills

• Gross motor development: Stomping, hopping, spinning, crawling and clapping build balance, coordination, core strength and physical fitness.
• Listening and following directions: Children hear the action called out, process it and act it out with their bodies.
• Vocabulary growth: Linking actions to themes such as animals, transportation, weather or holidays helps children hear, say and act out new action words.
• Body awareness and spatial movement: Moving as a group teaches children to move safely in shared spaces and control their movements.
• Self-regulation: A short, structured movement break helps children reset their energy and get ready to learn again.

Secondary Life & Learning Skills

• Taking turns
• Following directions
• Listening to classmates
• Waiting during group play
• Maintaining attention
• Building confidence during group participation

How to Use It

Step 1: Print your favorite themed brain break set. Choose the color inserts or let children color the black-and-white inserts first.

Step 2: Pop the inserts into a soft photo cube for an easy rotation activity, or print, cut, fold and tape the DIY cube template. The DIY cube is super helpful for sub tubs, centers or sending home with students.

Step 3: Roll and move! The cube shows the movement prompt and children act it out.

Materials You'll Need

• A soft photo cube, or the printable DIY cube template
• Scissors and tape for the DIY cube
• Crayons for the black-and-white inserts (optional)

Easy Differentiation

Children come to movement time with different energy levels, motor skills and language needs. These brain break cubes are easy to adjust for each of them.

For Children Who Need More Support

• Model each action before children try it
• Start with a theme children already know well
• Name the picture on the cube aloud and act it out together
• Offer a calmer version of an action, such as stomping in place
• Give children a set spot in the room to move safely

For On-Level Practice

• Let children take turns rolling the cube for the group
• Act out each action as the class counts together
• Rotate in a new theme each week or season
• Use the cube during transitions throughout the day

For an Extra Challenge

• Let a child lead the group by naming the action and showing it
• Roll twice and do both actions in order
• Ask children to move fast and then slow, such as a helicopter and then a sloth
• Have children describe how the action matches the theme

For Speech, OT, ELL or Special Education Support

• Practice action verbs such as stomp, crawl, spin and fly
• Use simple sentence frames such as "I can ___ like a ___."
• Use the cube as structured gross motor input for children who need movement to regulate and focus
• Show the picture while saying the action word for visual support
• Give extra processing time before children begin moving

Perfect For

• Circle time
• Transitions
• Indoor recess
• Bathroom breaks and time fillers
• Speech therapy and ELL support
• Occupational therapy and sensory play
• Substitute plans
• Sub tubs and centers
• Homeschool movement breaks
• Preschool, kindergarten and elementary classrooms

Standards

These brain break cubes support the 2022 Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines and Virginia's Early Learning and Development Standards (2021), and they build toward kindergarten skills in Common Core, the TEKS (ELAR, adopted 2017) and the Virginia English SOL (2024):

Common Core State Standards

• CCSS L.K.5.d: Act out the meanings of action words that describe similar movements, such as walk, stomp and crawl.
• CCSS SL.K.1.a: Follow agreed-upon rules for group activities, including listening to others and taking turns.
• CCSS L.K.6: Use new words learned through conversations and play.

Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines

• Texas Pre-K Guidelines PK4.IX.A.1: Show coordination and balance in isolation, such as hopping or spinning in place.
• Texas Pre-K Guidelines PK4.IX.A.2: Coordinate a sequence of movements to act out each action on the cube.
• Texas Pre-K Guidelines PK4.I.A.1: Know where their own body is in space and respect personal boundaries while moving as a group.
• Texas Pre-K Guidelines PK4.I.B.1.c: Regulate their own behavior with occasional reminders during movement breaks.
• Texas Pre-K Guidelines PK4.II.A.1: Show understanding by responding to the action called out by an adult or classmate.

Texas TEKS

• TEKS ELAR K.1.B: Restate and follow oral directions that involve a short, related sequence of actions.
• TEKS ELAR K.3.C: Identify and use words that name actions.

Virginia Early Learning and Development Standards

• Virginia ELDS HPD2.1: Develop large muscle control through stomping, hopping, spinning and crawling.
• Virginia ELDS APL4.1: Manage actions and behaviors while moving with the group.
• Virginia ELDS SED3.3: Engage in cooperative play while taking turns rolling the cube.
• Virginia ELDS CD4.1: Explore and express ideas through movement.

Virginia SOL

• VA SOL English K.C.1.A.i: Listen actively and follow agreed-upon rules for group participation, such as waiting for a turn.

Check out what other educators are saying:

★★★★★ Megan L. wrote, "My 3/4-year-olds loved these cubes. We used it as a time filler or when we were doing bathroom breaks. The pictures are big and there are not too many words on each picture.."

★★★★★ Suzanne S. wrote, "I make Brain Break cubes to leave with my sub plans- subs appreciate these and my students love that I leave something different than the norm for them to do."

Ready to move, wiggle, jump and stretch all year long? Grab the Gross Motor Brain Break Cubes Bundle and be prepared with fun, themed brain breaks for every month, season and celebration. Add it to your cart today and just roll, move and learn!

Download Details

This is a digital download that will be available to you directly after purchase. Nothing will be mailed to you.

You will receive a link to the download in three places

• On the "thank you" page after checkout
• In your email
• Anytime from your account: https://lifeovercsstore.com/account