Zoo animal brain break cube fun gives restless wiggles a joyful outlet! When kids start fidgeting or losing focus, roll the Brain Break Cube | Zoo Animal Theme and let them stomp like an elephant, climb like a monkey or clap like a seal.

This easy-prep action cube is packed with silly, high-energy gross motor activities that let children act out their favorite zoo animals while getting the sensory play they need. Kids laugh, move and reset their energy, then return to learning with focus and excitement. Brain breaks don't have to be complicated, and this cube keeps transitions smooth, circle time fresh and indoor recess lively.

With this zoo animal brain break cube, you get

• 6 zoo animal movements kids love to act out
• Color and black-and-white cube inserts
• A DIY cube template you can print, cut, fold and tape
• Step-by-step teacher directions

Roll it, move it and get back to learning!

What's Included

• 8 pages
• Colorful zoo animal cube inserts with 6 movements:
  • Stomp like an elephant
  • Hop like a kangaroo
  • Chomp like an alligator
  • Clap like a seal
  • Climb like a monkey
  • Waddle like a penguin
• Black-and-white cube inserts that save ink and double as a coloring activity
• Inserts for a differentiated instruction cube
• DIY cube template (print, cut, fold and tape)
• Step-by-step teacher directions

Why Teachers Love It

• Helps kids reset: A quick roll and a burst of movement help children calm their bodies and get ready to learn again.
• Kids already love zoo animals: Hopping like a kangaroo and waddling like a penguin make movement time something children look forward to.
• Easy prep: Slide the inserts into a differentiated instruction cube or put together the DIY paper cube with no special materials.
• Saves ink: The black-and-white inserts print easily and add a coloring activity for fine motor practice.
• Sub plans made simple: A brain break cube is an easy, different activity to leave with a substitute.
• Fills spare minutes: Pull it out in the afternoon or whenever you have a few extra minutes in the day.

Skills Students Practice

Primary Academic Skills

• Gross motor development: Stomping, hopping and climbing build balance, coordination and core strength.
• Listening and following directions: Children hear the action, understand it and carry it out with their bodies.
• Animal and action vocabulary: Words like stomp, hop, chomp, clap, climb and waddle connect action verbs to familiar zoo animals.
• Body awareness: Moving as a group teaches children to move their bodies safely in a shared space.
• Self-regulation: A short, structured movement break helps children reset and re-engage with learning.

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 choice of color or black-and-white inserts. Slide them into a differentiated instruction cube or put together the included DIY paper cube.

Step 2: Choose a student to roll the cube during circle time, transition time or recess.

Step 3: Read the animal action out loud together, like "Hop like a kangaroo!" and have the whole class join in. Keep rolling until the giggles and movement have given your students the brain break they need.

Materials You'll Need

• A differentiated instruction cube or the included DIY cube template
• Scissors and tape for the DIY cube

Easy Differentiation

Children come to movement time with different energy levels, motor skills and language needs. This zoo animal cube is easy to adjust for each of them.

For Children Who Need More Support

• Model each zoo animal movement before children try it
• Name the picture aloud and act it out together
• Offer a calmer version of an action, such as stomping in place
• Start with the movements children already know, like clapping like a seal

For On-Level Practice

• Let children take turns rolling the cube for the group
• Act out each movement as the class counts together
• Use the cube during transitions throughout the day
• Pair it with a zoo or animal theme

For an Extra Challenge

• Let a child lead the group by naming the movement and showing it
• Roll twice and do both movements in order
• Ask children to move fast and then slow, such as hopping and then waddling
• Have children describe how their movement matches the animal

For Speech, OT, ELL or Special Education Support

• Practice animal names and action verbs such as stomp, hop and waddle
• Use a simple sentence frame such as "I can ___ like a ___."
• Use the cube for gross motor and sensory input in OT sessions
• Show the picture while saying the action word for visual support
• Give extra processing time before children begin moving

Perfect For

• Circle time brain breaks
• Transitions between centers, subjects or lessons
• Indoor recess and rainy days
• Zoo theme units
• Occupational therapy and sensory play
• Speech therapy and ELL support
• Substitute plans
• Homeschool learning breaks

Standards

This zoo animal brain break cube supports the 2022 Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines and Virginia's Early Learning and Development Standards (2021), and it builds 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, such as stomp, hop and waddle.
• CCSS L.K.6: Use words and phrases learned through conversation and play, such as zoo animal names and action words.
• CCSS SL.K.1.a: Follow agreed-upon rules for group activities, including listening to others and taking turns.

Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines

• Texas Pre-K Guidelines PK4.IX.A.1: Show coordination and balance in isolation, such as hopping like a kangaroo or waddling like a penguin.
• Texas Pre-K Guidelines PK4.IX.A.2: Coordinate a sequence of movements to act out each zoo animal action.
• 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, climbing and waddling.
• Virginia ELDS APL4.1: Manage actions and behaviors while moving with the group.
• 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:

★★★★★ 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."

★★★★★ Melanie Z. wrote, "Love to use as brain breaks in the afternoon or when we have 10 minutes of extra time during the day."

This Brain Break Cube is the perfect tool for teachers, parents and therapists who want to make learning active and fun. Add the Brain Break Cube | Zoo Animal Theme to your cart today and with every roll, kids get to wiggle, laugh and grow while pretending to be their favorite zoo animals!

Bundle and save: the Zoo Animal Brain Break Cube is also included in the Brain Breaks Bundle.

Download Details

Please note: 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
• Login on the site here: https://lifeovercsstore.com/account