Dustin & Robert

Our body break is called "Follow the Leader." Students would be organized in a circle and a few students (2 or 3 it doesn't matter) are asked to leave the classroom. While these students are outside of the classroom the rest of the class chooses a leader. The selected students who were sent into the hall are then invited back into the classroom. Their job is to watch the circle to try and find the leader. The leader leads the group and changes the clapping pattern. The object of the game for the leader is to be as discreet as possible so that the students who are watching run out of guesses before they find the leader. They can be allowed as many guesses as you see fit.

In my practicum I have seen this activity used during music. Instead of clapping students had drums. This activity is therefore adaptable and really simple and easy for teachers to use in their classroom.

Ninja

 

This game starts in a circle with everyone moving into their position on the count of three.  Players take turns making one (fluid) move with the goal of hitting/tagging another player.  They may aim for anyone playing.  If someone is targeting you, you may make a defensive movement.  When it is not your turn and you are not making a defensive move, you must stay frozen in position.  Some people play that if you lose your balance, you are also out.
The game can be played with different goals:

A17 (photo credit: Jessie)

-tag someone's hand to get them out
-tag someone's hand to get the hand out
-tag someone on the arm to get them out
-tag someone anywhere to get them out
Players should take their successive turns quickly.  The last person untagged wins.

Wikipedia also explains some variations http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninja_(playground_game)

Brooke and Blair' body break

office stretch - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0k_URgPpLI

stretch video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpdkqVIsNPY

Teegan and Kendra - Shuffle Your Buns/Shuffle Monster

Shuffle Your Buns
Form a circle of chairs, one for each person. One person is in the middle and try to get to the open chair while everyone else shuffles around to prevent them from sitting down.
Shuffle Monster
Place chairs in no order all over room, one for each person. One person is the Shuffle Monster, they are farthest from the open chair and must say "I'm the Shuffle Monster and I love to shuffle," (in a french accent) and must walk by shuffling their feet along the floor to get to the open chair. The other people switch chairs to prevent them from sitting down. Whoever moved out of the open chair the Shuffle Monster managed to sit in is the next Shuffle Monster.

Brain Breaks

Brain Breaks

The Hokey Pokey https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okEBfQk6SXI

The Lion Sleeps Tonight  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GU4QBF8_lnw

I Have Never (Sarah McQuaid)

Form a circle with chairs.  Everybody gets a chair except for one person who stands in the middle of the circle.  The person in the middle says something that they have never done, seen, had, etc.  All the people in the circle who have done what the person in the center said, has to change seats.  The person in the center then has to also try to get a chair.  The person who did not get a chair then has to be in the middle and say something they have never done....and the game continues!