We all know that afternoon feeling: "Is it the end of the day yet?"

With many of us now working and learning online, there are many distractions around which only get worse at the end of the day. For kids and adults alike, it can feel like our brains slow down as the afternoon progresses.

That's why brain breaks are so fabulous, (and I am writing a whole article about them!)

'Brain breaks' are the mental breaks we can take away from work or learning.

The purpose of brain breaks is to switch neural activity to different networks. When we are working, we use specific areas of the brain that are good for focus and attention. We are probably sitting in a position for a long time. Brain breaks can provide movement, pause, and a shift to refocus our mind.

Ideally, they are:

- Short (3-5 minutes)

- Pre-planned into schedules

So, here are 8 things you can keep in mind when you, your child, or your class (hello fellow teachers) need a reset.

1. Dance (like nobody's watching)

Moving like this can release emotional, physical and mental tension.

Try this playlist which I use in my Kid's Yoga classes.

2. Breathe

Use balloon breath to calm the body and mind.

- Sit or lie down

- Have your hands over your belly

- Imagine your belly was a balloon (of any colour)

- Inflate on the inhale, deflate on the exhale

3. Grounding

Try this quick grounding exercise to reconnect yourself to the earth.

4. Imagine you're a...

A great way to have some fun if you're a kid or an adult is to use your imagination. Try acting like...

- An animal

- You're underwater

- A bee has just stung you!

5. Orienting

This is a powerful tool to give you or the kids an orientation into their surroundings, which in turn can induce a calm, centred feeling through body and mind.

6. Yogi Says

A fun take on the game Simon Says is to do this with yoga poses. Encourages listening, patience and knowledge of yoga poses!

7. Mindful Colouring

One of my favourite ways to meditate is to colour. This is a simple, calming technique that can be used anywhere.

Try doing it on the floor if you've been sitting a lot!

8. Find your centre

Centring involves connecting to our core and back to ourselves. This fun movement pattern can be done at any time of day!

You can find many more fun brain breaks and yoga classes on my Youtube: Yoga with Tash.

Let me know if you have any questions!