Emotion Compass logoFeelings Compass
Feelings Compass logo
🧠

Brain Breaks & Sensory Circuits

When the body needs a reset.

🎮 Games

Playful ways to explore feelings and reset the brain.

Match the face to the feeling.

Score: 0

Which face is

Happy?

🧠 Brain Breaks

Quick resets to wake the brain up.

💃

1-Minute Dance Party

1 min · high energy · any
  1. 1.Pick a wild song.
  2. 2.Dance like nobody's watching.
  3. 3.Freeze when the song stops.
👶 3-6, 7-11, 12+1:1 · Small group · Whole classphysical · creativelow-prep
🚶

Cross-Crawl March

2 min · medium energy · any
  1. 1.Stand tall.
  2. 2.Touch right hand to left knee.
  3. 3.Touch left hand to right knee.
  4. 4.Repeat for 30 seconds. Reset your brain!
👶 3-6, 7-11, 12+Small group · Whole classphysicallow-prep

✨ Sensory Circuits

Calming, alerting, and heavy-work routines.

🏋️

Heavy Work Circuit

5 min · high energy · any
  1. 1.Wall push-ups x 10.
  2. 2.Carry a 'heavy' bag across the room.
  3. 3.Bear crawl 5 steps.
  4. 4.Squeeze a pillow tight 5 times.
👶 3-6, 7-11, 12+1:1 · Small groupphysicallow-prep
🌙

Calming Sensory Circuit

8 min · low energy · indoor
  1. 1.Slow rocking back and forth.
  2. 2.Wrap in a soft blanket.
  3. 3.Squeeze a stress ball slowly.
  4. 4.Listen to soft music.
  5. 5.Sip cool water.
👶 3-6, 7-11, 12+1:1mindfullow-prep
⚡

Wake-Up Sensory Circuit

5 min · high energy · any
  1. 1.Star jumps x 10.
  2. 2.Hop on one foot x 10.
  3. 3.Spin in a circle 3 times.
  4. 4.Crunchy snack (apple, carrot).
👶 3-6, 7-11Small group · Whole classphysicallow-prep
🪣

Sensory Bin Explore

10 min · low energy · indoor
  1. 1.Fill a tray with rice, pasta, or water.
  2. 2.Add cups and scoops.
  3. 3.Pour, scoop, and squish together.
  4. 4.Name what you feel: ‘soft’, ‘bumpy’, ‘cold’.
👶 0-3, 3-61:1 · Small groupcreative · mindfullow-prep

🤸 Movement

Get the body moving.

🧱

Wall Push-Ups

2 min · high energy · indoor
  1. 1.Stand arms-length from a wall.
  2. 2.Push the wall like you're moving it.
  3. 3.Do 10 slow push-ups.
👶 3-6, 7-11, 12+1:1 · Small group · Whole classphysicallow-prep
🐈

Animal Stretches

5 min · medium energy · any
  1. 1.Cat stretch — round and arch your back.
  2. 2.Cobra — lie down and lift your chest.
  3. 3.Frog — squat low and hop 3 times.
  4. 4.Butterfly — sit, feet together, flap knees.
👶 3-6, 7-11Small group · Whole classphysical · mindfullow-prep
🦖

Stomp and Shake

2 min · high energy · any
  1. 1.Stomp like a big dinosaur — 10 stomps.
  2. 2.Shake your whole body — wibble wobble!
  3. 3.Flop down soft like jelly.
  4. 4.Big breath in… and out.
👶 0-3, 3-61:1 · Small groupphysicallow-prep

🌬️ Mindfulness

Breath, body, and grounding.

🖐️

5-4-3-2-1 Grounding

3 min · low energy · any
  1. 1.5 things you can SEE.
  2. 2.4 things you can HEAR.
  3. 3.3 things you can TOUCH.
  4. 4.2 things you can SMELL.
  5. 5.1 thing you can TASTE.
👶 7-11, 12+1:1 · Small group · Whole classmindfullow-prep
🌈

Rainbow Breathing

2 min · low energy · any
  1. 1.Arms by your sides.
  2. 2.Breathe in and lift arms up over your head.
  3. 3.Breathe out and bring arms down.
  4. 4.Imagine a different color each time.
👶 3-6, 7-11Small group · Whole classmindful · physicallow-prep
🏝️

Safe Place Visualization

5 min · low energy · indoor
  1. 1.Close your eyes.
  2. 2.Picture a place where you feel happy and safe.
  3. 3.What can you see, hear, smell?
  4. 4.Stay there for a few breaths.
👶 7-11, 12+1:1 · Small groupmindful · creativelow-prep