Brain break (also called Activity breaks or Classroom energizers) is a brief, several-minute physical break during lessons in school, designed primarily to increase physical activity and promote mental and physical relaxation among students. This can facilitate the integration of movement into the learning process and effectively contribute to improving students’ attention, motivation, and overall well-being. Given the increasingly sedentary lifestyles of children, the inclusion of such physical activity breaks is becoming increasingly important.
The theoretical part of the master’s thesis examines the frequency of using “Brain break” in classroom, methods for incorporating it into the learning process, and its perceived effects on students. It presents the importance of physical activity for children’s holistic development and the effects of short movement breaks on cognitive processes – attention, concentration, and academic performance. In addition, best practices are presented so that any teacher can use in their work. Special emphasis is placed on the integration of movement and learning as a modern pedagogical approach.
The empirical part is based on a quantitative research approach. Data were collected using a questionnaire. A total of 150 primary school teachers participated in the survey, and we subsequently used 134 fully completed questionnaires in the analysis. The results show that teachers recognize the positive effects of the Brain Breaks –most frequently citing improved attention, motivation, and well-being. Teachers most often use the classroom energizers as a strategy to improve attention or to re-engage students. We found that teachers frequently incorporate the brain breaks into the teaching process, yet they still face certain limitations, such as lack of time, space constraints, or the complexity of organization. The frequency of using brain breaks often depends on individual competence, motivation, and personal beliefs.
This master’s thesis primarily contributes to understanding the importance of implementing brain breaks in the teaching process and raises teachers’ awareness of how important it is to incorporate physical activity into daily routines. The study highlights the need for the systematic inclusion of movement breaks in lessons, greater support for teachers, and additional awareness-raising regarding the importance of movement in the educational process – with the aim of promoting the active and holistic development of students.
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