Learn, Teach, Chill: 10 Ways to Relax in the Classroom

When it comes to relaxation, I take the best lessons from my cats who are the masters of chill. They know that short breaks are beneficial for well-being. Plus, they focus more on important tasks (in case of my cats it’s playing, eating or purrsonal hygiene)… Only in case of my students, important stuff is not licking themselves clean but learning. And what about short breaks? Cats know that they are beneficial and fun. I want to remind you some benefits of short breaks, and share my favourite activities.

Benefits of short breaks

• Enhance focus: they prevent burnout, boost attention span and allow to recharge mentally
• Strengthen connection: they create a positive classroom dynamic and allow casual interactions
• Promote well-being: they reduce stress, anxiety and promote a positive attitude towards learning
• Encourage active learning: they support participation and create a dynamic environment
• Boost creativity: they encourage students to express themselves without fear of judgment
• Improve student motivation: they break lessons into smaller chunks, so students don’t feel overwhelmed
• Enhance classroom management: they help reduce disruptions, giving designated times to release energy

10 Relaxing Classroom Activities

1. Quick mindfulness sessions. They will enhance focus, help students focus on the lesson content (you can take a look at my post: click!)
2. Charades. They will make students move, break the monotony and energize the classroom. They also encourage use of language in a playful context.
3. Language puzzles – crossword puzzles, word searches or riddles. If they relate to the lesson content, they challenge students and keep their minds active.
4. Stretch break. Simple exercises release physical tension and increase blood flow (something you also need, teacher!).
5. Musical chairs. This activity brings an element of excitement and fun into the lesson. It’s one of the favourite activities of my younger students.
6. Story cubes. Used as a group activity, they promote collaborative learning and communication (you can take a look at my post: click!).
7. Mystery word. Students take turns giving one-word clues, and the others guess a mystery word. This boosts critical thinking, as students have to consider various meanings and associations of words.
8. Quick roleplay. Short role-playing scenarios boost communication skills through spontaneous interactions.
9. Mini-research challenge. Students use mobile phones and/or books to do brief research tasks related to the lesson topic. This connects lesson content to real-world contexts.
10. Team pictionary. Students convey and guess words through drawings. This brings energy and excitement, making learning a dynamic experience.

As you can see, the activities I share are well-known and well-liked, so they make a nice break. And the more I deal with education, the more I realise it’s important to create a classroom environment where learning, teaching, and chilling coexist harmoniously.

I always try to remember that for us the lesson we teach may be the most important. However, for our students it’s just a part of their day. They may be tired, bored or demotivated, and even if they’re chirpy and cheerful, a relaxed mind is a receptive mind.

Happy teaching!