We’ve been sharing a bunch of brain break ideas here on The OT Toolbox recently. You may have seen our recent Best Brain Breaks on YouTube post or some printable brain break activities like the themed activities including these apple themed brain breaks, and bear brain breaks.
Each of these links includes a free printable sheet so you can grab and use these brain break ideas over and over again. Scroll on down and you’ll find a few more printable sheet ideas to incorporate movement into learning and play with special themes.
Use the squirrel brain breaks with a squirrel and acorn theme or with Fall occupational therapy activities this time of year.
Squirrel Brain Breaks
Movement breaks have been shown to improve academic achievements, attention, and more. They are a great self regulation strategy to support self regulation needs. Plus, this activity is perfect for individual needs, a sensory break, transition, in therapy sessions. And, brain breaks like the squirrel themed movements below can be used as self regulation group activities, too.
They would make a great class activity after coming in from recess or during afternoon classwork.
Squirrel brain breaks might include:
- Scamper across the room like a squirrel
- Race around a tree trunk
- Reach up high for an acorn
- Walk with your knees bent like a squirrel
- Bend and pretend to dig to bury a nut
Today, you’ll find squirrel brain break ideas to use during the Autumn months when the leaves are falling and squirrels are running around finding and hiding acorns and other nuts to stock up for the winter.
Many times, the Fall months mean squirrel and leaf books and learning in the classroom or at home. These squirrel brain breaks can be the perfect accompaniment for a Fall theme.
Affiliate links are included in this post.
We read the children’s book, Scaredy Squirrel by and were inspired to come up with squirrel themed brain breaks to go along with the book.
Print the Squirrel Brain Breaks and use them today. Don’t forget to read the book, too!
Squirrel Brain Breaks – Ideas for the Classroom
One of the Squirrel Brain Breaks on the printable sheet includes the action song,
I’m an Acorn Small and Round”. It’s one of our favorite songs to sing during the autumn months. This action song is a fun one!
Squirrel and Acorn Themed Activities
Other squirrel and acorn activities we have here on The OT Toolbox include:
- Use real acorns to manipulate with tongs or tweezers
- Play the Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel game– Enhance executive functioning skills visual attention, visual memory, strategic thinking, hand-eye coordination, and fine motor skills through this captivating and fast-paced kids’ board game.
- Paint acorns and then sort the colorful acorns into containers
- Read the book, Scaredy Squirrel and make a squirrel craft.
- Follow directions with the song, I’m an Acorn Small and Round (see below). This is a great gross motor activity.
- Cut out paper acorns from brown construction paper.
Squirrel Activities
One fun Fall brain break that goes with the squirrel theme is a little song and dance about being an acorn.
Lyrics to I’m an Acorn Small and Round
I’m an acorn, small and round (hold hands into a small ball)
Lying on the cold, cold ground (Lay down on the floor)
Everybody steps on me (Stomp foot)
That is why I’m cracked you see (Hold hands above eyes like binoculars)
[Chorus]
I’m a nut! (Dance)
(Click, click with tongue)
I’m a nut! (Dance)
(Click, click with tongue)
I’m a nut I’m a nut I’m a nut (Dance)
(Click, click with tongue)
Free Squirrel Brain Breaks
Want to print off the squirrel brain break cards to use in the classroom or therapy sessions? Enter your email address into the form below.
This resource is also available inside The OT Toolbox Member’s Club. We have a whole theme with squirrel and acorn activities to use in squirrel themed therapy sessions this Fall season.
Colleen Beck, OTR/L has been an occupational therapist since 2000, working in school-based, hand therapy, outpatient peds, EI, and SNF. Colleen created The OT Toolbox to inspire therapists, teachers, and parents with easy and fun tools to help children thrive. Read her story about going from an OT making $3/hour (after paying for kids’ childcare) to a full-time OT resource creator for millions of readers. Want to collaborate? Send an email to contact@theottoolbox.com.
