Mental Health Brain Breaks Through Checkers in Math

Funded Oct 8, 2024

Thank you so much for supporting my project. When I first proposed the idea of taking brain breaks by playing checkers, the initial reactions from my students were mixed. However, I've been pleasantly surprised to find that students have repeatedly requested to play checkers during breaks. This is a significant improvement over simply just asking to watch a movie for their break.

We've experimented with various versions of checkers, including "you choose," "force jumps," "speed checkers," and "tournament of points." I've found it incredibly beneficial to constantly adjust the rules, forcing students to adapt their strategies and enhance their problem-solving skills throughout the game.

Thank you so much again! I'm thrilled with my full classroom set of checkers. They're perfect for those planned and unexpected school day schedule changes – prep rallies, weather delays, standardized testing, even just a quick brain break. They're a fantastic resource to have on hand!”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Hilden