Brain activation exercises for kids, as games

Brain activation exercises for kids are, almost always, movement exercises with a thinking task folded in: clap a rhythm back, copy a sequence, do the move only when the right word is said. We will not promise anything about neurons. What these games do is plain to see: they ask a kid to watch, listen, remember and then move at the right moment — coordination, attention and following a sequence, all at once.

Six games in the Hopla Ninja Academy work exactly that way, and the webcam keeps score so nobody has to referee:

• Snow Monkey Says — the monkey does a run of moves (hands up, squat, lean left, lean right); the kid remembers the order and copies it. Higher ranks mean longer runs.
• Sensei Says — march in the lantern parade and do only what Sensei says. When the Fox says it, freeze: holding back is the skill.
• Mirror Kata — follow the leader and move just like them.
• Paper Wall — a paper wall with a shaped hole comes toward you; make that shape with your body before it arrives.
• Freeze Dance — dance while the music plays, freeze the moment it stops.
• On the Beat — play the taiko drums right on the beat of the music. Timing, between the ears and the hands.

Each round takes a minute, so two or three in a row make a break between lessons or before homework. Rookie is very forgiving for a four-year-old — short sequences, slow cues, a long time to answer — and Master asks a twelve-year-old to keep up. A wrong move costs nothing: points are never deducted, the sequence simply plays again. Two kids can play side by side sharing one score, each on their own rank. Free, no account, and the camera image never leaves the device. For a whole class, see brain break games for the classroom.