https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sB4lXUhRfMU
Can you believe all those finger plays, cheers, handshakes, and brain hugs I’ve been preaching about all these years are actually powerful ways to stimulate the brain? Go figure!!!! Maybe thumb wrestling, patty cake, and rock, scissors, paper are a good thing after all!
During transitions or while trying to focus your students’ attention, wouldn’t it be easy to try some of these finger neurobics? (Yeah, I just came up with that term. Neurobics refers to brain exercises so I just put fingers in front of it.) I adapted the names of the activities to make them more child-friendly. I think it’s important for the teacher to model these and do the exercises with the children so they can see that you are challenged just like them. I’d also remind them that they are good for their brain. (People buy in line, hook, and sinker when they think something will make them smarter!)
See Saw – Palms together. Push your right hand against the left and then push the left hand against the right.
Do the same thing with your thumbs, index fingers, middle finger, ring, and pinky fingers.
Beehive – Cross fingers to make a beehive. Wiggle each bee/finger starting with thumbs as you count from one to ten. Reverse as you count backwards. Cross fingers with the opposite thumb in front and then wiggle each finger.
Spider – Open hands and touch fingertips. Bend in and out. Tap thumbs. Then tap index fingers, middle fingers, ring, and pinky fingers. Reverse. Roll each leg/finger forward and then backwards.
Brain Hug – Thumbs up. Thumbs down. Cross arms. Clasp fingers and bring them down and up close to your chest. Wiggle each finger one at a time.
*Thanks to my grandson K.J. for demonstrating these!
Do the same thing with your thumbs, index fingers, middle finger, ring, and pinky fingers.
Beehive – Cross fingers to make a beehive. Wiggle each bee/finger starting with thumbs as you count from one to ten. Reverse as you count backwards. Cross fingers with the opposite thumb in front and then wiggle each finger.
Spider – Open hands and touch fingertips. Bend in and out. Tap thumbs. Then tap index fingers, middle fingers, ring, and pinky fingers. Reverse. Roll each leg/finger forward and then backwards.
Brain Hug – Thumbs up. Thumbs down. Cross arms. Clasp fingers and bring them down and up close to your chest. Wiggle each finger one at a time.
*Thanks to my grandson K.J. for demonstrating these!