First Things First!
Draw a line vertically down the middle of your body. That’s called the midline. Every time you cross over that line, you are activating both sides of the brain and building bridges between the hemispheres in the brain.
Hint! Put a piece of masking tape or painter’s tape down their bodies so they can visually see how they cross the midline when they sing and exercise.
Cross and Tap
Materials: Catchy music
Directions: Touch right hand to left knee and then touch left hand to right knee. Continue touching opposite hands to knees.
Adaptations: Lift left knee and touch with right elbow. Lift right knee and touch with left elbow.
Skills: Count, say the ABC’s, repeat nursery rhymes, and so forth as you cross and tap.
Backwards Touch
Directions: Lift left foot behind you and stretch back with right hand and touch. Reverse for the right foot and left hand.
Skills: Read word wall words, say the months, skip count, etc. as you touch backwards.
Crazy Eights
Directions: Make the figure eight in front of you with your right hand and then your left hand. Make “lazy” eights by making eight laying down with your right hand. Make lazy eights with your left hand.
Adaptations: Clasp your right and left hand and make large lazy eights.
Hint! Use streamers or scarves for this activity.
Jump, chop, pick, climb, and shop with me in this video.
Jump Up, Turn around, Cross the Midline
Jump up, turn around, cross the midline, (Jump, turn, stretch arms left.)
Jump up, turn around, cross it every day. (Jump, turn, stretch arms right.)
Jump up, turn around, cross the midline,
Jump up, turn around, let’s see how many ways.
Bend low and pick that bean. (Bend down to the left with right hand.)
Bend low and pick that pea. (Bend down to the right with left hand.)
Bend low and pick that berry.
Bend low and get that squash for me.
Jump up stretch and pick that apple. (High to the left with right hand.)
Jump up stretch and pick that pear. (High to the right with left hand.)
Jump up stretch and pick that cherry.
Jump up and get that orange over there.
Now dig a hole with the shovel, (Pretend to hold shovel to left.)
Now weed a row with the hoe, (Pretend to dig on the right.)
Get that ax and chop those vines down, (Chop left to right.)
Lift that ax and chop to and fro. (Chop right to left.)
Grab a cart and let’s go shopping. (Pretend to hold a grocery cart and reach
Reach to the left and fill up your cart. right hand to left.)
Reach to the right and get some more things. (Reach left hand to right.)
Left, right, left, right, into the cart.
Use both hands and pull that boat in. (Pull from left to right.)
Use both hands and hoist that sail. (Pull from right to left.)
Now climb up with the ladder. (Pretend to climb a ladder.)
Get in the boat before it sails.
Make lazy eights with your right hand. (Make “8” laying down.)
Make lazy eights with your left hand, too.
Wave so long with your right hand. (Big wave in front of body.)
Left hand waves good-bye to you, too.
