Note! These activities are good to do before a lesson because they “erase” the brain and get it ready to begin something new.
Hint! Let children put a piece of painter’s tape on their midline to increase their awareness when you do these activities.
Thumbs up (Children stick out right thumb.)
Across the chest (Stretch right thumb to left shoulder.)
Pat on the back (Pat left shoulder with right hand.)
Cause you’re the best. (Hug self with both arms.)
Repeat with left thumb.
Cross and Tap
Materials: None
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
Materials: None
Directions: Lift left foot behind you and stretch back with right hand and touch. Reverse for the right foot and left hand.
Adaptations: Keep time to music as you do the backwards stretch.
Skills: Read word wall words, say the months, etc. as you touch backwards.
Crazy Eights
Materials: None
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.
Catch a Star
Materials: None
Directions: Reach with right hand up in the air to your left and pretend to catch a star. Then reach with your left hand up in the air to your right and catch a star.
Adaptations: Ask children to recall something they learned as they catch a star.
Windmills
Materials: None
Directions: Stretch out feet. Touch right hand to left foot. Stand. Touch left hand to right foot.
Skills: Count, say the ABC’s, etc. as you exercise
Pat on the Back
Materials: None
Directions: Alternate patting the back of your left shoulder with your right hand and then pat your right shoulder with your left hand.
Adaptations: Children repeat this phrase as they do the motions.
Picking Peppers
Materials: None
Directions: Stand with feet stretched. Bend to the left and pretend to pull something beyond your left foot with your right hand. Stand. Bend to the right and pretend to pull something with your left hand.
Adaptations: Pick apples by stretching up in the air to the right and then the left.
Climbing
Materials: None
Directions: Act like you are climbing a ladder as you reach up with your right hand and lift your left knee. Reach with your left hand and lift your right knee.
Nose and Ears
Materials: None
Directions: Touch right ear with left hand and place right hand on your nose. Touch left ear with right hand and place left hand on your nose.
Adaptations: Touching ears with opposite hands do squats.
Breath in as you squat down and breath out as you come up.
Toe Writing
Materials: none
Directions: Cross right leg over left knee and write the letters of the alphabet with the toes on your right foot. Then cross your left foot over your right knee and write the alphabet letters backwards with your left toes.
Disco Dance
Materials: Dance Music
Directions: Put right index finger in the air and point to the left. Bring right index finger down by your side. Place left index finger in the air and point to the right. Then bring down by your side.
Adaptations: Make swimming strokes in front of you crossing left arm over right and right over left.
*Do the “Hitch Hike” by stretching out your right thumb and moving it from left to right in front of your body. Stretch out your left thumb and move it across your body from right to left.
*Do the “Swim” by pretending to swim by stroking arms. Can you backstroke? Sidestroke?
*How about the “Salsa,” “Batman,” or “Bollywood”?
Hand Jive
Materials: familiar music
Directions: Play a broadway tune, college fight song, country music, rock and roll, or anything that YOU like that has a strong, steady beat.
Slap thighs four times
Clap hands four times
Shuffle right palm over left palm four times
Shuffle left palm over right palm four times
Thump right fist on left fist four times
Thump left fist on right fist four times
Hitch hike with right hand
Hitch hike with left hand…
Continue the pattern.
Materials: None
Directions: Reach with right hand up in the air to your left and pretend to catch a star. Then reach with your left hand up in the air to your right and catch a star.
Adaptations: Ask children to recall something they learned as they catch a star.
Windmills
Materials: None
Directions: Stretch out feet. Touch right hand to left foot. Stand. Touch left hand to right foot.
Skills: Count, say the ABC’s, etc. as you exercise
Pat on the Back
Materials: None
Directions: Alternate patting the back of your left shoulder with your right hand and then pat your right shoulder with your left hand.
Adaptations: Children repeat this phrase as they do the motions.
Picking Peppers
Materials: None
Directions: Stand with feet stretched. Bend to the left and pretend to pull something beyond your left foot with your right hand. Stand. Bend to the right and pretend to pull something with your left hand.
Adaptations: Pick apples by stretching up in the air to the right and then the left.
Climbing
Materials: None
Directions: Act like you are climbing a ladder as you reach up with your right hand and lift your left knee. Reach with your left hand and lift your right knee.
Nose and Ears
Materials: None
Directions: Touch right ear with left hand and place right hand on your nose. Touch left ear with right hand and place left hand on your nose.
Adaptations: Touching ears with opposite hands do squats.
Breath in as you squat down and breath out as you come up.
Toe Writing
Materials: none
Directions: Cross right leg over left knee and write the letters of the alphabet with the toes on your right foot. Then cross your left foot over your right knee and write the alphabet letters backwards with your left toes.
Disco Dance
Materials: Dance Music
Directions: Put right index finger in the air and point to the left. Bring right index finger down by your side. Place left index finger in the air and point to the right. Then bring down by your side.
Adaptations: Make swimming strokes in front of you crossing left arm over right and right over left.
*Do the “Hitch Hike” by stretching out your right thumb and moving it from left to right in front of your body. Stretch out your left thumb and move it across your body from right to left.
*Do the “Swim” by pretending to swim by stroking arms. Can you backstroke? Sidestroke?
*How about the “Salsa,” “Batman,” or “Bollywood”?
Hand Jive
Materials: familiar music
Directions: Play a broadway tune, college fight song, country music, rock and roll, or anything that YOU like that has a strong, steady beat.
Slap thighs four times
Clap hands four times
Shuffle right palm over left palm four times
Shuffle left palm over right palm four times
Thump right fist on left fist four times
Thump left fist on right fist four times
Hitch hike with right hand
Hitch hike with left hand…
Continue the pattern.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nowpqdzZMYk
VIDEOS
Here are videos where children can sing, move, and cross the midline.
Jump Up, Turn Around, Cross the Midline
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slVzDBKyxIo&list=PL7bsHC8DZJxh3UuXWDyOXZ1c_dGBUdxOA&index=21
I Am Slowly Going Crazy
Wally Acha
bit.ly/drjeanWallyAcha
Chair Can Can
https://bit.ly/drjeanCanCanVid
Here's a special treat from Michelle Lewis:
Here is the link to a “Virtual Valentine’s Day Party” I made. As always I am sharing this for FREE!
All I ask is that you do a little something to show a little love and pass along a random act of kindness. I would challenge you to do this random act of kindness for a total stranger, someone you do not know but if you do not feel safe or comfortable reaching out to someone you do not know, please know any act of kindness is not wasted
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1U-LljIFG7SrdR3fwyHbGa6o27-k5T6mEblbjQX9uFxg/copy
