Crossing the Midline – Energizing Breaks

What makes us move, makes us think. New learning follows established motor patterns first, before it is stored in the cortex. Therefore, if we teach our students to move better, the better thinkers they will become. The brain seeks patterns. Locomotor movements are built on patterns; for example crawling, walking or riding a bike. Information that is arranged in patterns is more easily processed, retained and retrieved. For example if you are trying to remember a list of items, you will have better success if you arrange them in such a way that you can easily retrieve. Mnemonics, such as “Roy G Biv” help us remember the order of the colors in a rainbow or “Never Eat Soggy Waffles” helps us remember the cardinal directions.
Kids need bilateral skills so that the right and left sides of their brains can communicate. It’s this connection that allows the two sides of the body to move together in coordination to perform a wide variety of learning and leisure tasks like reading, writing, running and riding a bike. This not only works with physical activity, but also mental activity. The term ‘midline’ refers to the invisible line running from our head to our toes, dividing the body into left and right halves. When the midline is crossed, the brain begins to make new connections and the right and left hemispheres begin to work together. This communication process organizes the brain for better concentration and problem solving. Crossing the midline integrates brain hemispheres to enable the brain to organize itself. When students perform cross lateral activities, blood flow is increased in all parts of the brain, making it more alert and energized for stronger, more cohesive learning. Movements that cross the midline join the cognitive and motor regions of the brain.
The book Energizing Brain Breaks, by David Sladkey, provides 50 activities to challenge the brain and get the body moving. These will help by providing focus and energy, as well as engaging both the cognitive and motor sections as stated above. It’s like setting a reset button in the brain. As a teacher and parent, I have witnessed students show the need for a brain break: a glazed look in their eyes, fidgeting, unable to pay attention. These are some cues that we need to take a 1-2 minute brain break. These exercises move the body by crossing the midline, in a pattern which will challenge them to think, in order to engage both sides of the brain. It is a fun way to re-focus them. Here is an example from the book:

Elbow to Knee Tap (Tapping your elbow to your knee in different patterns)
1. Stand and hold your ears with your hands.
2. Tap your right elbow to your left knee. Tap your left elbow to your right knee.
3. You will be tapping each knee alternately using this pattern: 1,1,2. For instance; 1 tap (right elbow to left knee, 1 tap (left elbow to right knee), 2 taps (right elbow to left knee), and then back to 1 tap (left elbow to right knee), 1 tap (right elbow to left knee), 2 taps (left elbow to right knee). Do this as fast as you can.

The brain learns best when more of the senses are involved. Learning environments filled with enriched sensory input enhances cognition. Here at WSEA we offer Half Day Camps, new this year. During these three hour theme based camps, we will have the opportunity to incorporate activities which support this idea; that not only multisensory activities, but locomotor movements fulfill the brain’s need for patterns. Brain compatible learning perceived as fun increases success. “As always with kids, be creative and keep it fun!