5 Minute Morning FOCUS Routine for Kids! Crossing the Midline exercises for focus and attention!

Hi friends! Today we are working on our focus and attention skills with these "Crossing the Midline" exercises! Crossing the midline is when we move an arm or leg across the middle of our body. It requires balance, focus, and practice. When we perform activities that cross the midline, we are building pathways in the brain that are important for many areas of development, such as our gross motor, fine motor and cognitive skills. We are also building directional skills (such as up, down, left and right) and symbol interpretation (such as letters or numbers). Crossing the midline promotes our equilibrium. When our equilibrium is deficient, it can affect how we sit and may produce an increase in fidgeting and restlessness. Poor midline skills can also cause attention deficits. Midline crossing is also tied to higher preliteracy skills such as speech, language, handwriting, reading, and tracking objects. It can also support math sequencing, sensory integration, body awareness and other important skills for critical thinking. These exercises are great for beginning the school day, as it helps children retain information, improve attention and focus, listen to directions!