Prior to taking on a new teaching position, I ran my own business; a Baby College where parents would bring their little ones to socialise and do stimulating activities. When I planned the lessons for each “class” I would try to include a variation of activities that would focus on developing parts of the brain, as well as gross and fine motor skills. In each lesson I made sure to include a game of sorts that would focus on helping the little ones cross the midline.
Crossing the midline means that a body part (for instance a hand or foot) is able to spontaneously move over to the other side of the body and function there.
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Why Is Midline Crossing Important In A Child’s Development?
Having the ability to cross the midline is important on a physical level as well as on the brain level.
On the brain level, poor midline crossing skills could possibly indicate that the left and right sides of the brain (the left and right hemispheres) are not communicating effectively.
The left and right brain hemispheres communicate across a mass of tissue called the corpus callosum. Because each hemisphere carries out different tasks, it is important for each hemisphere to communicate with the other across the corpus callosum in order to coordinate learning and movement. - https://www.ot-mom-learning-activities.com/crossing-the-midline.html
In essence, the brain level effects the physical level. When you are capable of spontaneously crossing the midline with a dominant hand, then the dominant hand is going to get the practice that it needs to develop sufficient fine motor skills. However, if you have a child who does not have the ability to spontaneously cross the midline, it’s very possible that both hands (and legs and feet etc.) will have equal practice at mastering skills, which could mean that your child never chooses a dominant side of the body (to be right-handed or left-handed for example). This means that instead of having one strong hand, your child could have two mediocre hands.
Unfortunately having two mediocre hands instead of one dominant hand can result in poor writing skills, sportsmanship and the ability to problem solve.
This is why it is very important to practise midline crossing skills from an early age, even from infancy. Brain development skills really should be practised and built on from an early age, since these are the skills that prepare us for formal learning as we grow and reach school-going age.
Activities Where Babies Can Practice Crossing the Midline
While the list of activities you can doe with babies and toddlers to help them cross the midline are almost endless, I will share 5 with you that we did often at Baby College. These activities are easy enough for you to do at home with your own kids.
- Reaching for toys. If your baby has mastered grasping thing, let them hold a toy in one hand. Place another enticing toy in front of them, to they side where they are already holding a toy. This will encourage them to reach over and across for the new toy. This is perfect for tummy time or while baby is sitting.
- Playing with blocks. Let the kids place and move blocks from hand to hand and from one side to the other.
- Playing Patty-Cake. This game requires complex hand movements (complex for babies).
- Create a figure eight train track and allow the little ones to move a train along the track.
- Sweeping the floor! Get your toddler one of those tiny brooms, you will not only have a clean floor but it is an excellent way to cross that midline too!
Infancy and toddlerhood is full of hands-on fun and exploring. Crossing midline activities are a great way to incorporate an important skill for development while have tons of learning fun at the same time. This basic skill is often taken for granted, but like I mention, working on development skills while our kids are young is what prepares their minds for greater learning as they get older.
