THE KINECTED OT
MIDLINE
MAGIC
EASY ACTIVITIES FOR A MORE
BALANCED BODY AND BRAIN
LAUREN CANTRELL OTR/L
SIGNS OF MIDLINE DIFFICULTIES
Swaps hands mid task
rotate body instead of reaching accross
fidgety/ squirm when seated
poor attention
poor hand eye coordination
immature throwing pattern
difficulty reading and writing
poor spatial awareness
uncoordinated
can’t do jumping jacks or other movements
that involve bilateral coordination
difficulty with visual tracking
THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN
PERFORMING THESE ACTIVITIES
If your child has difficulty crossing midline -
their default will be to avoid it or try to
compensate. They may even seem hesitant or
say it feels “weird” or “uncomfortable”. Make
sure they are actually crossing midline (crossing
the midpoint of the nose) and not shifting their
body to the right or left to compensate.
Consistently Performing these activities for just
a few minutes per day can help!
QUICK EXERCISES
You can also do these prior to focus
tasks to enhance attention!
The windmill:
An easy “stretch” to do together. Touch
Right hand to left toe, repeat on opposite
side. 20 reps total.
“Brush your shoulders off”
This is a playful one I like to do with my kids.
Simply take Right hand to left shoulder and
“brush the shoulder off”, then repeat with
left hand to right shoulder. Repeat for 30
seconds. I like to incorporate this when I’m
praising my child for something. “Oh you
made a 100 on your spelling test, brush
your shoulders off”! I may or may not sing
Jay-Z “brush your shoulders off” ;)
Pillow Punches
Encourage your child to stand in a “lunge
position” (like a boxer)- hold a pillow or bean
bag and position yourself where they must
cross midline to punch. If you want to up the
brain boosting power of this exercise try doing
it to a beat or with a metronome or try a
musical punching box like this one:
https://amzn.to/4fVXYuY
Clapping Games
Encourage your child to
play “clapping games” that
require crossing midline
such as teaching them
“miss mary mack”- or
making up “handshakes”
that require them to cross
midline.
Incorporating crossing midline into
every day activities:
Positioning of Items:
Whenever possible, place essential items on the
opposite side of your child’s body. For example,
position their toothbrush or a glass of water so
they need to rotate their upper body to reach for
it with their dominant hand.
this may require observation and gentle cues
from you. Ensure that only their upper body or
trunk rotates—if they pivot on their feet or shift
their seat to turn, they’re not crossing the
midline.
Chores that require crossing midline:
Washing windows, shower doors, a car or
there outside play toys facing the surface,
have them use both hands on a towel doing
big movements side to side.
Putting dishes in the dishwasher
Using a hose in the summertime to water the
plants/lawn/wash the car
Using a lightweight leaf blower
Washing shower walls with long handled
sponge
Incorporating crossing midline into
every day activities:
Positioning of Items for play:
You can also position your child during play so
that they must cross midline. For instance, while
doing a puzzle or board game place the board to
one side and pieces to the other requiring them
to reach across.
Easy Games: Hot Balloon (toss balloon back and
forth trying to not let it hit the ground), hot
potato with feet on painters tape to add to
challenge and maintain position (so they have to
reach)
Vertical Plane activities
Leave an easel set up for your child to color or
draw on, I leave this 3-in-1 easel set up in my living
room: https://amzn.to/4iZ0OC9
Write letters or spelling words in shaving cream
on shower walls
Fridge magnet letters
Hang a sticker sheet on the wall with painters
tape and have your child place stickers in the
“target” space
Have your child try to pull suction toys off a full
length mirror while standing still. Say “how many
can you pull off in 30 seconds without moving
your feet?!”
Midline activities for transitions
crab walks
wheelbarrow walks
bear crawl
propelling self while lying on
stomach on a scooter board
positioning stepping stones in a trail
down the hallway so that the child
has to step across the midline with
their leg to go from stone to stone
Extra curriculars that naturally
incorporate crossing midline
Rock Climbing or climbing on
playset
monkey bars
gymnastics (balance beam, bars,
floor work ect)
Dance classes
Archery
Golf
Baseball
Martial Arts/ Karate
Yoga
TO R E GUL A
A DY TE
RE ?
Book a 1:1 Consultation
Do you have trouble getting your child to
participate in these “OT” activities or just don’t
know how to incorporate them into your daily
routine? My one-on-one sessions focus on
creating an easy to implement routines that suit
your child’s interests and fit seamlessly into your
family’s daily life. Click HERE to learn more!
-LAUREN
