Crossing the Midline

What is midline crossing?

When one hand spontaneously moves to the other side of the body to work there, midline crossing is happening.

Each hemisphere of the brain controls the opposite half of the body, and the two hemispheres of the brain communicate with each other for learning and performing tasks. Children learn to use both sides of their body together and in opposite sides of the body’s space as a result of this communication. This ability should be consolidated by 5 years of age.

Spontaneously using the dominant hand on the opposite side of the body during tasks means that this hand will get more practice and so become stronger. This is what we want- a stronger and more specialised dominant hand, and a ‘weaker’ assisting hand. If both hands get used equally, you will develop two mediocre strength hands. This makes writing and other specialised fine motor tasks difficult. Reading and writing from left to right across a page involve midline crossing too.

Most bilateral motor tasks involve midline crossing. Midline crossing also develops through rotation of our trunk. If your core muscles are weak, rotation and midline crossing may also be delayed. So, get twisting!

Try these activities to stimulate midline crossing. Do 2 a day.

1.     Marching: While marching with knees high, touch each elbow to the opposite knee. Do 20 times.

2.     Bop the crocodiles: Draw a chalk line on the floor, pretending it is a plank over crocodile-infested waters. Walk along it, keeping your body facing forwards, bouncing a plastic soccer ball onto the floor on each side of the plank, to bop the crocodiles on their heads.  

3.     Skateboard canoe: Kneeling on a skateboard, row yourself forward by grasping a drain plunger between both hands and pushing off the floor on either side of your canoe.

4.     Cross-legged ball throw and catch: Sit cross legged on the floor opposite your child. Throw a plastic soccer ball to his left or right side so that he has to twist to catch it.

5.     Pass the bomb: Sit cross legged back to back with your child. Set a timer on your phone for a random amount of time (eg 15 seconds). Pass the plastic soccer ball (bomb) to each other by twisting to each side. If you drop the bomb, or are holding the bomb when the timer goes off, unlucky! You lose a life. Play with 3 lives each.

6.     Shaving foam art in the bath: Make large circles, hearts, squares etc on the wall next to the bath by placing both hands into a bath glove or a body sponge with a handle while spreading the shaving foam.

7.     Curvy racing track: Draw or tape a line on the floor that involves lots of turns and curves. Get your child to crawl along the floor pushing a toy car along the track, crossing his midline as he does so.

8.    Play torch tag at night: Lying in bed, each with a torch, play torch tag on the ceiling, being sure to hold the torch with both hands.

BBy Lisa Barrett