These midline crossing activities and occupational therapy exercises are quick and easy to use. Crossing the midline of the body is so important for kids! But so many don’t automatically cross midline like they should.
I remember the confusion on my son’s face when I asked why he picked up his pencil with his left hand. He was right-handed. His response, [Pause] “Because it was sitting there!” (on the left side)
He picked it up with his left hand and transferred it to his right hand at the middle of his body. The occupational therapist in me thought, “Oh no, he’s not crossing midline! He should have reached across the middle of his body with his right hand to get his pencil!”
Of course, I was now curious. And a little concerned that I missed something.
I placed it back down on his left side to have him reach for it again… with his right hand, per my request. I carefully analyzed his body position and arm movements as he grasped it. My occupational therapists task analysis gave me relief; he effectively crossed the imaginary line in the middle of his body without trunk rotation!
“Oh good! Sorry to interrupt you!”
He gave me one of those looks, shook his head, and started his homework.
What is Midline Crossing or Crossing the Midline?
Midline crossing is when a person’s arm or leg crosses the middle of the body to the other side. (There are many terms occupational therapists use interchangeably for this skill: crossing the midline, midline crossing, cross midline, etc.)
Regardless of the term, it’s one of many developmental milestones that should occur naturally in younger children around age two.
Picture an imaginary line that goes down through the body. From the top of the head through the nose, neck, chest, and belly button. This line divides the body into left and right sides.
When a child crosses midline, their hand will reach across this imaginary line to the other side of the body.
It’s important to watch for stability in the body as the arm reaches to cross midline. The core and head should remain stable. And the body should not twist or turn as the arm moves.
You cross the middle of your body when you put on your seatbelt. And when you turn a steering wheel for a sharp turn. Midline crossing is also required to wash your body, put on lotion, and get dressed.
Kids should cross midline in the same manner during daily routines. This skill is important for motor and cognitive development.
Crossing midline, in combination with bilateral coordination skills, help with the efficiency of motor movements.
It’s an important developmental skill needed for completing motor tasks and daily activities. However, it’s also really important for brain development and cognitive skills.
When the body crosses midline, it helps both sides of the brain communicate for learning.
All basic motor skills lead to learning! Neurons in the brain that fire together, wire together!
How Can You Tell If a Child is Having Difficulty Crossing The Midline of the Body?
As previously stated, crossing midline should start happening around age two. However, during my occupational therapy sessions in schools, I see many older children that do not automatically do this.
They don’t smoothly reach across the center of the body with their hands. You will see them use their right hand on the right side of the body. Or they will use their left hand on the left side of the body.
They may pass things from one hand to the other at the center of the body. It’s almost as if the imaginary line is a plexiglass panel that blocks the arm from passing across the middle of the body.
Another way to see if a child is having difficulty with midline crossing, is to watch for trunk rotation. It may look like the hand crosses midline, but they don’t. Instead, the child will twist their core and/or turn their head as they reach.
In this case, they may lack core strength that helps the body remain stable as the arm moves.
You will see kids reach with their right arm to the left side, but they twist their body and turn their head. The “glass panel” is blocking the arm from reaching over the middle as the center of the body is twisting and turning. If you look closely when kids to this, you’ll notice that they don’t move the hand past the nose.
Difficulty Crossing Midline With the Eyes
Another important aspect of child development in regard to crossing midline, is that the eye muscles also need this skill.
Some kids may slightly cross midline with their hands, but they may have difficulty moving the eyes from one side of the body to the other. Children must keep the head still and move the eyes separately and freely in all directions.
In addition, the eye movements should be smooth as they move across midline.
Crossing midline with the eyes is a very important skill when visually scanning the environment and following text along a horizontal line when reading.
When the eyes have difficulty crossing midline, you will see them pause or jump when moving past the middle of the body, as if there’s a bump in the center of them. This greatly impacts reading skills and visual attention for learning tasks.
Why Are Midline Crossing Activities Important for Kids?
Crossing midline activities encourage communication of the two sides (hemispheres) of the brain. This is VERY important for development and learning!
Midline crossing activities help to make motor movements more efficient. They help with the development of hand dominance and bilateral coordination skills.
When these motor skills are developed, kids can effectively manage classroom materials. Tasks such as cutting, putting papers in a folder, putting a coat on, and tying shoes are more automatic and easier.
Moreover, drawing and writing tasks are more fluid and efficient when kids can automatically cross the midline. They can form letters and numbers properly and write across a page without difficulty.
An inability to cross the midline may cause letter and number reversals as well as difficulties writing left to right. The two sides of the brain need to communicate effectively for writing.
Crossing midline activities help eye movements needed for learning tasks such as reading. They help the eyes smoothly move back and forth across text.
In summary, midline crossing activities are not just important, they’re essential for the developing brains and bodies of all kids.
And many typically developing kids have difficulty with this foundational skill. Changes in society and screen use impact many developmental skills.
18 Quick Midline Crossing Activities for Academic Tasks
There are so many fun ways to help kids work on midline crossing.
The midline crossing activities and exercises below are divided into two sections: 1) quick exercises, activities, and games and 2) YouTube Videos.
The crossing midline exercises and games can be plugged into any part of your day. Use the specific activities in between lessons, when kids need a quick brain break, or while waiting in line for the bathroom.
The YouTube videos are fun, but a tip to help make them screen free: have your student leader memorize them and demonstrate to the class without the video playing (or with it playing where the whole group cannot see!)
Quick Crossing Midline Brain Break Exercises
#1 Arm Scissors
Students can sit or stand for this exercise. (This exercises works on crossing midline, but it’s also a great way to work on shoulder stability.)
Students hold their arms straight out to the sides in a T position. The arms remain straight as they cross them in front of their body.
Then, the arms return back out to the sides.
Encourage kids to alternate which arm crosses on top of the opposite arm.
For example, the right arm crosses over the left arm. Arms return to the sides. Then, left arm crosses over right arm.
Have kids count as they scissor their arms in front of their body. Complete this as fast or as slow as you wish! Count forward or backward by one’s, two’s, five’s, tens, etc
#2 Infinity Loop
The infinity loop is great for the arms and the eyes to cross midline.
Make sure kids keep their bodies still and only move their arms. Children stand with an upright posture and point at the loop with one hand.
They start at the center and follow the loop smoothly with the fingertip. (It does not have to touch the loop.) The motion of the loop is important to follow.
The finger and arm should move up and around to the left, back to the center, up to the right, back to the center. Encourage them to smoothly follow this motion until you say to stop.
For more infinity loop activity ideas, check out Visual Tracking Activities Using Flashcards and the Infinity Loop.
#3 Windmills
Windmills are a great way to cross midline and they also give alerting movement (vestibular) input to wake up the brain.
For this exercise, kids stand tall with legs wider than shoulder width. Hold arms straight out to the sides. Bend at the waste to touch the opposite hand to the opposite foot.
Repeat other side. Complete as many repetitions as desired.
Make sure kids bend down and then stand all the way back up to maximize the movement input for the brain!
#4 Firecracker
Kids can sit or stand for these quick hand movements. They press their hands together in front of their bellies (fingertips straight.)
Hands stay together and move in front of the body in a smooth side to side motion (an upward snake-like motion.) As the hands are winding side to side, they’re also winding upward above the head.
When they wind above the head as far as they can reach, kids clap hands loudly (firework explosion.)
Then, they wiggle the fingers down to make the “sparkles.”
It’s fun to add a whistling sound to this exercise. (Why not add an oral sensory component!) I like to make a whistle that gradually gets louder as the “bottle rocket” is winding upward.
#5 Paddle Board
Kids can sit or stand for this. They clasp hands together (fingers folded in front of them) and pretend they’re holding onto a paddle.
They paddle side to side. Add a song, chant, or class motto to the movement.
#6 Pass the Ball in a Line
Have kids stand in a line arms width apart. Encourage them to square up to the front of the room and to keep their legs, head, and body still.
Using a gym ball, they reach with both hands to the left to grab the ball and pass it in front of them to the person on their right.
The ball passes all the way down the line, and then can be passed back to the start.
Variations to this: try more than one ball, use balloons or beach balls, or use balls of different sizes and weights.
#7 Partner Ball Pass
Have two kids stand or sit back to back. They pass the ball using two hands, from left to right for several rounds. Then, have them switch and pass right to left. Use the same number in each direction to keep it equal.
Again, make sure their bodies and heads are still and they’re just reaching with their arms.
#8 Simon Says
Play Simons Says or have kids imitate different body movements. You can lead, or choose the helper of the week to lead the exercise.
You can also work on auditory skills and following directions. Give several series of directions, such as:
“Touch your right hand to your left ear.”
“Tap your left hand to your right foot, three times.”
#9 Dance Moves
If you’re feeling spontaneous and creative, show off some dance moves that cross the midline!
Or, have a student come up with their own moves that require midline crossing!
Some examples: teach your kids the Macarena, the Hustle (classic 70’s moves!), or do the “dab”!
#10 Cleaning Up and Wiping Surfaces
When your students need to wipe their desks, they can focus on crossing midline! If a kiddo is right handed, I will sometimes cue them to hold onto the right corner of the desk with their left hand as their right hand does all the wiping. This way, they have to cross the middle of the body without rotating the trunk.
Other vertical surfaces to clean: chalkboards, whiteboards, large windows, doors, etc
YouTube Videos for Midline Crossing
The following are fun videos, but I have a request for you! Please don’t get into the habit of just playing them for kids.
Challenge the students by having them memorize the movements so that you can play the music without the visual from the screen. This is great for memory and sequencing.
An adult or leader of the week can watch the video on a small screen where the rest of the kids can’t see it, if needed. The leader can demonstrate the movements for the rest to follow.
#11 Jack Hartmann’s Crossover | Brain Breaks | Crossing the Midline (3:05)
Upbeat music, song, and demonstration that gets the arms crossing midline.
#12 Yoga for Kids – Children’s Yoga – Brain Breaks – Kids Songs by the Learning Station (3:59)
A lady and boy demonstrate the exercises with song and music. The movements in this video have the arms and legs cross midline.
#13 Minidisco Chocolat | Team4Animation (3:21)
Two ladies dance to a fast, upbeat song.
#14 Crossing the Midline: Heel Touches (1:30)
This one is shorter and has more relaxing music. The lady’s voice is soft and calming! Perfect if you want your kiddos to wind down as they take a break!
**These last four videos are from Minute Moves. They each contain quick dance move tutorials (by Kiki) followed by music and dancing.
They were created for dancing at home, but they’re quick ones for school! Why not add a little hip-hop into your day!
#15 The GRAPEVINE (1:49)
This is a great one to get the feet crossing midline! I love the grapevine for kids!
#16 The Kool Moe Dee (1:00)
The arms cross midline in a “dab” position with side to side stepping.
#17 The Cabbage Patch (1:39)
The arms circle across the middle of the body. More footwork is required (but the feet don’t cross midline.)
#18 The Bart Simpson (1:46)
This move is a little more complicated for kids, if they’re up for the challenge! Legs step side to side and the arms cross in a “dabbing” position!
I hope you enjoy these fun exercises! During my occupational therapy whole class lessons, these tend to be a favorite, especially when I explain to kids what crossing midline looks like and why it’s important.
Bookmark this post so the YouTube Videos are easy for you to find when you’re planning your brain breaks. As stated previously, try not to show the videos routinely so that you’re being mindful of screentime (please and thank you!) Challenge the kids to memorize the dances, then pull up the video and play it with only the audio available for the students!
Also, share this post on your favorite social media platform with friends and/or co-workers to help more kids!
For related content, check out the posts in the Sensory Activities-Brain Breaks section.
If you’re interested in Develop Learn Grow’s Online Courses, click here for more information.
Classroom Exercise Breaks – Crossing Midline Activities, Proprioceptive Activities, Movement Exercises to Increase Focus & Attention, Improve Core Stability, & More…
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Attention… focus… core stability… crossing midline… sensory processing… visual development… & more… Click for more info!
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