Crossing the midline - from crawling to reading - webinar with Robyn Papworth

Crawling isn't just a skill that is important to encourage for babies.

Crawling plays a crucial role in a child's motor development and helps lay the foundation for learning to read and write through a skill called crossing the midline.  

Crossing the midline refers to the ability to move body parts, such as arms or legs, across the imaginary line that divides the body into left and right halves. It plays a crucial role in children's school learning and overall development. Here are some reasons why crossing the midline is important for children:

1. Brain Development: Crossing the midline helps in the development of the corpus callosum, a structure that connects the left and right hemispheres of the brain. When children cross the midline, it requires both sides of the brain to communicate and coordinate, promoting neural connections and overall brain development.

2. Bilateral Coordination: Crossing the midline enhances bilateral coordination, which is the ability to use both sides of the body together in a coordinated manner. It helps children perform activities that involve both hands, such as writing, drawing, cutting with scissors, and tying shoelaces. Strong bilateral coordination supports fine motor skills necessary for various school tasks.

3. Reading and Writing: Many foundational skills for reading and writing involve crossing the midline. For example, tracking words from left to right while reading, or using a writing tool to form letters and words across the page require smooth crossing of the midline. Adequate midline crossing skills contribute to fluent reading and efficient writing.

4. Cognitive Skills: Crossing the midline engages both sides of the brain, promoting cognitive skills such as attention, concentration, memory, and problem-solving. It encourages the integration of information between the two brain hemispheres, which enhances overall cognitive functioning and learning abilities.

5. Physical Coordination: Crossing the midline supports the development of gross motor skills and coordination. Activities that involve crossing the midline, such as crawling, skipping, or playing games like Simon Says, help children strengthen their core muscles, improve balance, and develop better body awareness and control.

6. Spatial Awareness: Crossing the midline assists in developing spatial awareness, which is understanding the relationship between oneself and objects in the environment. It helps children grasp concepts like left and right, understand directions, and navigate their surroundings effectively.

To promote midline crossing skills, it is important for children to engage in a variety of activities that encourage crossing the midline, such as throwing and catching a ball across the body, reaching for objects on the opposite side, participating in dance or yoga routines, and engaging in creative arts and crafts. These activities stimulate the brain, enhance coordination, and support children's overall school learning and development.

Join us on Monday 19th June at 8pm to discover:

• The research behind the importance of crossing the midline and crawling for reading, writing, and motor skill development
• How to encourage children of all ages (even teens) to crawl without feeling like they're 'going backwards' in their milestones
• How to incorporate other crossing the midline activities into your daily routines and programs to help children build a strong motor skill foundation
• How to identify when children are struggling with their crossing the midline skills, and most importantly strategies to help

Register today for the live session, or the recording. Spaces are limited, so get in quick.