Bilateral Coordination Activities
Hopscotch
Goal: Balance, bilateral coordination, strength
1. Draw a traditional hopscotch diagram like the one to the right below. (Chalk is best for asphalt and pavement outdoors. If you're playing inside, use masking or painter's tape.)
2. Throw a small stone, twig, beanbag, or other marker into the first square. (If it lands on a line, or outside the square, you lose your turn. Pass the marker to the following player and wait for your next turn.)
3. Hop on one foot into the first empty square, and then every subsequent empty square. Be sure to skip the one your marker is on.
4. At the pairs (4-5 and 7-8), jump with both feet.
5. At 10, hop with both feet, turn around, and head back toward the start.
6. When you reach the marked square again, pick up the marker -- still on one foot! -- and complete the course.
7. If you finished without any mistakes, pass the marker to the next player. On your next turn, throw the marker to the next number.
8. If you fall, jump outside the lines, or miss a square or the marker, you lose your turn and must repeat the same number on your next turn. Whoever reaches 10 first, wins.
Variations: Don't use marker and work on jumping and hopping without avoiding any squares.
Jumping Jacks
Goal: Bilateral coordination, strength
Start with feet together and hands at sides
Jump “apart” moving feet outward and hands clapping over head
Jump “together,” bringing feet together and hands down to side
Work up to 20 consecutive repetitions. Form is more important than speed, so please work slowly jumping apart, together. Also, apart, together is one repetition (some friends like to count that as two jumping jacks).
This is a great exercise to do while your child works on counting or spelling their spelling words.
Scissor Jacks
Goal: Bilateral coordination
These are a fun kind of jumping jacks where the arms and legs are swinging front and back rather than opening in closing.
Start with feet together and arms at the side
Jump and move the legs so that one is in the front and one is in the back, like you just took a big step forward.
Swing the same arm as leg forward.
Jump and switch so that the opposite arm and leg are now in front.
When this is easy, work to jump and switch the opposite arm and leg, as shown in the video below.
Opposite Toe Touches
Goal: Bilateral coordination, balance, vestibulation, hamstring stretch
Start in standing with feet shoulder-width apart and arms in a wide-V overhead.
Bending at the waist while keeping the legs straight, touch your right hand to your left leg. You should reach as far down as possible on the leg (to the foot, if possible) while keeping your knees straight.
Return to the starting position, arms up overhead.
Repeat, this time, touching your left hand to your right leg.
Return to starting position. This is 1 rep (1 on each side)
Repeat for 10 reps total
Key points:
Keep knees straight
Look at your leg/foot when you are bending to touch
Return to standing with arms high overhead in between each touch
Cross Crawls
Goal: Bilateral Coordination, Balance, Vestibulation, Whole Brain Integration
Watch Mrs. Biel show you how to do cross crawls.
Another variation on this can be done as Knee Bumps. Thanks to Chanda at Pink Oatmeal for sharing this modification.
Reach Outs (Alternate Arm and Leg Lifts in Quadruped)
Goal: Bilateral Coordination, Reflex Integration, Core Stability, Shoulder and Pelvic Strengthening, Balance
Start on all fours (on hands and knees or quadruped)
Lift your right arm straight up in front of you while at the same time lifting your left leg straight behind you
Be careful not to rotate throughout the trunk
Make sure to lift your arm to shoulder height and keep the arm straight
Put your arm and leg down
Repeat by lifting your left arm and right leg
Repeat for 20 total lifts (you will be lifting your right arm 10 times and your left arm 10 times)
