Crossing the Midline with Rainbow Drawing!

Everyone loves rainbows!

The colours of a rainbow can brighten a cloudy sky.  I often feel like breaking into song ... "Somewhere over the rainbow...."

Rainbows are everywhere in preschool and school craft activities and projects.  This is a special one as we look at how the whole body works in crossing the midline.  The "midline" is the imaginary line which can be drawn from your head to your toes through your belly button, dividing your body left from right.

Some children have difficulties integrating the left and right sides of their body.  They may adjust by moving their work to one side,  shifting their body position on a chair or neglecting to use one side of their bodies.  Read more about crossing the midline and bilateral coordination HERE.

When encouraging "crossing the midline", we look at a child's ability to rotate at the trunk to use their right hand in the sphere of the "left side of the body" and their left hand in the sphere of the "right side of the body".

What to do:
1. Set up this simple rainbow drawing with a large piece of paper or cardboard.
2. Have your child sit cross legged in the centre.
3. Give your child a crayon or texta and ask them to reach across their body to start the rainbow. (ie. using the right hand, cross over to the left side and vice versa for the left hand).
4. Repeat this with multiple colours and in both directions (it is up to you if you want this rainbow to reflect the "real" colours").

Once the rainbow is completed, I also had my kids "drive along" the rainbow.  I encouraged them to take a car with their right hand, cross over to the left side of the body and drive it back on the rainbow to the right.  Sometimes we then pass the car behind the child's back and at other times, the car did  a U-turn and drove back along the rainbow (with the alternate arm pushing it).

Do your kids love drawing rainbows? Do you ever break into song (even in your head)?

What is your favourite "crossing the midline" activity?

CindyChuan is a registered Occupational Therapist practising in Sydney Australia.  She has two young children who are a constant source of inspiration and learning.  Cindy loves working creatively to help children to reach their potential, finding opportunities in everyday living and making learning fun.  She is also addicted to making printables!

Cindy is the author of the Occupational Therapy blog Your Kids OT

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