A quick, fun way to help your child with focus and school work

Here is a fun physical activity ‘crossing the midline’ that helps children with their focus and school work.

Crossing the midline (imagine there is an invisible line down the centre of your body) helps with planning, sequencing and also bilateral integration.

BEES KNEES (Skill developed: Crossing midline, focus, balance, reading, writing) (2+ minutes)

Stand with your legs apart and close your eyes.
Now using your left hand, reach in between your legs and touch the back of your right knee.
Swap and touch the back of your left knee with your right hand.
Do this 10 times then touch the front of your knees with the opposite hands.
Try it with your eyes open now.
Now try touching your opposite feet.

Do this everyday – it doesn’t take long and helps your brain work harder so it even helps make reading easier without doing any reading!

What tricks do you have to help your kids with their focus?

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24 Comments

- - ella12 said
  - 18 Oct 2017
    4:43 pm
That is rather interesting, thank you.

- - rachelvk said
  - 29 Feb 2016
    11:04 am
A very interesting idea. Thank you for sharing.

- - mom81879 said
  - 22 Nov 2015
    8:27 pm
Something so simple that can make such a big difference to the kids and their schoolwork. Great I love it

- - talwin said
  - 21 May 2015
    11:05 am
I will try this with Miss 5 yo as she is having hard time focusing in the class room. Thank you for sharing.

- - smiles said
  - 30 Apr 2015
    1:53 pm
I love this. One of my boys finds it very hard to focus so I always make sure that we arrive early and he has some time on the playground to try and settle him to focus in class.

- - hopefullyheidi said
  - 01 Feb 2015
    1:54 pm
I was recommended to try exercise before school. Apparently that gives children with attention difficulties a good hour of concentration

- - priyachirag said
  - 31 Jan 2015
    11:19 pm
Sounds interesting, will try this out with my kindergartener.

- - mom64736 said
  - 28 Jan 2015
    2:16 pm
Interesting. I wonder if it works.

- - mom105022 said
  - 26 Jan 2015
    8:36 am
thank you for this suggestion. With school going back soon, we’ll be trying this for sure

- - mom57808 said
  - 12 Jan 2015
    7:38 am
great ideas thankyou

- - mom107723 said
  - 11 Jan 2015
    2:22 am
Our teacher in primary school was sport mad, but us kids had to keep score in all games which i believe is the quickest way to teach kids the 3 r’s, by combining education with sport.

- - mom117219 said
  - 06 Jan 2015
    10:04 pm
good tips,, helpful in the future for my child

- - jess said
  - 11 Dec 2014
    10:51 am
will definatley try this with my son he has just finished prep and they are passing him but only just, he has heaps of trouble with focus and gets distracted easily not hyperactive or anything just has a huge imagination that he runs away with sometimes.

- - Lov'n'Life said
  - 09 Dec 2014
    10:26 pm
Great one thanks lets see how it goes

- - deangunna said
  - 08 Dec 2014
    11:30 pm
Normally just say no sweets, tv or cricket until the work is done.

- - aliceou said
  - 08 Dec 2014
    7:41 pm
Thank you for the helpful tips.

- - rovermum said
  - 08 Dec 2014
    3:34 pm
This would be a great start-up for a teacher to do with the class each morning!!

- - pakeko said
  - 08 Dec 2014
    2:34 pm
going to try this with my child that finds it hard to concentrate

- - Karan said
  - 08 Dec 2014
    1:11 pm
i never thought of exercise before study before

- - cherz said
  - 07 Dec 2014
    9:41 pm
must give this ago myself as well. thanks for sharing.