Bilateral Coordination and Academic Performance in Children

Pediatrics International published research on 100 Brazilian children (ages 8-11 years old)  evaluating interlimb coordination and its relationship to their academic performance.  Each child was assessed with the Bruininks–Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency and the Academic Performance Test. Participants were grouped into low (<25%) and high (>75%) academic achievers.

The results indicated:

1. a significant difference between groups for Total Motor Composite on the Bruininks-Oseretsky favoring the high group.
2. a significant association between academic performance and Body Coordination.
3. from the subtests of Body Coordination (Bilateral Coordination and Balance), Bilateral Coordination accounted for the highest impact on academic performance.

Reference:  Sheila Cristina da Silva Pacheco, Carl Gabbard, Lilian Gerdi Kittel Ries and Tatiana Godoy Bobbio. Interlimb coordination and academic performance in elementary school children. Pediatrics International. October 2016. DOI: 10.1111/ped.12972

25+ Bilateral Coordination Exercises is a collection of bilateral coordination exercise sheets including QR codes with links to video demonstration of exercises. A QR code is a black and white image with squares, that stores website links for reading by the camera on a smartphone.Each exercise page includes picture images and step by step directions of a whole body bilateral coordination exercise. Also included, is a link to a You Tube video with a demonstration of the exercise along with a slow motion video of the exercise. Parents, students or teachers can simply use a QR code reader app on their smart phone or tablet to go directly to the video demonstration.

These activities encourage: bilateral coordination, motor timing, motor planning, muscle strengthening and balance skills.

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The post Bilateral Coordination and Academic Performance in Children appeared first on Your Therapy Source.

Fine and Gross Motor Group Idea - Activity Balloon Bat

Here is a very simple make and take that include fine motor skills, gross motor skills and eye hand coordination skills.

You will need a paper plate, paint stirrer or large craft stick, markers and a balloon for each child.

Ask the children to think of physical activities that they can complete on their own at home ie swinging, jump rope, hopscotch, dance, shoot hoops, etc.  Go around the table and ask each child for their ideas.  With each suggestion, the children write down the idea on his/her own plate.  When done attach the paint stirrer to the back of the plate.  Blow up the balloons.  The children can practice hitting the balloon up in the air.  See how many times they can hit the balloon before it falls to the floor.

To work on body awareness, mark off an area.  Tell all the children to hit the balloons in the air within in the contained space.  They can hit their balloons but not each other.  When the kids can do it, make the contained space smaller.  Have the children repeat the game continuing to hit the balloon and no one else.

When done, the children can take the activity home.  Now they can practice eye hand coordination skills and when done will have lots of ideas for more physical activities.

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Motor Magic - Turn Fine Motor Activities into Gross Motor Activities -  This is an electronic book (37 pages) of 25 fine motor activities followed by 25 gross motor activities. Each set of activities includes a fine motor project that is then used for a gross motor activity.Find out more at   http://www.yourtherapysource.com/motormagic.html

Hidden Cups Video Activity

Watch this video activity idea that encourages fine motor skills, forearm pronation/supination, eye hand coordination, grading of movements and counting.  You can view it at http://www.yourtherapysource.com/videohiddencups.html

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Motor Performance and Social-Communicative Impairment in Children with ADHD

The Journal of Attention Disorders published research on 11 children with ADHD - Combined Type (ADHD-CT) and 10 typically developing children as the control group.  Each child participated in an upper limb Fitts’ aiming task to measure motor performance and the Social Responsiveness Scale t0 measure social-communicative/autistic impairment.

The following results were recorded:

1. Children with ADHD-CT displayed greater variability in their movements, as seen with increased error variance over repeated aiming trials compared with TD controls.


2. Motor performance variability was associated with social-communicative deficits in the ADHD-CT but not in the TD group.

The researchers concluded that further research is needed to determine whether a particular pattern of motor disturbance in children with ADHD-CT may be useful in evaluating children with a more complex ADHD presentation.

Reference:  Nicole Papadopoulos, Nicole J. Rinehart, John L. Bradshaw, John Taffe, and Jennifer McGinley. Is There a Link Between Motor Performance Variability and Social-Communicative Impairment in Children With ADHD-CT: A Kinematic Study Using an Upper Limb Fitts’ Aiming Task. Journal of Attention Disorders January 2015 19: 72-77, first published on July 30, 2012 doi:10.1177/1087054712454569

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25+ Bilateral Coordination Exercises is a collection of bilateral coordination exercise sheets including QR codes with links to video demonstration of exercises. A QR code is a black and white image with squares, that stores website links for reading by the camera on a smartphone.  Find out more at http://yourtherapysource.com/bilateralcoordination.html.

 

 

Cross Crawl Bilateral Coordination Exercise with Video Modeling

Here is our latest freebie from a new ebook entitled 25 Bilateral Coordination Exercises.  It is an instructional hand out on how to perform the Cross Crawl exercise, including a QR code to link to a video demonstration of the exercise.  You can download the freebie here - http://yourtherapysource.com/bilateralcoordinationfreebie.html

If you are not familiar with QR codes, they are a black and white image with squares, that stores website links for reading by the camera on a smartphone.  Therefore, when you hand out these bilateral coordination exercise sheets, the child can simply use a QR code reader to take them immediately to the demonstration video.  This allows children to watch the video over and over again if necessary to learn the skill.  It also helps parents and teachers, so they can check if the child is performing the exercise correctly.

Research has shown that video modeling can help individuals with moderate intellectual disabilities to learn gross motor skills (1).  Video modeling has been shown to be effective in teaching skills to children with autism.  The research indicated that a child should watch the video 1-3 times before attempting the task (2).

Get more information on 25 Bilateral Coordination Exercises here http://yourtherapysource.com/bilateralcoordination.html

References:

1.  Linda C. Mechling and Catherine O. Swindle Fine and Gross Motor Task Performance When Using Computer-Based Video Models by Students With Autism and Moderate Intellectual Disability J Spec Educ November 2013 47: 135-147, first published on January 19, 2012 doi:10.1177/0022466911433859 .

2.  Shipley-Benamou et al. (2002) Teaching Daily Living Skills to Children with Autism Through Instructional Video Modeling. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions July 2002 vol. 4 no. 3 166-177

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Giant Balloon Toss

Here is a simple, new way to play balloon volleyball.  Just blow up a bunch of balloons and put them in a clear, plastic bag.  Starting tossing the giant bag of balloons.  The balloon bag allows for a large, very slow moving target to help children who may be just learning how to catch.

Try playing a game of balloon volleyball.  Try laying on your back and hitting the giant balloon bag with your feet to add in some core strengthening.  See what games your child can create with the big bag of balloons.

Watch a video of giant balloon toss in action at http://yourtherapysource.com/videogiantballoon.html

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Have a Ball This Summer

Today I'm over at OT Cafe sharing a must-have item in my therapy bag.   While you are here, download this list of 15 ways to have a ball this summer and then head on over to Abby's blog to find out why I always have a playground ball in my therapy bag.

 

 

Color Ball Game

Go to Your Therapy Source to learn how to play this group activity that encourages motor memory, following directions and coordination skills. 

Shredded Paper Ball

Here is a simple activity made out of recycled materials.  Save a net bag from produce such as oranges, onions or avocados.  Place some shredded paper in the shape of a ball inside the net bag.  Twist the top of the bag and use painter's tape or duct tape to seal the top it.  Now give the shredded paper ball to the child.

You can play a game of catch with it.  Try kicking it with your foot and catching it.

When done playing with it, work on removing the shredded paper one piece at a time.

The activity encourages:

• coordination skills
• fine motor skills
• pincer grasp  

Stay tuned for more activities to create out of recycled produce bags.

DIY Rope Ladder for a Couple of Bucks

Here is another do it yourself project - Rope Ladder.  This is so cheap to make and can travel well with a therapist or pack up small when not in use.  If you wanted to make it so it would lay more flat you could use long wooden dowels instead of rope.  I like the rope because it is so easy to pack up but if the kids don't jump over it sufficiently it gets tangled up.  Using the wooden dowels would prevent the tangling.  Watch the video how to make it and games to play with it at DIY Rope Ladder from Your Therapy Source.

DIY Bead Maze

Here is a simple bead maze to encourage fine motor and coordination practice.  Sorry to say you will need to sew but just a tiny bit and nothing complicated.  Worth it for an inexpensive therapy tool.  Read the directions on how to make it at Your Therapy Source.

Video Activity Idea - Kid Boxing

This fun activity encourages bilateral coordination, timing, eye hand coordination, visual tracking skills and upper extremity muscle strengthening. The key to this activity is teaching the child to hit each balloon or ball with the right hand and left in a rhythmic, controlled pattern. Have fun with it!




Need more activity ideas? Turn fine motor skills into gross motor skills with the activity ideas in Motor Magic.

Check out Play Strong to encourage muscle strenghtening through play.

Hidden Cups - Activity Idea

Visit www.YourTherapySource.com for more fine motor activity ideas.

Fine Motor and Coordination Activity Video - Stacking Foam Beads

Here is a new activity video idea that encourages fine motor skills, muscle strengthening and coordination.



Need more fine motor activities? Check out...

Creative Clay Activities
Clay Play Mats
Fine Motor Activity Pack #1
Fine Motor Breaks