Brain Gym activities are of value to any child and adult with or without learning and concentration problems. It should actually be part of any school curriculum. There are, unfortunately, very few schools, public or private, that make use of these techniques.
Brain Gym techniques assist with whole brain integration which is essential for optimal information processing. (See article on information processing).
Brain Gym consists of a set of easy and relatively quick exercises that should be done daily. Most formal schools focus on auditory and visual learners while there are many kinesthetic learners out there that are seen as naughty or it is assumed that they are suffering from some attention deficiency disorder. While this might be true it is also true that many times these learners have a different way of learning that are not catered for in the school and they are left completely in the dark.
The purpose of Brain Gym activities is to assist learners with the integration of the left and right brain hemispheres. Learners that hate math might be right brain dominant and are not that interested in detail and will prefer art subjects where their dominant right brain can function to its optimum. Once both hemispheres are integrated they will have the ability to enjoy the detail of math as well as the creativity of art.
The very first thing Brain Gym teaches is the value of drinking water. Water increases brain function and decreases stress. Schools don’t always allow water bottles in class but at home this should be a priority. If a child learns from a young age to drink water they won’t ask for sodas when they are thirsty.
Apart from drinking water there are 3 other exercises that children should do before they start their school day.
The brain buttons are soft spots, on either side of the sternum, just underneath the collarbone that need to be massaged for one minute.
Cross Crawl is the next exercise which is very simple. The left leg is raised by the knee and the right hand is placed on the left knee. This must be alternated with the opposite hand and knee and continued for at least a minute. The process requires action from both brain hemispheres.
The last exercise is the Hook Up which is done in a comfortable sitting position with the legs crossed at the ankles. The hands are intertwined at the wrists. While sitting like that the child should breathe deeply in and out.
Detailed explanations of these exercises are readily available on the internet. The best way, however, to learn these exercises is to attend a brain gym course.
