How Bilateral Coordination Affects Young Kids' Academic Abilities

Bilateral coordination is an important aspect of a child’s physical development and how they use their bodies in everyday activities.

Without this type of control, everyday tasks like walking, buttoning, and drawing present a significant challenge for children.

What is Bilateral Coordination?

Bilateral coordination, also called bilateral integration, refers to the ability to use both sides of the body in an organised and controlled way.

This coordination indicates that the left and right sides of the brain are working together and communicating effectively.

Integration is demonstrated through activities such as climbing stairs, dressing, stringing beads, and cutting.

As these tasks are performed, each side of the body contributes in a specific way, making the overall activity possible.

What is Crossing the Midline?

Crossing the midline is a skill where children can naturally move their eyes, hands, or feet across their bodies into the space of the other side.

Examples of this skill include sitting cross-legged, reaching for an object placed on the left with the right hand, and drawing two intersecting lines using just one hand.

Children typically develop this ability between the ages of three and four, which is also when they begin to establish hand dominance.

Why is Bilateral Coordination Important?

Without bilateral coordination, many everyday tasks become difficult for children to complete.

For example, to draw a picture, one hand must hold the paper steady while the other guides the pencil or crayon. At the same time, the eyes must scan the appropriate areas to guide the movement of the writing tool.

Both play and daily living tasks are very difficult without bilateral integration, which involves small motor, large motor, and visual-motor functioning.

Body awareness is another skill closely linked to bilateral coordination. It is the ability to sense the position of body parts without needing to look, based on input from the joints and muscles.

An example of this is knowing how far to reach for something. Children who seem overly clumsy, hyperactive, or cautious in their movements may have delayed body awareness.

The Link Between Bilateral Development and Academic Skills

Many academic skills rely on solid bilateral development.

When reading a book independently, for example, children must hold the book, turn the pages, and move their eyes from left to right, dropping down at the end of each line.

Writing requires many of the same abilities, in addition to guiding the pen or pencil.

Crossing the midline is essential for smooth, coordinated movement during academic tasks.

What Kinds of Activities Require Bilateral Coordination?

Which bilateral activities are suitable for toddlers and preschoolers? The following gross and fine motor actions call for bilateral coordination:

Jumping rope

Kicking, throwing and catching a ball

Riding a bike or trike

Walking, running and crawling

Cutting

Pushing and pulling

Stringing beads

Drawing a line with a ruler

Banging blocks together

Tying shoes

Dressing

Feeding oneself

Colouring

The Three Main Types of Bilateral Movements

Bilateral movement is made up of three different types. These include symmetrical, alternating, and dominant/supporting hand movements.

Symmetrical Movements

Also known as symmetrical bilateral integration, this occurs when the left and right sides of the body mirror each other simultaneously.

Examples include the following:

Clapping hands

Jumping rope

Hopping like a bunny

Rolling with a rolling pin

Playing the drums with both hands

Alternating Movements

Also referred to as reciprocal bilateral integration, this involves alternating movements where each side of the body performs the opposite action.

These activities use alternating movements:

Climbing stairs

Skipping and running

Swimming

Walking

Riding a bike or trike

Dominant Hand and Supporting Hand Movements

Sometimes called asymmetrical bilateral integration, both sides of the body and brain are involved. The dominant hand and non-dominant hand assist each other toward a common goal.

Here are some examples:

Cutting with scissors

Spreading a substance onto bread

Stringing beads

Colouring, writing, and drawing

Stirring

What does the Vestibular System have to do with Bilateral Coordination?

The vestibular system is located in the inner ear and includes various canals, organs and receptors.

These work together to assist the brain and eyes in processing information about balance, movement, spatial orientation and head position.

A stimulated vestibular system can be helpful in strengthening bilateral coordination. Activities you might consider for children include having them roll their bodies on the grass, perform somersaults, and jump on a trampoline.

How to Develop Good Bilateral Coordination Skills

You can find many simple bilateral games and activities throughout the course of the day. First, determine your children’s needs by being observant as to how they perform certain functions.

Keep in mind that it is common for babies or toddlers to use the hand that is positioned closest to an object. As kids reach the age of three or four, you can expect to see them crossing the midline and choosing a dominant hand.

Also notice if a child is overly clumsy or fearful of having their feet off the ground, such as in swinging, which can indicate a lack of body awareness.

Through observation, you can determine whether a child has poor bilateral coordination.

30 Bilateral Coordination Activities for Kids

Through the following kinds of bilateral integration activities, you can help children strengthen their coordination skills.

Symmetrical Activities

With these types of exercises, children use both hands at the same time to do the very same thing:

Painting with a Squeeze Bottle

Paint may need to be thinned with a bit of water to squeeze out easily. Fill one bottle for each colour desired.

Kids hold the bottle with both hands and squeeze it onto the target surface.

This can also be accomplished with clear water outside on a warm day, to squeeze onto the sidewalk or patio.

Blowing and Popping Bubbles

Use homemade or purchased bubble solution with bubble wands or straws.

Adults blow the bubbles and kids pop them between both hands. With a group of children, they could take turns blowing the bubbles.

Rolling with a Rolling Pin

children first squeeze the playdough with both hands, which is a symmetrical activity. Then holding the handles on both ends of the rolling pin, they press down and roll the pin to flatten the dough.

This can be accomplished using playdough or a real pastry with an adult.

Pulling Cotton Balls Apart

Grasp one cotton ball at a time with the fingers of both hands and pull them apart.

These are great to use later on in glueing art activities.

Pulling Up Clothing

Certain types of clothing lend themselves well to this activity, such as pants and socks.

Kids grip the article with the fingers of both hands and pull it up while dressing.

Tearing Strips of Paper

All kinds of paper may be used for this activity. Challenge your kids to tear strips as straight or as curly as possible.

These are very useful later on in glueing art projects.

Bouncing and Catching Balls

Bounce large playground balls and catch them with both hands.

This activity can be done individually or with a partner or group.

Performing Jumping Jacks

Show children how both their feet/legs and both arms/hands do the same thing while performing jumping jacks.

For added enjoyment, these can be done to music.

Playing on Toy or Real Instruments

Offer instruments that lend themselves well to using both hands in the same way, such as percussion instruments.

Certain aspects of accordions are also symmetrical.

Alternating Activities

In alternating activities such as those that follow, your children use the opposite hand/arm or foot/leg in alternating motion:

Climbing a Ladder

Many playgrounds offer safe opportunities for children to climb ladders. Have them practise climbing both up and down.

Playing the Drums with Alternating Hands

Model a rhythm for kids with alternating hands. Challenge them to copy your beat.

Marching

Marching is like exaggerated walking and draws focus to the movements. For added fun, plan a parade.

Air Biking

Show kids how to lie on their backs and pedal their legs in the air.

This is an enjoyable activity to pair with music.

Playing Follow the Leader

Play Follow the Leader by modelling any type of alternating movements, such as hopping on one foot and then the other for a certain number of times.

This offers counting practice, as well.

Playing Tug of War

As children tug on the rope, they use an alternating, hand-over-hand motion.

Two adults can take part at the ends to make sure youngsters on both “teams” have plenty of strength behind them to experience the tugging motion.

Activities that Require Different Skill Sets for Each Hand

These exercises require a dominant hand and a “helper” hand to perform the tasks:

Lacing Cards

Make your own or buy a set of lacing cards.

Using shoelaces with plastic ends, lace from one hole to the next, following the outline of the illustration on the card. One hand holds the card while the other guides the lace.

Tying Shoes

Encourage children to practise tying their shoes by making loops or “bunny ears” and wrapping the lace around and through while holding with the other hand.

Spreading or Frosting

While holding the bread, cracker, or cookie with one hand, spread or frost using a blunt knife or spreader with the other hand.

Tracing Around Stencils

Buy sets of stencils or make your own cut from cardboard or poster board.

Children hold the stencil in place with one hand and trace around it with a pencil or crayon using the other.

Cleaning Up

Use a toy broom in one hand and a dustpan in the other to help clean up after an art activity.

They can also be used to pick up small toys such as Lego bricks.

Sewing for Kids

Use your own materials or buy a prepared kit.

Using stiff fabric such as felt, your children can “sew” with a blunt needle and yarn through pre-punched holes.

Encourage them to create patterns on the fabric, such as straight lines or zigzags.

Activities for Developing Body Awareness

If a child needs the practice to build awareness of the sensations and locations of their various body parts, these types of activities can help:

Playing Simon Says

With a focus on body parts, give commands such as, “Simon says touch your knee.”

For young children, you may want to skip the part about a child being “out” if you had not said, “Simon Says,” first.

Here are some other great ways to play Simon Says.

Playing Follow the Leader

The leader touches various locations on their own body and names the parts. Children follow their lead and name parts of the body.

Playing Hokey Pokey

Sing the song as a group and/or play the music. Follow the directions given in the song.

Instead of facing the children, stand alongside them to help with the left vs right factor of the song.

Taking Part in Wheelbarrow Walking

In pairs, children take turns walking on their hands while the other holds their feet/legs and “drives” the wheelbarrow.

Moving Like Animals

Ask for ideas on how snakes, crabs, bears, inchworms, birds, and gorillas move. Talk about the body parts and what they are doing.

Then have fun practising.

Drawing Pictures of Bodies

Challenge your children to draw pictures of themselves or other people. Then have them name the various body parts, while you label them.

Moving Through Obstacle Courses

Indoors or outside, set up simple obstacle courses with various materials and equipment.

Your kids can walk, run, and crawl to go under, over, around, and through objects.

Pushing, Pulling and Carrying Objects

Get children to move heavy objects, which makes them more aware of their bodies and capabilities.

This activity is also beneficial for developing muscle strength.

Playing Shake Your Wiggles/Sillies Out

Play this game to accompanying music or by following an adult’s directions. Urge kids to shake the wiggles or sillies out of one body part at a time.

Playing What’s My Body Part?

Describe different body parts and their functions to your children. They can guess which body part you are referring to.

Older children could also take turns describing.

I hope you found these bilateral coordination activities for children enjoyable and helpful. All aspects of their busy days, as they play, “work,” and assist, can involve practice in these important types of movements.