20-07-2004, 10:52 PM
This is some of what I've read on the internet ... is there anyone who uses a set of activities from Brain Gym?
Brain Gym
Brain Gym is a series of simple movements to enhance the whole brain learning.
Purpose:
To stimulate the brain to make 3D connections empowering learners of any age by using movement activities to draw out their potential for learning.
Shown to improve reading, thinking, writing, maths, self-awareness skills, home study skills, whole body co-ordination.
How:
The three dimension connections are:
laterality (links between two hemispheres of the brain)
focusing (links the front and back lobes)
centering (links the upper and lower brain)
Bibliography:
Smart Moves Carla Hannaford 9-915556-27-8
Brain Gym Paul and Gail Dennison 0-942143-02-7
BRAIN GYM
Brain Gym is made up of simple and enjoyable activities that we can use in the classroom to enhance their experience of whole brain learning. These activities make learning more effective.
Encourage the children to work within their own limitations. Hopefully they will enjoy it, request it and integrate it into their everyday lives.
This is taken from the research undertaken by Edu-Kinesthetics Inc, Ventura, USA who concluded that whole brain learning through repatterning and Brain Gym activities enables students to access parts of the brain previously unavailable. This can the lead to a profound change in behaviour and learning.
CROSS-CRAWL or SKIP-A-CROSS ~ co-ordinate the movement so that when one arm moves, the leg on the opposite side of the body moves at the same time. Move to the front, side and back. Move eyes in all directions. Touch your right knee with your left hand and vice-versa. Touch right knee with left elbow and vice-versa.
LAZY 8's ~ draw the figure 8 three times in the air or on paper with each hand about three times, then with both hands together.
DOUBLE DOODLE ~ draw with both hands at the same time, in, out, up and down.
ALPHABET ~ write the letters of the alphabet together.
ELEPHANT ~ bend your knees, glue your head to your shoulder and point across the room. Use your ribs to move your whole upper body as you trace a LAZY 8. Look past your fingers. Repeat with the other arm.
NECK ROLLS ~ breathe deeply, relax your shoulders and drop your head forward. Allow your head to slowly roll from side to side as you breathe out any tightness. Your chin draws a smooth curve across your chest as your neck relaxes.
BELLY BREATHING ~ rest your hand on your abdomen. Blow out all of the old air in short, soft little puffs. Take a slow, deep breath, filling up gently, like a balloon. Your hand softly rises as you inhale and falls as you exhale. If you arch your back after inhaling, the air goes even deeper.
ENERGIZER ~ Rest your forehead between your hands. Breathe out all tension. Then quietly breathe in as the air fills up your midline. Your head easily lifts up, forehead first, followed by your neck and upper body. Your lower body and shoulders stay relaxed. Exhale as you tuck your chin down into your chest. Pull your head forward, lengthening the back of your neck. Relax and breathe deeply.
OWL ~ grasp your shoulder and squeeze the muscle firmly. Turn your head to look over your shoulder. Breathe deeply and pull your shoulders back. Now look over the other shoulder, opening the shoulders again. Drop your chin to your chest and breathe deeply, letting the muscles relax. Repeat with hand squeezing the opposite shoulder.
ARM ACTIVATION ~ hold one arm next to the ear. Exhale gently through pursed lips while activating the muscles by pushing the arm against the other hand in 4 directions (front, back, in & away).
FOOT FLEX ~ grasp the tender parts in the ankle, calf and behind the knee, one at a time, while slowly pointing and flexing the foot.
CALF PUMP ~ as you lean forward onto the back of a chair, one foot forward and exhale, press the back heel gently to the ground. As you release, lift your heel up and take a deep breath. Repeat three times on each side. The more you bend your forward knee, the more lengthening you feel in the back of the calf.
GRAVITY GLIDER ~ Sit comfortably. Cross your ankles. Keep your knees relaxed. Bend forward and reach out in front of you, letting your arms glide down as you exhale and up as you inhale. Repeat to the left, right, centre. Change legs and repeat.
GROUNDER ~ point your right foot towards the right. Keep the left foot pointed straight ahead. Now bend the right knee as you exhale and then inhale as you straighten the right leg. Keep your hips tucked under.
WATER ~ drink water.
'THIS AND THAT' ~ Use the verbal instructions "Do this", and "Do tha
Brain Gym
Brain Gym is a series of simple movements to enhance the whole brain learning.
Purpose:
To stimulate the brain to make 3D connections empowering learners of any age by using movement activities to draw out their potential for learning.
Shown to improve reading, thinking, writing, maths, self-awareness skills, home study skills, whole body co-ordination.
How:
The three dimension connections are:
laterality (links between two hemispheres of the brain)
focusing (links the front and back lobes)
centering (links the upper and lower brain)
Bibliography:
Smart Moves Carla Hannaford 9-915556-27-8
Brain Gym Paul and Gail Dennison 0-942143-02-7
BRAIN GYM
Brain Gym is made up of simple and enjoyable activities that we can use in the classroom to enhance their experience of whole brain learning. These activities make learning more effective.
Encourage the children to work within their own limitations. Hopefully they will enjoy it, request it and integrate it into their everyday lives.
This is taken from the research undertaken by Edu-Kinesthetics Inc, Ventura, USA who concluded that whole brain learning through repatterning and Brain Gym activities enables students to access parts of the brain previously unavailable. This can the lead to a profound change in behaviour and learning.
CROSS-CRAWL or SKIP-A-CROSS ~ co-ordinate the movement so that when one arm moves, the leg on the opposite side of the body moves at the same time. Move to the front, side and back. Move eyes in all directions. Touch your right knee with your left hand and vice-versa. Touch right knee with left elbow and vice-versa.
LAZY 8's ~ draw the figure 8 three times in the air or on paper with each hand about three times, then with both hands together.
DOUBLE DOODLE ~ draw with both hands at the same time, in, out, up and down.
ALPHABET ~ write the letters of the alphabet together.
ELEPHANT ~ bend your knees, glue your head to your shoulder and point across the room. Use your ribs to move your whole upper body as you trace a LAZY 8. Look past your fingers. Repeat with the other arm.
NECK ROLLS ~ breathe deeply, relax your shoulders and drop your head forward. Allow your head to slowly roll from side to side as you breathe out any tightness. Your chin draws a smooth curve across your chest as your neck relaxes.
BELLY BREATHING ~ rest your hand on your abdomen. Blow out all of the old air in short, soft little puffs. Take a slow, deep breath, filling up gently, like a balloon. Your hand softly rises as you inhale and falls as you exhale. If you arch your back after inhaling, the air goes even deeper.
ENERGIZER ~ Rest your forehead between your hands. Breathe out all tension. Then quietly breathe in as the air fills up your midline. Your head easily lifts up, forehead first, followed by your neck and upper body. Your lower body and shoulders stay relaxed. Exhale as you tuck your chin down into your chest. Pull your head forward, lengthening the back of your neck. Relax and breathe deeply.
OWL ~ grasp your shoulder and squeeze the muscle firmly. Turn your head to look over your shoulder. Breathe deeply and pull your shoulders back. Now look over the other shoulder, opening the shoulders again. Drop your chin to your chest and breathe deeply, letting the muscles relax. Repeat with hand squeezing the opposite shoulder.
ARM ACTIVATION ~ hold one arm next to the ear. Exhale gently through pursed lips while activating the muscles by pushing the arm against the other hand in 4 directions (front, back, in & away).
FOOT FLEX ~ grasp the tender parts in the ankle, calf and behind the knee, one at a time, while slowly pointing and flexing the foot.
CALF PUMP ~ as you lean forward onto the back of a chair, one foot forward and exhale, press the back heel gently to the ground. As you release, lift your heel up and take a deep breath. Repeat three times on each side. The more you bend your forward knee, the more lengthening you feel in the back of the calf.
GRAVITY GLIDER ~ Sit comfortably. Cross your ankles. Keep your knees relaxed. Bend forward and reach out in front of you, letting your arms glide down as you exhale and up as you inhale. Repeat to the left, right, centre. Change legs and repeat.
GROUNDER ~ point your right foot towards the right. Keep the left foot pointed straight ahead. Now bend the right knee as you exhale and then inhale as you straighten the right leg. Keep your hips tucked under.
WATER ~ drink water.
'THIS AND THAT' ~ Use the verbal instructions "Do this", and "Do tha