Improves ability to cross the body’s midline. Crossing the midline is important for the process of developing a dominant hand and development of fine-motor skills.
A fun brain break activity the whole class will love
Instructions
Start standing, with your feet apart and arms straight
Swing your arms to one side and poke your hips in the opposite direction
Poke your hips through your arms (so one arm is in front of you and one arm is behind you), as you swing your arms and hips each to the other side
Swing your arms back to the side you started on and poke your hips to the opposite side
Sway your hips to the other side again, as you swing your arms across in front of your body
Keep repeating steps 3 to 5
Watch Points
Arms swinging in the opposite direction than hips
Legs and arms straight
Modifications
More Challenging
Multi-Sensory
Ball Skills
Fine Motor
Do the Forest Floss more slowly
Practise the Forest Floss hip movement by itself. Then practise the Forest Floss arm movement by itself.
Try doing the Forest Floss on your knees
Seated:
Put your arms straight up in the air. Twist your upper body to one side. Do the Forest Floss arm movement upside down (i.e. with your arms up in the air moving on either side of your head). Then repeat facing the other side.
Speed it up
Imagine you’re dancing through a forest thick with trees. Move your hips from side to side to dodge the tree trunks.