It’s the second week of our Indoor Exercise Challenge! Every Thursday in January we’ll post a new challenge for you and your family.

We hope you follow along with all four weeks to get your year off to a great start.

Don’t forget to send us a photo of your family doing each challenge. You could win a great prize package, including a tutorial with yoga poses for kids.

Week 2: Windmills or Seated Opposite Toe Taps
Practices crossing the midline of the body, helpful for writing and reading.

Without thinking about it, we often use our right hand to reach for something on the left side of our body, or vice versa. This action is called crossing the midline of the body. Children learn and practice this motion from a young age!

Being able to cross the midline of the body helps children with many tasks such as writing, reading, sports or physical activities and fine motor activities.

You can incorporate crossing the midline of the body while getting some exercise indoors! Try Windmills or Toe Taps.

Windmills

Here’s how to do a windmill stretch according to exercise.com:

Step 1: Start with your feet slightly wider then shoulder width apart.
Step 2: Point both arms out to your side so that your upper body looks like a “T”.
Step 3: Keeping your legs straight. Bend and rotate at the waist so that your right arm reaches down and touches your left foot.
Step 4: Stand back up and repeat the same motion except this time bring the left hand down to the right foot and then stand back up.

Toe Taps

Do the same motion as a windmill, but this time seated! Sit on the ground with your legs out in front of you, about a shoulders width apart.

Again point both arms out to your side to form a “T”. Bring your right hand to touch your left foot. Return to “T” position. Bring your left hand to touch your right foot!

For younger children, make it a fun partner activity by sitting across from your child with your feet touching. Hold your arms out at the same time and reach your hand towards the same foot, in a mirror image of one another. Count as you go!

Send a photo of you and your kids doing the Week 1 and Week 2 activity to hello@montessorium.com or tag us @primarycommunity on Instagram to be entered TWICE to win the yoga prize package!

Recommended for you: