I’m sure we are all aware of the fact that workout is good for our health, both physical and emotional. But did you know that exercising can improve our intelligence and learning capabilities?

Our bodies are very much a part of our learning, and learning is not an isolated brain function, but every nerve and cell is a network contributing to it.

So let’s get physical and help our children to learn easier and have fun as well. These exercises are really simple and easy to perform, but start slowly until your child develops the rhythm and proper coordination.

• “Cross Crawl”helps coordinate right and left brain by exercising the information flow between the two hemispheres. It is useful for spelling, writing, listening, reading and comprehension. Stand comfortably. Put the right hand across the body to the left knee as you raise it, and then do the same thing for the left hand on the right knee (as if you were marching). Do this for 2-3 minutes.

• “Cross Crawl Backwards” – do the same as before, only this time raise your right heel at the back (like you want to kick yourself in the butt) and touch it behind your body with the left hand. Then do the same with right hand and left heel. Repeat for several minutes. 

• “Brain Buttons” - This exercise increases blood flow to the brain and improves attention. Position one hand so that there is as wide a space as possible between the thumb and index finger, like a large letter “L.” Put your index and thumb below the collar bone on each side of the sternum. Press lightly in a pulsing manner. At the same time put the other hand over the navel area of the stomach. Gently press on these points for about 2 minutes.

• “Lazy 8s” improves visual attention and eye mobility (needed for reading). Stand or sit in a comfortable position. Stretch your arm straight in front of you and start drawing the laying 8s like an infinity sign) as large as you can, moving counterclockwise  up, over and around. Then move clockwise: up, over, around, and back to the beginning midpoint.  As the eyes follow the 8, the head moves slightly. Repeat three times with each hand and then both together.

I know that these exercises look strange, but if you have fun then why not? My daughter actually enjoys all these routines, she likes to jump and do this funny movements and  we use them between her homework and they are great for breaks. Sometimes she don’t want to start learning before we do some exercises.

These exercises are based on the copyrighted work of Paul E. Dennison, Ph.D. and Gail E. Dennison. Brain Gym is a registered trademark of Brain Gym® International. To learn more visit http://www.braingym.org/