When we begin again I gently coach the child in noticing that he's approaching the cross-over If the child experiences a challenge in walking the 8 pattern, and does not easily notice and self-correct, I suggest that we pause a moment we may chat, play around, or refresh our PACE. Perceiving these qualities is vital for easily drawing Lazy 8s (and, most likely, perceiving such things as the difference between a 'b' and a 'd,' as well). Through the 8, but once on their own, and despite having an actual line to follow, they begin circling just one side of theĨ, walking round and round a single loop and ignoring the other or, likeĬarolee with her drawn pattern, they walk around the entirety of the 8, in aĮither action suggests to me that such children are struggling to perceive that the Lazy 8 has two distinct sides (never mind the more advanced concept that the two sides have mirror-image orientation). I’ve had young clients start out following me Without Carolee self-correcting, I suggested she pause.Ĭarolee did well at this walking-the-8-line process, but someĬhildren have challenges with it. Pattern and resume the correct Lazy 8 flow. Watched, not saying anything, thinking she would notice that she’d changed the Left, down under the 8, and then up to the right, essentially in an oval, surrounding the lateral 8 shape. Maintain the pattern: she began tracing over the top of the 8, around to the This time, she started out fine,īut after about three or four circuits of the Lazy 8, she could no longer These Lazy 8s were shaky, but essentially had the correct pattern.Īsked her to hold the marker with both hands. She was able to trace over my 8 quite well, flowing over it again and again.Īfter she said that felt complete, I had her switch the marker to her left I made a sample Lazy 8 on my whiteboard at about Carolee’sĮye level, and handed her the marker. In their book Brain Gym® Teacher's Edition, the Dennisons say the Lazy 8s activity is 'known to help eliminate reversals and transpositions in reading and writing.' 2 I have certainly experienced this with my own young clients: in some cases, after just a few days of doing the Lazy 8s activity, reversals (for example, reading 'was' for 'saw,' or writing 'b' for 'd') have all but disappeared. The Lazy 8s is one of Brain Gym's 'Midline Movements,' which Paul and Gail Dennison say were designed to 'develop and support coordination of the two sides of the body, including the sensory modalities of sight, hearing, and touch.' 1 This deceptively simple activity offers profound benefits. This activity consists of repeatedly tracingĪ lateral 8, or infinity sign, with one hand, the other hand, and then both Menu,” she selected the Lazy 8s movement. She said she didn't like that reading felt so 'hard,' and wished it were easier. As a pre-check for our work together she read to me from a simple storybook I had on hand her reading was stilted and choppy, and she all but ignored the punctuation.

I worked recently with Carolee, a bright seven-year-oldĬhild, who chose to balance to improve her reading ability.

Lazy 8 brain gym