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Bilateral coordination skills are important and essential for participating in daily life activities, school activities, self-care tasks, and participation in recreational and sports activities.
Bilateral coordination is the orderly coordination of two parts of the body.
This includes the hands, eyes, arms, legs, feet, and brain.
Implications of bilateral coordination in Child Development
The development of bilateral coordination significantly influences several key aspects of child growth:
Motor Skills : Bilateral coordination is a fundamental pillar in the development of gross and fine motor skills. Children who master it tend to excel in activities that require precise and coordinated movements.
Social Skills: Bilateral coordination also fosters social skills as it allows children to actively participate in group games and activities, promoting interaction and teamwork.
Cognitive Growth: The ability to coordinate simultaneous actions on both sides of the body contributes to cognitive development. This translates into a greater ability to tackle complex tasks and effective learning.
Bilateral coordination activities can be classified:
Symmetrical bilateral coordination
Asymmetrical bilateral coordination
Bilateral reciprocal coordination
Some gross motor activities that use bilateral coordination are:
Crawl
Walk
Run
Jump and jump
Riding a bike
Catch a ball
Swim
Beat a drum
Push and pull
Sports
Below is a brief breakdown of each type of bilateral movement:
Symmetrical movements
Symmetrical movements consist of each leg or hand performing the same action at the same time, for example, jumping with both legs in the same place or pushing a wheelbarrow while walking or clapping.
It is important that both sides of the body perform the same movement at the same time, with the same force.
Activity ideas to encourage bilateral symmetrical coordination
Bouncing the ball : Have your child stand with feet shoulder-width apart and hold a large ball (such as a playground ball) in both hands. Encourage him to bounce the ball in a rhythmic, coordinated manner. You can make it more difficult by having him bounce the ball higher or against a wall while catching it.
Synchronized Jump Rope: Use a long jump rope and have two children jump in unison. This activity requires precise timing and coordination to jump over the rope together.
Synchronized arm movements: Stand in front of the child and mirror his or her arm movements. Start with simple movements such as waving, clapping, or making arm circles. Gradually increase the complexity of the movements to challenge coordination. This activity helps children focus on symmetrical arm actions.
Jumping from one place to another with legs together: Place colored circles on the floor and ask the child to jump from one color to the other.
Reciprocal movements
Reciprocal movements are actions in which first one hand or leg and then the other perform the same movement in a rhythmic manner. For example, pulling a rope hand over hand or pedaling a bicycle. Reciprocal movements are also called alternating movements.
Activity ideas to encourage reciprocal bilateral coordination
Scooter racing: Organize scooter races where children use their legs to propel themselves forward on the scooter. Encourage them to coordinate their leg movements.
Wheelbarrow Relay: Organize a relay race where children take turns being the "wheelbarrow" (walking on their hands) while their partner holds their legs. They must work together to reach the finish line.
Reciprocal arm swing: Stand facing each other and swing your arms back and forth like pendulums. Encourage children to coordinate their arm swings with their partner.
Reciprocal climbing: Uses climbing equipment such as a rope ladder or climbing wall. Children can coordinate hand and leg movements while climbing.
Climbing a ladder : Many playgrounds offer safe opportunities for children to climb stairs. Have them practice going up and down.
Asymmetrical movements (main hand and support hand)
We often use one limb, either a hand or a leg, to play a supporting role while the other does more skilled work, such as cutting with scissors, or balancing on one leg while the other kicks a ball.
Both limbs are equally important, but one is specialized in using tools and the other in helping. Both limbs must work together in a coordinated and fluid manner for the task to be completed correctly.
Activity ideas to promote asymmetric bilateral coordination
Football Dribbling: Place cones or markers in a zigzag pattern and have the child dribble a soccer ball using one foot for control and the other for balance.
Tennis or ping pong: Play a game of tennis or ping pong in which the child must use his dominant hand for one action (for example, the serve) and his non-dominant hand for another (for example, the backhand).
Crab Walk: Have the child perform a crab walk, using one hand and the opposite foot to support the weight of his or her body while moving backward or sideways.
It is essential that, as therapists, we keep in mind that each child is unique. We must adapt our creativity to design activities that promote bilateral coordination in a fun and functional way for them.
And how do you include bilateral coordination activities in your therapeutic session?
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