By Rachel Harrington, COTA/L, CPRCS, primitive reflex integration and sensory processing specialist
Summer is the perfect time to build stronger brains through movement! These activities support primitive reflex integration, sensory processing, balance, coordination, attention, emotional regulation, and motor planning, all while focusing on play and connection!
Include music, the metronome, and stickers to make these activities more challenging, more engaging and more fun!
March in place while touching your right elbow to your left knee, then switch sides.
Why it helps: Supports left-right brain communication, coordination, attention, and reflex integration (ATNR).
Challenge: March while counting backward from 20. Complete with eyes closed. Try with the metronome set at 80 BPM.
Walk on hands and feet with knees lifted off the ground.
Why it helps: Builds core strength, shoulder stability, body awareness, and supports integration of the STNR reflex.
Challenge: Bear crawl around cones, toys, or obstacles. Bear crawl in a hand-hand-foot-foot movement pattern.
Walk in a large figure-eight pattern while tracking an object, reading letters, or completing a multi-sensory processing activity.
Why it helps: Improves visual tracking, bilateral coordination, attention, and communication between both sides of the brain. Helpful for the ATNR and TLR primitive reflexes.
Challenge: Bounce and catch a ball while walking around the infinity loop.
Have an adult hold the child’s legs while they walk on their hands. Hold the child’s legs above or below their knees, so their body is parallel with the floor.
Why it helps: Provides proprioceptive input, strengthens the upper body and core, while improving postural control.
Challenge: Pick up puzzle pieces or bean bags while wheelbarrow walking. Carry an item on the back without letting it fall off.
Move like different animals:
Why it helps: Strengthens muscles, improves motor planning, and provides sensory input throughout the body.
Challenge: Create an obstacle course using multiple animal walks. Complete an animal walk while dodging stuffed animals being thrown.
Lie straight on the floor and roll across the room like a log. Complete in both directions. Follow with a heavy work activity, such as crawling or jumping up and down.
Why it helps: Supports body awareness, vestibular processing, and integration of retained reflexes (TLR).
Challenge: Roll while reading a visual chart.
Hang from monkey bars, rings, or a sturdy playground bar. Hold the bar with thumbs wrapped around. Hang for as long as possible!
Why it helps: Strengthens hands, shoulders, and core while providing organizing, proprioceptive input.
Challenge: Count how long your child can hang and try to beat their record.
Lie over a peanut ball, exercise ball, or large pillow and gently rock forward and backward.
Why it helps: Supports vestibular processing, regulation, and primitive reflex integration.
Challenge: Read letters, numbers, or a Hart Chart while rocking.
Lying on the tummy on the scooter board while pulling across the floor using alternating arms.
Why it helps: Develops upper body and core strength, visual skills, and postural control.
Challenge: Create a “treasure hunt” and collect objects around the room.
Crawl forward, backward, side-to-side, or over obstacles. Crawl through tunnels and around the house with an item on the back.
Why it helps: Builds coordination, balance, body awareness, and motor planning skills. Supports STNR primitive reflex integration.
Challenge: Crawl to the beat of the metronome (60 BPM). Crawl while reading a visual chart or HART chart. Crawl while inside a body sock for a novel activity!
Aim for 20–30 minutes of movement every day. Mix and match activities to create a simple brain-boosting routine:
✅ Cross Crawls (2 minutes)
✅ Bear Crawls (2 minutes)
✅ Infinity Walk (5 minutes)
✅ Animal Walks (5 minutes)
✅ Hanging or Wheelbarrow Walks (3 minutes)
✅ Crawling Activities (3 minutes)
✅ Log Rolls or Rocking (2 minutes)
Consistent movement helps build the foundation for attention, learning, emotional regulation, coordination, and confidence, all while making summer more fun. The best exercise for the brain is movement that challenges the body in new and meaningful ways.
Looking for visual cards to create a daily integration plan? Check out BrainWorks Online or BrainWorks Printed Kits!
ENJOY!
