
These skills are very important for reading and writing development. The eyes naturally cross the midline to accomplish this task. Because the child is moving their hands so quickly, their eyes must also track the cups and the movement of their hands as they participate in the activity. What many teachers and educators may not know is the impact cup stacking also has on a child’s visual processing skills and reading ability. Visual Processing and Reading Development As more children participated in these activities in school, teachers and physical education specialists started to notice a difference in the students’ development of language skills, math sequences and problem solving. This fun and intense game actually “forces” the child to cross the midline with their hands as well as their eyes, which engages the right and left hemispheres of the brain needed for higher learning concepts. However, what most children and adults don’t realize is the learning benefits that come with these types of activities. Therefore, if we teach our students to move better, the better thinkers they will become…Information that is arranged in patterns is more easily processed, retained and retrieved.” Photo credit: Cup Stacking for Crossing the MidlineĬup stacking or speed stacking is surprisingly an individual sport where kids all over the world compete to beat their best time. New learning follows established motor patterns first before it is stored in the cortex. Jean Blaydes Madigan, founder of Action Based Learning and author of Thinking on Your Feet says, “What makes us move, makes us think. Everyone in the room was having fun and they were all laughing and extremely engaged with the activity.Ĭup stacking has many benefits for cognitive development and targets specific areas of the body and the brain to increase intelligence, problem solving skills and critical thinking. She was forming the cups in a triangle or pyramid shape.

I recently walked into an after school program of five and 6-year-olds and saw a large group of kids sitting on the floor, huddled close in somewhat of a circle around a child that was moving cups quickly and stacking them on top of each other.


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If you seek a diagnosis or treatment for your child or student, please contact a trained professional who can provide an evaluation of the child. As a reminder, ILS is not a health care provider and none of our materials or services provide a diagnosis or treatment of a specific condition or learning challenge you may see in your child or student. Affiliate links are included for your convenience. Integrated Learning Strategies (ILS) is a learning and academic center. This article provides information on the benefits of cup stacking activities and the impact it can have on brain building for higher learning. Cup Stacking: Studies Show Cup Stacking Activities Improve Reading Test Scores and Cross-Patterning Brain Development
