Infinity walk, skip or skate

"Infinity Walk" is a simple way of saying walk in the figure eight pattern. You can use chalk or place tape on the floor to draw the 8 or place any 2 objects that will be circled around as shown in my video.
The purpose of Infinity Walk is to improve brain function, specifically :

1.Crossing midline

2.Use of peripheral vision

3.Using eyes together

4.Eye-hand coordination

5.Visual accommodation

6.Body awareness

7.Balance and rhythm

 

  An OT does a nice job of explaining how infinity walk works.....http://youtu.be/Y5jAGZ8SWJA

 

The theory is that as I rapidly change directions from clockwise to counterclockise and back to clockwise, I am changing which side of the body I am leading with- helping my brain integrate the right and left sides of the body.

While children walk in the figure 8 pattern they may engage in additional activities that further challenge the visual, vestibular and proprioceptive sensory systems:

1. provide movement descriptors such as slow, fast, walk high, low or take baby or giant steps
2. tossing bean bags into boxes placed along the figure 8
3. holding a clear plastic tube with a marble inside (ends taped), keeping the marble in the center. 
4. Throw and catch ball to self or another person
5. Read flash cards of letters, numbers, words or sentences
6. Skip, jump, do brain gym cross crawl (hand or elbow to opposite knee or foot)

 

Performing activities such as these while also walking in  the figure 8 pattern increases body awareness and use of a large visual field since one needs to be aware of objects and where one is moving.

Dr. Deborah Sunbeck's Infinity Walk site