For many kids, the thought of a new school year is exciting. For others, however, it can be incredibly stressful as they contemplate another year of something they find difficult.

Kinesiology is the study of movement and can be used to help reduce stress in the body, promote energy flow and ease pain, and many systems of kinesiology have been created to make learning an easy and enjoyable experience.

We tend to think of schoolwork and studying as purely mental activities, but the mind and body are incredibly interconnected. Kinesiology provides physical tools to activate the brain's full potential. Some of these tools include Edu-K, Brain Gym and LEAP! Most of these programs use specific, coordinated movement to stimulate brain integration and can be  used easily by anyone. No previous training, special skills, materials or equipment are required. All that is needed is an open mind and willingness to try something new.

Many people are familiar with the idea of using visualization techniques to stimulate muscles. Experiments done with world-class athletes have shown that training mentally can improve physical performance, by walking through specific movements with the mind. The opposite also holds true-stimulating the muscles in certain precise movements triggers thought and connection of nerve cells. Basically the body helps in training the brain.

This brain-training kinesiology can be especially helpful in getting both hemispheres of the brain to work properly together. Activities such as reading and math, two subjects that children commonly have difficulty with, require such integration between hemispheres.

A popular exercise to get the brain working is the "cross-crawl." We know that each hemisphere of the brain controls the movement of the opposite side of the body. Movement that crosses the midline of the body integrates the two hemispheres so that they work together better. This means more of the information taken in is retained. An easy example of this would be bending the left leg at the knee and bringing it up and touching it with the right hand, then switching in a slow march.

Kids can get very creative with these movements and have lots of fun doing them. Using upbeat music that they enjoy and cross-crawling to the beat makes the experience even better. Try taking turns leading the movements. It only takes a minute or two to make a big  difference.

Another easy technique that can be used with children is called "switching on." Switching is something that occurs when you are under stress, and basically means that energy or electricity is not moving properly between the body and the brain, so messages are getting scrambled along the way. This can manifest itself in reversing letters or numbers when reading or writing.

To correct this, place one hand over the navel and use the other hand to rub the small hollows under the collarbone. Do this for a few seconds, then switch hands and repeat. Leave one hand on the navel and use the other to rub back and forth directly above and below the lips, again switching hands after a few seconds. Lastly, use one hand to rub up and down on the tailbone, or base of the spine. Again, switch hands.

This may seem weird to some people, but it really works! Kids should be left feeling balanced, grounded and more energized. There are plenty of techniques that can be used to turn on the eyes, tune in the ears, improve handwriting, calm down and deal with stress effectively. Many of these are outlined in Toni Gralton's little book Kinesiology for Kids, which is available through the Canadian Association of Specialized Kinesiology. Many instructors also offer fun courses, so kids and parents can learn these techniques together. For more information, try www.canask.org.

Once a child notices how good it feels to be switched on and integrated, they become very good at letting you know when something is amiss. Giving kids tools to keep their own bodies healthy and well is a tremendous gift-one that will last for a lifetime.

Alexis Costello is a natural health practitioner and Touch for Health Instructor who works with kinesiology and nutrition at Okanagan Natural Care Centre in Kelowna, BC. www.naturalcare.bc.ca

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