“Movement is the door to learning.” — Dr. Paul E. Dennison.
For over a century, research in education, developmental optometry, and sensorimotor training—mainly focused on children with language disabilities—has shown the profound impact of movement on learning. Experts have long recognized that movement is crucial in infant and toddler development, stimulating the senses and fostering brain growth. Many parents have successfully applied this knowledge in raising their children.
Our body’s muscular memory holds more than just the knowledge of how to sit, stand, walk, and run—it also helps us understand where we are in space and how to move with coordination and purpose. As Dr. Carla Hannaford explains, “Every number and letter has movement to it. It has a shape felt and imprinted on the musculature so that it can be repeated and elaborated through the movement of writing.”
All learning begins with the body—our primary point of reference. For children, the body acts as the brain’s first teacher, and movement is its essential lesson plan:
- The more a child moves, the more they understand.
- The more they know, the more they seek to learn.
- The more they seek to learn, the more they need to move.
It is well known that children who skip the crawling stage may encounter learning difficulties later in life. Crawling, a critical cross-lateral movement, aids the development of the corpus callosum, which connects the brain’s two hemispheres. This process engages the arms, legs, eyes (binocular vision), and ears (binaural hearing). Research shows that coordinated, balanced movements stimulate the production of neurotrophins, such as dopamine, which promote the growth of existing nerve cells and the development of new neural connections.
The Benefits of Movement
In preschool, children primarily learn through music, movement, and play. However, when they enter first grade, they are expected to sit and focus for extended periods—up to 30 minutes—while movement is reduced by 50-70%. When children struggle to maintain attention, they may start fidgeting, tapping pencils, or moving their feet. Teachers, often distracted by this behaviour, ask them to sit still. But staying still is difficult—attention spans are typically age +1 or 2 years, and attention has decreased even further post-pandemic. This leads to children missing out on information, and as a result, they may require tutoring to grasp what was taught in school. Instead of playing, they must sit still for even more time.
Movement enhances physical health and supports mental well-being, social skills, cognitive function, motor skills, and brain development. For neurodiverse children—such as those with ADHD or autism—movement is especially beneficial, though it is important that this movement is purposeful.
Therapists carefully consider the child’s age, developmental stage, and abilities when designing movement-based home plans for children with special needs. While unstructured play, like running in a garden, is fun, purposeful movement offers more benefits. It helps children develop practical, everyday skills.
In essence, movement fuels learning. Without it, the brain has no reason to grow.
References :
A moving child is a Learning Child – Gill Connell & Cheryl Mc Carthy.
Smart Moves Why learning is not all in your head -Carla Hannaford PhD
Minaz Ajani has a Master’s in Special Education focusing on Learning Disabilities. She is also a licensed Brain Gym®, Touch for Health®, Movement Based Learning Instructor, and RMTI consultant. She regularly trains parents, teachers and therapists.