Movement Is The Foundation For Learning
Movement is the Foundation for Learning
Every parent wants their child to live to their greatest potential. An aim of the Moving Smart Community Project is to recognise parents as their child's first teacher and to empower them to help their child build a strong learning foundation. A vital key to that foundation is movement.
As our babies grow, they learn how to:
- roll
- crawl
- stand
- squat
- walk
- run
- hop
- skip
- balance and so much more!
In early childhood, a child needs opportunities to do all this through play, discovery, experience, and variety.
Our hope is to inspire you to move with your child in ways that are fun, engaging and meaningful, to support both their brain and body development.
Movement Experiences Improve Health
Movement experiences increase a child’s health, learning and well being. Children's bodies are SMART. Living inside each child's body is their very own super hero, helping their clever body to grow healthy and strong.
Every day their very clever body is so very busy! It's repairing itself, growing new cells, helping them to run, jump, play and all sorts of other important jobs!.
Elements to include in kids movement experiences
BALANCE
Our ability to balance is a fundamental skill that calls for many of our different senses to integrate creating smooth and steady movements. All babies and children must learn how to balance. Click on the button below to read our blog containing 5 kids balance games.
VESTIBULAR SYSTEM
In the space between our ears lives a collection of curiously shaped fluid filled canals called our Vestibular System. The movement of the fluid in the canals tells our brain where we are in space. It tells us if we are forward, backward, up, down, tilting, spinning, leaning and how fast or slow we’re moving. Click on the button below to read our blog containing ideas for playfull ways to promote vestibular development.
CROSS PATTENING
The term ‘cross patterning’ or ‘cross crawling’ involves using the opposite arm and opposite leg at the same time. This cross lateral or cross patterning action integrates both sides of the brain for optimum learning and brain communication. Click on the button below to read our blog containing 7 fun ways to include cross pattening with your child.
BODY AWARENESS
Body Awareness is the sense we have of our own bodies. It allows children to understand how far they need to reach for something or how close to stand. It also includes learning the names of body parts, where they are located, what they do and how they feel. Click on the button below to read our blog titled 4 ways to make body awareness fun with your kids.
CROSSING THE MIDLINE
The midline is an invisible line that runs from head to toe. It separates the left and right halves of the body. Crossing the midline involves a body part, like a hand or foot, moving from one side of the body to the other. Being able to cross the midline is very important and essential for reading and writing, getting dressed, putting on socks and shoes, cleaning our teeth, and participating in sport activities. Click on the button below to read our blog containing play ideas for crossing the midline.
Movement is the Foundation for Learning
For children to concentrate, focus their eyes and/or sit still requires a functioning brain and body connection. The quality and control that we have over our bodies movements strongly impacts our ability to learn. Moving every day is a vital part of helping a child's brain and body connection to strengthen.
The environment that our children live and learn in shapes the type of movement they do each day. It is up to us to create an environment that is full of opportunities in our homes, schools and community.
For other ideas on how to incorporate movement into your child's life visit the Moving Smart Blog.
This blog has been written as one in a series of articles aimed a increasing the knowledge and skills of parents and early childhood educators within the Wide Bay Region and is part of the Moving Smart Community Project.
