How Structured Movement Supports Early Childhood Development

Structured movement experiences help children explore balance, coordination, rhythm, and body awareness in a way that supports their overall development.

While movement often happens naturally throughout a child’s day while playing and learning through experiences, it becomes even more beneficial for a child when they are offered a variety of intentional movement experiences.

By offering different types of structured movement activities it offers additional support in different areas of development - helping children build a strong foundation in physical literacy, coordination, self-expression, and confidence.

Creative Movement and Dance

Creative movement and dance allows children to explore rhythm, music, and expression through their bodies, it offers them structured movement that allows them to explore new movements.

Instead of focusing on memorizing choreography, children are encouraged to experiment with movement by finding new shapes, respond to music and begin to understand rhythm, and most importantly use their imagination.

Creative movement and Dance activities help children develop:

• rhythm and timing
• coordination
• creativity and self-expression
• confidence in movement and themselves.

These structured movement experiences help children see movement as something enjoyable and expressive rather than something they need to perform perfectly or have to participate in.

Yoga and Mindful Movement

Slower structured movement experiences are equally important for children’s overall development.

Yoga and mindful movement activities give the opportunity introduce children to stretching, controlling their movements, and breathing exercises and the importance of breathing.

Structured Yoga experiences support:

• flexibility and strength
• body awareness
• emotional regulation
• focus and calmness

Offering both energetic and calming movement experiences allows children to explore different ways their bodies can move.

Building Physical Literacy

When children are exposed to a variety of movement experiences, they begin developing physical literacy.

Physical literacy refers to the confidence, coordination, and understanding children build as they learn how their bodies move and they begin to master new skills.

Instead of only repeating one type of activity, children benefit from exploring multiple forms of movement that challenge their bodies in different ways.

Bringing Structured Movement Into Early Learning Environments

Programs like Mindful Minis introduce children to a range of structured movement experiences through dance, yoga, and creative movement activities.

Structured movement programs can be a valuable addition to daycare and Montessori environments by giving children opportunities to explore movement in ways that support their development, creativity, and confidence.