Why Movement in Early Childhood Needs to Be More Than Just Active Time
Introduction:
Movement is already introduce to young learners throughout their daily routines - Children run outside, participate in gym class, enjoy music and movement and play games everyday. Giving them the opportunity to move is only part of the picture and it differs from showing them how to move.
For movement to truly support children’s development, they need to be offered variety of experiences to challenge their bodies in a different way. This is why structured play is so important - It helps them grow, physically, emotionally, and cognitively.
Different Forms of Movement Builds Different Skills:
Not all movement develops the same abilities. You can offer different forms of activities to improve children’s physical literacy.
Locomotion - Help children’s physical development by building strength, coordination and spatial awareness. Essential for building confidence.
Non-Locomotion - Essential for building a child’s body control but increasing balance, stability and coordination.
Object Control & Manipulative Skills - Builds mindfulness teaching children to regulate their emotions and find motor control.
Functional Movement - Natural movement that allows for creative expression and group play.
When movement is offered in a variety of forms, they gain a more complete foundation in their development and self-expression.
Why Variety Matters:
Each form of movement contributes in a unique way:
Daily Movement & Free Play - Supports large motor skills and muscle groups. Increases stamina and builds a community within the classroom.
Dance - Encourages self-expression, and coordination, builds on fine motor skills and gross motor development.
Yoga - Promotes emotional regulation, breath control, and promotes balancing and creativity.
Bringing Structured Movement Into the School Day:
Integrating structured movement into a routine helps a child feel safe and confident while allowing them new experiences to explore movement. Programs like Mindful Minis offers structured experiences though Yoga and Dance classes specifically designed for young learners.
Each class follows a simple routine allowing classes to feel fun while remaining predictable for students.
Welcome Circle - Create a social connection within the room.
Guided Movement - Skill building through interactive exercises and play.
Skill Development - Focused practice of locomotion, non-locomotion and object control.
Creative Expression - Functional movement encourages imagination and personal expression.
Cool Down - Reflection and transition energy back to the classroom and a calm learning environment.
A structured approach like the one we take ensures movement isn't just an activity and it becomes and internal part of a child’s learning journey.
Movement as Part of Whole-Child Development:
Giving students more opportunity to explore movement in different forms allows them to gain more than just physical skills:
Improved memory and attention
Increase neural pathways in the brain, boosting cognitive function.
Improves emotional health
Gives children social skills
Movement is not just something children do - it becomes something that supports the way they grow and learn.
In Closing:
Movement is not a separate part of the school day - it is actually apart of the learning process itself. Offering movement in a structured way helps young learners thrive physically, emotionally and cognitively.
If you are interested in bringing structured movement programming into your school, I would love to connect and share how Mindful Minis can support your classrooms.