Movement in Early Childhood:

Moving is an essential part of a preschooler’s day and has direct benefits helping children establish foundation skills for learning. Because of the many “devices” in our homes (e.g. computers, TVs etc) and busy lifestyles, often the “motor” milestones that children need to develop their brain do not happen. Essential play experiences provide these wonderful learning times and because we are busier and under stress more in our society, time spent playing and enjoying the environment is becoming less. Teachers of new entrant and junior classes are realizing more and more that children are entering the “formal” part of their educated lives, unprepared. They have immature skills when it comes to pencil grip, their eye hand coordination is poor (due to many hours spent in front of screens where eye movements are minimal), they are unfit, have poor balance and often have mixed laterality problems which lead to handedness problems and letter reversals in the classroom situation. Many of these problems are caused by our sedentary lifestyle.

Photos above thanks to Wadestown Kindergarten

Moving Smart works alongside early childhood centres, kindergartens, parents and many other organisations to explain the importance of movement and how it grows young children’s brains. During in-service courses and time spent with teachers, parents and caregivers, practical ideas are suggested, with reasons about how and why this will enhance the child. Ideas that are inexpensive but practical and fun are shared. 

For further information about courses

Photos above thanks to Wadestown Kindergarten

Moving To Learn Gill Connell, along with her colleague Robyn Crowe, have written an essential guide for all parents, carers and educators called Moving To Learn. The book helps make the connection between movement, music, learning and play from birth to 3 years and is in its third print run. The book is accompanied with a 67 track CD of original songs, rhymes and finger plays. To order www.movingtolearn.com

Active Movement Active Movement is an initiative developed by Sport and Recreation New Zealand (SPARC). Gill Connell from Moving Smart Ltd sat on the reference committee that wrote “An Introduction to Active Movement” the guidelines booklet explaining the benefits of incorporating Active Movement into our children’s everyday lifestyles. The set of 14 Active Movement Activity Brochures were developed to show how easy it is to incorporate quality physical activity into your children’s lives, right now. From balancing to walking, tummy time to climbing.

It’s not just about discouraging health problems like diabetes and obesity, or building tomorrow’s winning athletes. Early childhood experiences of quality physical movement strongly affect the healthy development of a child’s brain - as well as their body.