Move, Play, Learn

ByMonica Healer

Hey Reader!

Did you know that movement for young children isn’t just fun (or annoying)—it’s actually essential for learning? When young children move, they strengthen brain connections, improve focus, and absorb new information more effectively. Involving the whole body actually cements the learning deeper in the brain than just rote memorization or sedentary learning.

How Movement Supports Learning

  • Boosts Brain Power – Increases oxygen flow, helping with focus and problem-solving.
  • Builds Self-Regulation – Helps children manage emotions and transitions.
  • Enhances Language & Math – Rhythmic movement strengthens early literacy and numeracy skills.

Ways to Add More Movement to Your Day

  • Group Times: Start circle time with stretching, yoga, or action songs.
  • Transitions: Hop like a frog or waddle like a penguin to the next activity or march while cleaning up.
  • Whole-Body Learning: Act out stories, jump while counting, or form letters with your arms.
  • Outdoor Play: Running, climbing, and balancing build coordination and problem-solving skills.

The more children move, the more they learn! How do you add movement to your day?

I recently had a great conversation with Dan St. Romain who wrote a book called “Lessons from LaRoux” that compares puppy behavior to child development! It’s such a great book – easy-to-read and it makes a whole lotta sense! There’s a whole chapter in there about the benefits of physical activity in helping children learn (as well as Boundaries, Relationships, Clarity, and Consistency). Dan has a whole website full of great content – HERE is a link to his blog. And you can also listen to our podcast episode where we talk about helping children manage their behavior. Just click the link below!

Cheering you on this week!

-Your ECCN team

week 2/4

Have you checked out our online courses lately?

We’ve recently added:

Chelsea Robberson on Teaching the Whole-Brain Child
L.J. McCulloch on I See You, Race in the Classroom
​Dr. Shelly Melia on Spiritual Formation in Early Childhood​
Deborah Stewart on a Faith-Filled Play-Based Classroom​

Check out our entire library of courses below.

​

​

​

Colossians 3:16

“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”

Similar Posts

Nurturing Tiny Minds: A Guide to Supporting Early Childhood Mental Health

Byearlychildhoodchristiannetwork

Hey Reader!
From the moment a baby is born, the brain undergoes rapid development, forming one million neural connections every second (ZerotoThree.org)! Positive interactions during this period of development significantly impact a child’s emotional and cognitive growth. As caregivers, creating a nurturing environment is key. Simple things like responsive caregiving, where a caregiver promptly attends to a baby’s needs, build a sense of security and trust. This secure attachment becomes the…

Stay Well This Winter: Tips for Healthy Early Educators!

Stay Well This Winter: Tips for Healthy Early Educators!

Byearlychildhoodchristiannetwork

Hey Reader!
Tis the season to be….sniffling! Have you ever noticed how quickly you can start feeling those sniffles come on? Early childhood educators are exposed to So.Many.Germs. All the time. We typically hold children close (especially, those who aren’t feeling their best); We’re the ones who wipe noses and try to catch sneezes from afar – who am I kidding? Those sneezes and coughs land all over us every single day! So what are some things YOU can do to keep yourself healthy during this…

Like sands through the hourglass…

Like sands through the hourglass…

Byearlychildhoodchristiannetwork

Hey Reader!
Time. It’s something we cannot get more of! We’re all gifted exactly the same amount of minutes every day. Today, I just want to share one idea that I hope you’ll consider as you keep working on being a rockstar early educator!
Look at your daily classroom schedule for your students – you have one right? (If you don’t, then stop here and get that done. Your students need routine!) Now, make a copy of it and document what you and any co-teacher, assistant teacher, floater, etc are…

Communication Pickle Ball?

Communication Pickle Ball?

Byearlychildhoodchristiannetwork

Hey Reader!
Infants and toddlers communicate through their behaviors, and being attuned to these cues is vital. Pay attention to their expressions, respond to their babbling, and engage in interactive play. Sometimes, we refer to this “back-and-forth” conversation as “serve and return” – think of it like tennis, volleyball or ping pong (or maybe even pickleball)! One person starts the conversation (serves) and the other person responds (return).
Here is a great example of this with a father…

Nurturing Resilience in Preschoolers through Risky Play

Nurturing Resilience in Preschoolers through Risky Play

Byearlychildhoodchristiannetwork

Hey Reader!
The term “risky play” has gained some attention over the last few years in the world of early childhood development. Our natural instinct is to protect our little ones from potential harm, but research suggests that allowing controlled, purposeful risk-taking can be a crucial component of healthy development. “If we want children to be prepared for risk, we need to allow them to come into contact with risk.” says Prof Rolf Schwarz of Karlsruhe University of Education, who advises…

Promoting Cooperation Over Conflict: Strategies for Teaching Turn-Taking

Promoting Cooperation Over Conflict: Strategies for Teaching Turn-Taking

Byearlychildhoodchristiannetwork

Hey Reader! In a national parent survey conducted by zerotothree.org, 43% of parents that were surveyed thought children should be good at sharing by around age 2. In reality, the skills of sharing and taking turns begin developing around ages 3-6 when children begin to assert power over their environments (you can read about Erikson’s Theory HERE). This is the time where they really begin to start making friends and playing cooperatively rather than just next to each other (parallel play)….