Movement and learning

HomeSchool resourcesMovement and learning
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Early childhood

Movement and learning

HomeSchool resourcesMovement and learning

Topic summary

Movement and physical activity support physical health, mental wellbeing, and a range of academic and social emotional outcomes.

It is important to think about physical activity and exercise in school and classroom settings as involving more than just PE and sport. There are many ways that classroom teachers can incorporate different kinds of movement into their learning programmes to support a range of academic, behavioural, and social emotional outcomes.

The benefits of physical exercise and movement are wide-ranging and will serve students in the classroom and beyond.

The importance of physical activity for physical and mental health is well established. In addition, there is a growing body of evidence demonstrating the relationship between physical activity and more specific academic outcomes, and between exercise and self-regulation. For example, physical activity has been linked to improved on-task behaviour and working memory. There is also evidence that increased levels of physical activity at school have greater benefits for students from lower socio-economic backgrounds and may lead to more equitable outcomes.

Building movement and exercise into daily classroom routines can lead to a range of benefits for students and support improved academic learning and better behavioural and emotional regulation.

  • How can we build appropriate amounts and types of physical activity and movement into learning programmes?
  • How can we use movement to improve students’ behavioural and emotional regulation?
  • How can we explore the relationship between movement and specific academic outcomes?

Research reviews

The importance of physical activity for learning and wellbeing

An introduction to the research on the role of exercise and movement in promoting learning and wellbeing

Reviewing and implementing approaches to movement and physical activity

Tools and approaches for evaluating approaches to P.E. and exercise at the school, teacher, and student level

Webinars

Understanding and supporting children’s movement and development

International expert Gill Connell discusses the range of movement patterns children need to be engaging with to support their holistic development

Movement and learning in early primary

Exploring the role movement plays in brain development and how movement prepares children for the rigours of formal learning

Supporting children’s physical development from ages 0-7

Exploring the role movement plays in child development and how teachers can support children to be develop gross and fine motor skills

Infographics

Snapshots

Students need to move to learn

Key insights from our webinar with Gill Connell on the importance of movement for learning.
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