Movement Supports Brain Architecture

Physical activity, neuroplasticity, and brain growth are interconnected elements in childhood development. Regular physical activity stimulates neural growth and strengthens connections between brain regions, enhancing cognitive function, learning ability, and emotional regulation. Our students need to physically move 2-5 minutes every 45 minutes in class to prime the brain for learning. At OPEN PHYS ED, you can find activities. Our next Book, The Movement Revolution, will also have over 80 activities for your classrooms (Kuczala & Kenney, 2026).

Dancing Builds Brain Connections

Children's brains possess remarkable neuroplasticity, the ability to reorganize and form new neural pathways in response to experiences. This makes the early years a critical period when movement and sensory experiences literally shape brain architecture. This biological window of opportunity means that active play isn't just fun but neurologically essential. It provides the sensory input and physical challenges that optimize brain development, potentially establishing lifelong cognitive, emotional, and physical foundations.

The developmental pattern of physical, sensory, and cognitive activity driving neuroplasticity and brain growth explains several observable phenomena in childhood development. We have spoken about the developmental pillars before (Kenney & Comizio, 2016). Behavior and learning rest on developmental pillars. If a child has delays or deficits in just one pillar, this will affect their academic achievement.

When infants progress from crawling to walking, they're not just gaining mobility—their brains are forming new neural pathways that enhance spatial awareness and depth perception. Research shows that crawling babies perform better on spatial reasoning tasks than non-crawlers of the same age.

Children who engage in complex movement activities like dance, gymnastics, or playground games typically demonstrate improved executive function skills. For example, a child learning to balance on a beam must integrate sensory input, focus attention, and regulate impulses - all executive functions that later support classroom learning.

Fine motor play with blocks, drawing, or manipulating small objects creates neural connections that later support handwriting and mathematical reasoning. The progression from stacking blocks to drawing shapes to writing letters follows a neurologically predictable sequence.

Children who experience limited physical play opportunities often show delays in both motor and cognitive development. For instance, children with restricted early movement (due to illness or environment) may struggle with reading readiness skills that rely on the same neural pathways established through physical coordination.

The "sensitive periods" for language acquisition align with peaks in motor development—both rely on similar neural mechanisms for pattern recognition and sequencing, so movement-based learning approaches often boost language skills in young children.

The developmental sequence follows a predictable pattern where physical milestones directly influence cognitive and emotional development.

Early infancy (0-12 months): When babies progress from random movements to deliberate reaching and grasping, they develop the cerebellum, which coordinates movement. This same brain region later supports reading fluency and math sequencing. Research shows that infants with abundant tummy time and movement freedom develop stronger visual tracking skills by age 3, a critical precursor to reading.

Toddlerhood (1-3 years): As children master walking and running, their vestibular system (inner ear) matures, establishing balance and spatial orientation. These neural pathways directly support later abilities to sit still in classroom settings and organize information spatially on a page. Studies demonstrate that children with poor vestibular development at age 2 show higher rates of attention difficulties at age 7.

Preschool years (3-5 years): Cross-lateral movements (like crawling, climbing, and skipping) strengthen connections between the brain's hemispheres through the corpus callosum. This integration is essential for later academic skills requiring both analytical and creative thinking. By second grade, children who regularly engage in cross-body play activities show measurably better reading comprehension.

Middle childhood (6-10 years): Refined coordination activities build neural efficiency in the prefrontal cortex, enhancing working memory and cognitive flexibility. A longitudinal study found that children who participated in regular complex physical activities (like team sports or dance) performed 15-20% better on executive function tests by age 10 than their sedentary peers.

This sequential development isn't merely correlational—the neural architecture built through movement literally becomes the foundation for higher-order thinking. Each missed physical milestone can create gaps in the neural framework, potentially limiting cognitive capacity that proves difficult to fully remediate later.

Children's Services Network Event April 24, 2025

If you live in the Phoenix/Scottsdale/Peoria/Chandler area. I will be teaching about Brain Architecture, Executive Function Screening, and Interventions at the April 24, 2025 Children's Services Network meeting at the Jones-Gordon School at 5:45 pm.

Executive Function Screening for ADHD & Dyslexia

References

Kolovelonis, A., Pesce, C., & Goudas, M. (2022). The Effects of a Cognitively Challenging Physical Activity Intervention on School Children's Executive Functions and Motivational Regulations. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(19), 12742.

Kretch, K. S., Franchak, J. M., & Adolph, K. E. (2014). Crawling and walking infants see the world differently. Child development, 85(4), 1503–1518.

Mao, F., Huang, F., Zhao, S., & Fang, Q. (2024). Effects of cognitively engaging physical activity interventions on executive function in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in psychology, 15, 1454447.

Oudgenoeg-Paz, O., & Rivière, J. (2014). Self-locomotion and spatial language and spatial cognition: insights from typical and atypical development. Frontiers in psychology, 5, 521.

Schwarzer, G., Freitag, C., & Schum, N. (2013). How Crawling and Manual Object Exploration are Related to the Mental Rotation Abilities of 9-Month-Old Infants. Frontiers in psychology, 4, 97.

Shi, P., Tang, Y., Zhang, Z., Feng, X., & Li, C. (2022). Effect of Physical Exercise in Real-World Settings on Executive Function of Typical Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review. Brain sciences, 12(12), 1734.

Yang, L., Corpeleijn, E., & Hartman, E. (2024). Daily Physical Activity, Sports Participation, and Executive Function in Children. JAMA network open, 7(12), e2449879.