A Bright Step Into Your Child’s Future!
January 22, 2015Smell the Flowers, Spring is Near!
February 26, 2015A Bright Step Into Your Child’s Future!
January 22, 2015Smell the Flowers, Spring is Near!
February 26, 2015The area of the brain most connected with motor control is the cerebellum. It’s located in the back of the brain and is about the size of a small fist. The cerebellum takes up just one-tenth of the brain by volume, but it contains nearly half of all its neurons!
The cerebellum can make predictive and corrective actions regardless of whether it’s dealing with a gross-motor task sequence, such as, walking, running, jumping, throwing, climbing, or a mentally rehearsed task sequence, such as, mental practice, visualization, and memorization.
Amazingly, the part of the brain that processes movement is the same part of the brain that processes learning. We are taught to calculate our movements before we perform them so that we control them better; think of the pause that one takes before executing a cartwheel. Ready… set… go!
This ability suggests that all motor activity is controlled by rapid thought processes that set goals, predict outcomes, and execute movements. Achieving this requires vast connections to all sensory areas.
In fact, the more difficult the job is asked of students, the greater cerebellar activity is needed. All around, evidence shows strong connection between motor and cognitive processes. It has been documented significant gains in attention and reading from these stimulating activities.
Many early cognitive researchers ignored play, assuming it had nothing to do with intellectual growth. They were wrong. Many play-oriented movements have the capacity to improve cognition, including the following:
• Exercise play (aerobics, running, dance routines)
• Group or team competitive games and activities (relays, cheerleading)
• Functional play (practicing a new skill)
• Adventure or confidence play (ropes courses)
Research has found that students who are engaged in daily physical education programs steadily show not only superior motor fitness, but improved academic performance and a better attitude toward school than students who do not participate in daily physical education.
Schools that do not implement a solid physical activity program are cheating student’s brains and their potential for academic performance. Movement activities should become as important as class work.
Although many educators know about the connection between learning and movement, many dismiss the connection once children go beyond the 1st or 2nd grade. Yet the relationship between movement and learning is so strong that it affects all of life.
Interested in knowing more about how exercise helps the brain? We invite you to read about it.
• Physical Exercise for Brain Health
• Benefits of Exercise for Children
It is never too late to improve your learning ability, all it takes is one step to get moving!