From Big Movements to Busy Hands: The Developmental Path Every Child Needs
PART 1: Gross Motor – The Foundation for All Learning
Why big body movement comes before reading, writing, and sitting still
When children run, climb, crawl, roll, and jump, they aren’t “just playing.”
They are building the physical foundation their brain needs for learning.
Gross motor skills use the large muscles of the body and develop:
Core strength
Postural control
Balance
Coordination
Without strong gross motor skills, children often struggle with:
Sitting upright at a table
Concentrating
Controlling their hands
Regulating their emotions
Simple ways to support gross motor development
Daily outdoor play (not optional)
Climbing, crawling, pushing, pulling
Obstacle courses
Carrying heavy or awkward objects
Gross motor skills are not a break from learning — they are the beginning of it.
The bigger picture: building better brains
By age six, around 90% of brain architecture is established in children’s brains
Movement experiences lay down the neural pathways that support childrens:
Learning
Behaviour
Emotional regulation
Academic success
This is why at Little School, movement is not an “extra” — it is foundational.
It is embedded into every day because children must move before they can learn. We are firm believers that a moving child is a learning child and that the playground is the first classroom.
Because when we support the body first, the hands — and the brain — can finally thrive.
Want to learn more?
If this resonates with you, you’re not alone. Many parents and teachers are discovering that movement is the missing link for children who are struggling.
👉 Learn more about our sensory-motor, movement-based approach at
www.littleschool.co.nz
👉 Explore parent and educator learning opportunities at
www.lifelearning.co.nz