This isn’t a blog post about exercise or sports, yes exercise is a form of movement but rather movement during learning and the impact on cognitive function. There is a lot of research on how movement is essential for the development of sensory systems at a young age.
As the summer approaches many children will have the opportunity to play outside, then suddenly return to school and must spend time sitting still and quiet.
Studies show that more active children tend to exhibit better focus, faster cognitive processing, and more successful memory retention than kids who spend the day sitting still (Abdelbary, 2017). Madan and Singhal (2012) described the effects on cognition and memory derived from doing, rather than just reading, or seeing. Lessons that encourage participation and demonstration can lead to better outcomes whilst compounding the benefits of movement. Within the classroom this can be done through height-adjustable tables, mixing up seating types, or using mobile units to open classroom space.
Children will fidget, wiggle, and not sit still. This is to move the body and use excess energy not being used. When this happens, children are asked to sit still and pay attention, this effectively puts the brain to sleep. Across many articles, there is a common theme of how movement “turns on” the brain. Many teachers now incorporate exercise and movement into the classroom to better prepare the body to learn and allow for an increase in blood and oxygen flow, which positively affects cognitive development, physical health, and mental well-being (Abdelbary, 2017).
In an article published on Parent Co (2017) Jackie Brown, a pediatric occupational therapist, stressed the importance of having more opportunities for children to move in the classroom, suggesting ideas such as wiggle chairs, fidget toys, or foot fidgets. Like Brown, Dr. Niran Al-Agba believes that there isn’t enough movement in a child’s day, and this is "translating into signs of inattention and impulsivity at school."
Using wiggle, such as our Ricochet seating products, children are continuously and subtly moving. The Ricochet seats encourage balance and in an article in the Washington Post, Valerie Strauss (2014) stated that when compared to children in the early 1980s only one in twelve had normal strength and balance.
