Why Movement is Important for Learning

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Movement is such a fun and really necessary way that kids learn. Whether they are learning to roll, walk, read, or write, movement is part of how they learn.

Unfortunately, many kids do not get the movement they need in order to learn. I think many schools are missing the boat on this.

I am very excited to be sharing The ABC’s of Movement activity cards for kids with you, I know they will benefit many of you, especially those of you with children who are preschool, kindergarten, and early elementary school ages 3-8.

Below is my vlog of why movement is so important for learning, and also a review of the ABC’s of Movement activity cards for kids. There is a real-life demonstration of how to use the cards, so be sure to watch through the video for that. I show you a couple ways you can use the cards; there are so many options with these alphabet activity cards.

A couple disclaimers: I apologize for the weird background movement in the first part of the video. I was having major issues with the movie maker program I use and this was the only version I could get to work somewhat correctly. Also in the activity section, you will probably notice my daughter walking through a lot, haha. It was an activity on the move that is for sure. Which is why my husband was video taping and a couple time I had to edit because the video lost track of where we were. 😉

A couple things I did with these alphabet flash cards that you will notice in the video: Since Michael is just learning how to write his name only, I did not correct him when he was tracing the alphabet in the air. For his age, 3 1/2, being able to trace the alphabet correctly is not age appropriate at this time, so I did not pressure him into doing that.

For a couple of them, I had him trace directly on the card, which could be an option for you if you have younger children using these alphabet flash cards. I also let him try the movements first on his own, then gave him a demonstration if he had trouble copying the movements from the flashcards. I would suggest letting the kids look at the flash cards and see if they can do it themselves before you try and step in and give a demonstration.

I am excited to have Laurie here on the blog today too to share with you a little bit about her reason for making the ABC’s of Movement activity cards for kids:

Hi, I am product developer Laurie Gombash, PT, MEd, and I have been a physical therapist for the past twenty-eight years. Throughout my professional life, I have written and published numerous articles, performed research, and written two books on physical therapy-related topics. For the past twenty years, I have been a pediatric physical therapist helping children with special needs. After my own children left for college, I finally had time to turn my product ideas into reality. In 2012, I created and self-published my product—The ABC’s of Movement®—to help my students, and children everywhere, learn the alphabet and motor skills simultaneously. I recognize that movement is vital for young children’s development and feel these educational flashcards are ideal for children ages 3-8 years of all abilities. The ABC’s of Movement® flashcards are great for children who are learning to read and can be used to increase language development. Also, children in need of physical activity (ALL children) will benefit from these cards. As a physical therapist, I combined my knowledge of the normal gross motor development of young children with learning the alphabet using the literacy components of rhyming and alliteration to reinforce each of the alphabet letters. Literacy experiences prior to first grade are critical for children’s success in learning to read. By pairing motor experiences with alphabet letters, literacy connects through movement and play. Current brain research shows that movement and exercise can spark the growth of new brain cells and facilitate learning. In addition, the evidence is mounting about the benefits of movement in the learning process. I used my expertise in physical therapy to combine gross motor components such as motor planning, bilateral coordination, crossing midline, strength, and balance into these twenty-six noncompetitive, movement experiences. Please visit my website: www.ABCsmovement.com for more information. I believe a good life is when you assume nothing, do more, need less, smile often, dream big, laugh a lot, and realized how blessed you are. I make a conscious effort to lead a good life each and every day!

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the ABC’s of Movement activity cards for the purpose of this review and giveaway as well as monetary compensation for my time. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my 100% honest opinion. I was not required to have a positive review. This is disclosure is in accordance with FTC guidelines and regulations. For more details please refer to my disclosure policy.

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