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You are here: Home / Child Development / Why Movement is Important for Learning

Why Movement is Important for Learning

December 9, 2013 By Heather Greutman 24 Comments

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Affiliate and Referral links are used below to promote products I love and recommend. I receive a commission on any purchases made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details.

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.

Reasons why movement is important for learning with kids.

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!

the ABC's of Movement activity cards.

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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Filed Under: Child Development Tagged With: Child Development, For Parents, For Teachers, Gross Motor, Preschool 3-5

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CONTENT DISCLAIMER: Heather Greutman is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant.
All information on the Website is for informational purposes only and is not a replacement for medical advice from a physician or your pediatrician. Please consult with a medical professional if you suspect any medical or developmental issues with your child. The information on the Websites does not replace the relationship between therapist and client in a one-on-one treatment session with an individualized treatment plan based on their professional evaluation. The information provided on the Website is provided “as is” without any representations or warranties, express or implied.
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Comments

  1. Italian Kiwi says

    December 9, 2013 at 8:54 am

    I’m glad I’ve found your blog, Heather! I have a 7 year old who’s about to start with an occupational therapist for his fine motor movements, plus he goes to a speech therapist to help with his spelling and attention issues, so it’s interesting to read about these cards! Unfortunately I can’t enter in the competition as we live in Europe, but I’ll be looking to buy them for sure!

    Reply
  2. Sharla says

    December 9, 2013 at 10:37 am

    Really great information in the video Heather! These look like a great tool for teaching the alphabet through movement.

    Reply
  3. Emma @ P is for Preschooler says

    December 9, 2013 at 11:54 am

    My daughter is an active, hands-on learner. 🙂

    Reply
  4. writebonnierose says

    December 9, 2013 at 3:02 pm

    Oh, how much fun! I have a 2 1/2 year in mind who would love those!

    Reply
  5. Kristen from The Road to Domestication says

    December 9, 2013 at 3:37 pm

    Great post, Heather! And I really like the vlog, too!

    Reply
  6. Barb says

    December 9, 2013 at 5:28 pm

    Both of my kids are hands on. My son gets bored real fast so he needs his mind stimulated constantly and my daughter likes to take her time to take it all in.

    Reply
  7. Misty says

    December 9, 2013 at 6:25 pm

    I shared this with my Facebook fans, I think that it is an awesome way to teach the young kids. Thanks so much for the time that you put into making the video and for the giveaway.

    Reply
  8. Karen says

    December 9, 2013 at 9:19 pm

    My children are both very high energy, so they would probably be kinesthetic learners.

    Reply
  9. Elizabeth from Creative Learning Fun says

    December 9, 2013 at 9:33 pm

    These flashcards look great!

    Reply
    • Elizabeth from Creative Learning Fun says

      December 9, 2013 at 9:34 pm

      My daughter is a very hands on learner.

      Reply
  10. middlewaymom says

    December 9, 2013 at 10:44 pm

    My teen is very visual, and while I thought my 3 year old dare-devil would break out in hives at work sheets, she surprisingly loves them! I guess we’ll find out about her in due time. 🙂

    Reply
  11. Theres Just One Mommy says

    December 9, 2013 at 10:46 pm

    My daughter is a mover when it comes to learning…. These look great!

    Reply
  12. Christina Howell says

    December 9, 2013 at 11:24 pm

    My one son learns by hands-on activities. He needs to experience what he is learning.

    Reply
  13. morethanacouponqueen says

    December 10, 2013 at 5:46 pm

    My daughter is pure hands on and visual. She is not going to do well with reading or rote memorization.

    Reply
  14. Lori S says

    December 10, 2013 at 7:20 pm

    Both of my daughters are more kinesthetic learners.

    Reply
  15. zekesmom10 says

    December 12, 2013 at 4:24 pm

    My boys are very physical. This would be so fun.

    Reply
  16. Leena says

    December 12, 2013 at 11:23 pm

    My son is a very active hands on learner. The more activity and movement involved the happier he is about what he is doing.

    Reply
  17. Karolyn says

    December 13, 2013 at 12:30 am

    My son is visual and hands on, my daughter is auditory.

    Reply
  18. Tammy says

    December 14, 2013 at 9:29 am

    I’d probably say Kinesthetic learner.

    Reply
  19. Shelley Wasklewicz says

    December 16, 2013 at 10:26 pm

    This looks very interesting and would be a great addition to any homeschooling family’s resources.

    Reply
  20. De De says

    January 20, 2016 at 4:46 pm

    alliteration is pronounced al lit’ er ra tion

    Reply
    • Heather Greutman says

      January 21, 2016 at 8:53 am

      Thanks De De. I always have problems pronouncing that one. 🙂

      Reply
  21. Siobhan says

    February 2, 2019 at 8:58 pm

    I wish these cards would ship to Canada. I just tried to purchase them for my room and could not.

    Reply
    • Heather Greutman says

      February 3, 2019 at 1:28 pm

      I have a similar product in stock that I could ship to Canada for you. I will send you a message.

      Reply

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