Brain research now suggests
that thinking and moving are closely linked. Through
sensory motor activities, connections are made that
provide the framework for higher thinking. A child’s
self esteem is also enhanced when their motor skills are
highly developed. Using varied props in gross motor and
fine motor activities encourages hand and eye and foot
and eye coordination. It lays the building blocks for
eye convergence, essential for reading and writing.
Movement and sensation are closely linked, only when the
movement and sensation are fully integrated in a child’s
developing brain can they learn optimally. Our skin is
the body’s largest sense organ and is linked, through
the brain to both the eyes and the ears. Our children
need a rich sensory experience to fully engage the brain
and multi-sensory music and movement activities can
provide a strong basis for achieving this. Activities
that include playful rhymes, songs, dances games and
lots of varied movement with objects to move, feel,
touch , hold and watch will encourage sensory motor
integration, motor timing skills, and motor planning
skills. Pre-schoolers need lots of gross motor
activities to prepare for the fine motor skills needed
as they meet later learning challenges.
