The Secret Link Between Movement And Your Baby's Brain - With FREE Resources
- Marene Jooste
- Jul 13, 2021
- 11 min read
Updated: Nov 20, 2025
(Click here for the Afrikaans version)
In the first 2 years of a child's life, we do everything in our power to teach a baby how to walk and to talk. However, for the rest of his childhood we will all-too-often ask him to 'sit still or be quiet'. (And I'm not talking about discipline or the lack thereof).
The fact is, children were made to move! Research on the importance of sensory-motor experiences for brain growth and development has blossomed in recent years. We can no longer limit the learning environment to "sitting still, being quiet, and memorizing stuff". We can no longer limit a child's break time to only half an hour per day. We need to go back to the basics.
Why Is Movement Important For The Brain?
There are a number of reasons. In his book Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, John Ratey - renowned psychiatrist and bestselling author - mentions Jean-Pierre Changeux and the research that was done by him to find the connection between movement and one's brain.
For his research, this French neuroscientist paralyzed the muscles of a baby chick whilst it was inside an egg. This prevented the chick embryo to use it's muscles and move around in the egg. The result? The chick’s brain was abnormal when it hatched! This emphasize the need for movement (even prior to birth), for healthy brain development.
However, this researcher went one step further. He took healthy brain cells of a baby chick and placed it in a petri dish. The brain cells remained there but did nothing else.
He then added a protein called BDNF. John Ratey calls this protein "Miracle-Gro". Do you know why? This protein caused the brain cells to sprout into structural branches in the brain required for learning - sort of like a fertilizer for the brain. So how do we get or produce this protein called "Miracle-Gro"? Through movement and exercise!
Movement And The Senses
Movement also stimulates and affects all of the major senses which provide important information necessary for future academic success. The vestibular system (big word for the 'balance' system) is situated in your inner ear. This sensory system is considered the entryway into the brain. It also acts as a 'traffic cop' and directly or indirectly influences nearly everything we do in our daily lives.
It has a direct link to the following:
balance & equilibrium,
eye movements & muscle control,
spatial orientation,
arousal state (responsiveness, being alert)
discrimination of speech and language
According to Cheatum And Hammond, researchers found that 94 % of children with dyslexia and learning disabilities had a vestibular dysfunction related to ear infections or allergies.
How do we get this system to function optimally? You guessed it - through movement! Every movement of the child stimulates the vestibular system, which stimulates the brain for new learning.
We can now understand why modern technology can be harmful to our children's development. Not only because of the content that children may view, but also because the excessive amount of screen time robs them of valuable time. Time that they could spend on "building their brains". Like John R. Ratey says, "Exercise is really for the brain, not for the body".
Barriers To Movement
If movement is so important, what can hinder a child from being active and developing his senses to the full? For years, Dr Glenn Doman pressed for parents to get their children moving from the moment that they are born. It seems as if this rings true - now more than ever..!
With ever increasing safety equipment, convenient gadgets and over protective parenting, we are unknowingly causing our babies to become more passive by the day. As parents we need to create an environment that gives our babies maximum opportunity to move around freely.
What Can You Do To Help Your Baby Move More?
Here are some quick guidelines.
Floor time
Since it is almost impossible for your baby to move while he is on his back (like an overturned turtle), the best thing you can do for your baby is to create a safe floor environment where he can spend as much time on his belly as possible.
However, remember to offer your baby a variety of positions (back, tummy and side) during awake time to develop and strengthen his muscles equally well. Also ensure that your baby is doing all of the hard work when he needs to assume a position like sitting.
Gadgets
Even if some gadgets are approved by a professional, it is futile to let a baby sit (or walk) in a gadget where he is supported in such a way that his muscles do not need to work at all.
Rather place your baby in an apple box where he can learn to sit upright by himself without falling over completely. You can make it more appealing, and educational, by throwing a baby blanket over the sides and using pegs to pin various pictures or toys. (Remember to supervise your baby!).
Baby Workout
Let your baby do most of the work when you pick him up or put him down. Roll him onto his side when you change his nappy and slowly pull him up into a sitting position by taking his hands. This all seems like logical things to do, but in our practice we continue to see 4 month old babies with a head lag because they do not get enough opportunities to 'engage and use their muscles'.
Baby Clothes And Shoes
Make sure that your baby's clothes are fitting him correctly. Long sleeves that are hanging over his hands, or pants that are too lose or too tight, are all playing a part in making movement difficult for your little one.
The best shoes are no shoes at all. If you want to invest in your child's posture and health, then invest in more expensive shoes that can bent and give way as your child learns to walk by himself.
Surface Of Your House Or Preschool
The type of surface on which your child needs to crawl or walk needs a lot of consideration. If a baby has poor core muscles and finds it difficult to work against gravity when they need to push up in an all-fours position, they will tend to bum-shuffle if the surface is smooth (like tiles or laminated flooring).
If a baby is in the early stages of bum-shuffling, he will quickly be discouraged by a sturdy carpet under his bum. In winter time, babies in long sleeve clothing also find it extremely difficult to move around if the surface do not provide enough grip.
Further, remember that an overweight baby finds it more difficult to move around and work against gravity than his little peers. Let us remember: an active baby is a smart baby!
EduMove Curriculum
The good news is that your school has subscribed to our EduMove curriculum. This means that your baby will receive jam-pack, fun-filled classes on a regular basis to help stimulate, develop, optimize and improve their neuro-motor skills.
Feel free to ask your baby's teacher how he/she is doing in the program. Finally, look out for music that will be provided regularly throughout the year that you and your child will have fun singing, dancing and moving to. .
Additional Resource For Parents & Teachers
To help instill movement values from the very beginning, we’ve created a beautiful storybook you can read to your little one at home or in the classroom. It gently reinforces the power of movement and the joy of exploring the world through their bodies.
Along with the story, you can also listen to a fun EduMove song to get your baby moving in all the ways their brain loves most.
Feel free to download and use these books as often as you like - they are there to support you in giving your baby the best possible start.
Until next time, happy moving moments from EduMove.
Die Geheime Skakel Tussen Beweging En Jou Baba Se Brein
In die eerste 2 jaar van 'n kind se lewe doen ons alles in ons vermoë om 'n baba te leer hoe om te loop en te praat. Vir die res van sy kinderjare sal ons hom egter alte dikwels vra om 'stil te sit of stil te wees'. (En ek praat nie van dissipline of die gebrek daaraan nie).
Die feit is, kinders is gemaak om te beweeg! Navorsing oor die belangrikheid van sensories-motoriese ervarings vir breingroei en -ontwikkeling het die afgelope paar jaar die hoogte in geskiet. Ons kan nie meer die leeromgewing beperk tot "stilsit, stil wees en dinge memoriseer nie". Ons kan nie meer 'n kind se pousetyd beperk tot slegs 'n halfuur in totaal per dag nie. Ons moet teruggaan na die basiese beginsels.
Waarom is beweging so belangrik vir leer? Daar is 'n aantal redes. In sy boek Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain bespreek John Ratey (bekende Psigiater en topverkoper), Jean-Pierre Changeux en die navorsing wat deur hom gedoen is om die verband tussen beweging en 'n mens se brein te vind.
Vir sy navorsing het hierdie Franse neuro-wetenskaplike die spiere van 'n baba-kuiken verlam terwyl dit in die eier was. Dit het verhoed dat die kuiken-embrio sy spiere gebruik, met die gevolg dat hy nie in die eier rond beweeg het nie. Die uiteinde? Die kuiken se brein was abnormaal toe hy uitgebroei het! Dit beklemtoon die behoefte aan beweging (selfs voor geboorte), vir gesonde breinontwikkeling.
Hoekom Is Beweging Belangrik Vir Die Brein
Hierdie navorser het egter 'n stap verder gegaan. Hy het gesonde breinselle van 'n baba-kuiken geneem en dit in 'n skottel geplaas. Die breinselle het daar gebly, maar niks anders het gebeur nie.
Hy het toe 'n proteïen genaamd BDNF bygevoeg. John Ratey noem hierdie proteïen "Miracle-Gro". Weet jy hoekom? Hierdie proteïen het veroorsaak dat die breinselle in strukturele takke in die brein spruit wat nodig is om te leer. Dit werk dus amper soos 'n tipe kunsmis vir die brein. Die vraag is nou, hoe produseer ons hierdie proteïen genaamd "Miracle-Gro"? Deur beweging en oefening!
Beweging stimuleer en beïnvloed ook al die belangrikste sintuie wat belangrike inligting verskaf wat nodig is vir toekomstige akademiese sukses. Die vestibulêre sisteem (die professionnele woord wat meestal gebruik word vir die 'balans'-sisteem) is in jou binne-oor geleë.
Hierdie sensoriese sisteem word deur baie professionele persone gesien as die belangrikste sisteem wat al die ander sensoriese sisteme se inligting bymekaar trek om sin te maak van alles wat in en om jou gebeur. Dit dien ook as 'n ‘verkeersbeampte’ in jou brein en beïnvloed byna alles wat ons in ons daaglikse lewe doen.
Dit het 'n direkte invloed op die volgende:
Balans en ekwilibrium
Spiertonus
Oogbewegings
Ruimtelike oriëntasie
Opwekkingsvlakke (vakerig of wawyd wakker)
Diskriminasie van spraak en taal
Volgens Cheatum en Hammond het navorsers bevind dat 94% van kinders met disleksie en leergestremdhede 'n vestibulêre disfunksie het wat verband hou met oorinfeksies of allergieë.
Hoe kry ons hierdie stelsel om optimaal te funksioneer? Jy het dit geraai - deur beweging! Elke beweging van die kind stimuleer die vestibulêre sisteem, wat die brein op sy beurt weer stimuleer vir nuwe leer.
Ons kan nou verstaan waarom te veel skermtyd skadelik vir ons kinders se ontwikkeling kan wees. Nie net as gevolg van die inhoud wat kinders mag sien nie, maar ook omdat die oormatige hoeveelheid skermtyd hulle van waardevolle bewegingstyd beroof. Tyd wat hulle kon spandeer om "hul brein te bou". Soos John R. Ratey sê: " Exercise is really for the brain, not for the body".
Hindernisse Vir Beweging
As beweging so belangrik is, wat kan 'n kind verhinder om aktief te wees en sy sintuie ten volle te ontwikkel? Dr Glenn Doman het jare lank aangedring dat ouers hul kinders meer aan die beweeg moet kry vanaf die oomblik dat hulle gebore word. Dit lyk asof dit waar is - nou meer as ooit..!
Met toenemende veiligheidstoerusting, gerieflike toestelle en oorbeskermende ouerskap, veroorsaak ons onwetend dat ons babas by die dag meer passief raak. As ouers moet ons 'n omgewing skep wat ons babas die maksimum geleentheid gee om vrylik rond te beweeg.
Wat Kan Jy Doen Om Jou Baba Meer Te Laat Beweeg?
Hier is 'n paar vinnige riglyne.
Tyd op die vloer
Aangesien dit byna onmoontlik is vir jou baba om te beweeg terwyl hy op sy rug is (soos 'n omgekeerde skilpad), is die beste ding wat jy vir jou baba kan doen, om 'n veilige vloeromgewing te skep waar hy soveel moontlik tyd op sy maag kan spandeer.
Onthou egter om jou baba tydens wakkertyd in 'n verskeidenheid posisies (rug, maag en sy) te plaas om sy spiere ewe goed te ontwikkel en te versterk. Maak ook seker dat jou baba al die harde werk self doen as hy 'n posisie moet inneem (soos om te sit).
Toestelle
Selfs as sommige toestelle deur 'n professionele persoon goedgekeur word, is dit nutteloos om 'n baba in 'n toestel te laat sit (of loop) waar hy so ondersteun word en veroorsaak dat 'n baba se spiere glad nie hoef te werk nie.
Plaas eerder jou baba in 'n appelboks waar hy kan leer om alleen regop te sit sonder om heeltemal om te val. Jy kan dit meer aantreklik en opvoedkundig maak deur 'n babakombers oor die kante te gooi en penne te gebruik om verskillende prente of speelgoed vas te pen. (Onthou om toesig oor jou baba te hou!).
Oefensessies met jou baba
Laat jou baba die meeste van die werk doen as jy hom optel of neersit. Rol hom op sy sy wanneer jy sy doek ruil en trek hom stadig op in 'n sittende posisie deur sy hande te neem. Dit mag dalk alles logies klink, maar in ons praktyk sien ons steeds 4 maande oue babas met die onvermoë om hulle koppe regop te hou omdat hulle nie genoegsaam geleenthede gegun was om 'hul spiere self te aktiveer en te gebruik nie'.
Baba klere en skoene
Sorg dat jou baba se klere reg pas. Lang moue wat oor sy hande hang of broeke wat te los of te styf is, speel alles 'n rol om beweging vir jou kleinding moeilik te maak.
Die beste skoene, is geen skoene! As jy in jou kind se liggaamshouding en gesondheid wil belê, belê dan in duurder skoene wat kan buig en beweeg soos wat jou baba self leer loop.
Oppervlak van jou huis of kleuterskool
Onthou: 'n aktiewe baba is 'n slim baba! Daar moet dus mooi gedink word oor die tipe oppervlak waarop ‘n kind moet leer kruip of loop. As 'n baba swak kernspiere het en dit moeilik vind om teen swaartekrag te werk as hulle in 'n hande-vier-voet posisie moet opstoot, sal hulle geneig wees om eerder op hulle boude rond te skuifel as die oppervlak glad is (soos teëls of ‘n gelamineerde vloer).
As ‘n baba wel begin leer het om op sy boude heen en weer oor die vloer te skuif, sal hy vinnig ontmoedig word deur 'n dik mat onder sy boude te plaas. Die konstante wrywing teen die mat sal dit vir baba moeilik maak om rond te skuifel oor die mat en behoort baba dan aan te moedig om liewers ‘n alternatiewe manier van beweging (soos kruip) te gebruik.
In die winter vind babas in langmouklere dit ook uiters moeilik om rond te beweeg as die oppervlak waarop hulle rond moet beweeg, te glad is. Onthou verder dat 'n oorgewig baba dit moeiliker vind om rond te beweeg en teen swaartekrag te werk as sy maats.
EduMove
Die goeie nuus is dat jou skool ingeteken het vir ons EduMove bewegingskurrikulum! Dit beteken dat jou kind gereeld propvol, prettige klasse sal ontvang om hul neuro-motoriese vaardighede te stimuleer, te ontwikkel, te optimaliseer en te verbeter.
Vra gerus jou baba se onderwyseres hoe dit met hom/haar in die program gaan. Kyk ook uit vir musiek wat gereeld deur die loop van die jaar verskaf sal word waarop jy en jou kind lekker saam sal kan sing, dans en beweeg. Dit is gewoonlik 'n gunsteling onder die kinders.
Totdat ons volgende keer weer gesels: gelukkige geseende bewegingsoomblikke saam met jou baba!