How Gross Motor Development Impacts Cognition in Kids

Watching your baby, toddler and pre-schooler develop is one of the most fulfilling elements of parenting. Long before they utter their first word or take their first steps, they are putting in the work to ensure that they reach each developmental milestone. While watching your baby roll over or seeing your pre-schooler learn to jump is satisfying in itself, there is something even more exciting happening underneath the surface.

Gross motor skill development has long been linked with cognitive function and there are some surprising connections that you may not know about. Here’s how some significant gross motor milestones are linked to cognitive function in children. 

Sitting independently

They’ve rolled, developed neck strength, increased their core stability and then suddenly, all the dots connect and your baby is able to sit on their own. Not only does this mean that you get a break as they discover their new perspective, it also signals an exciting time ahead for your baby; independent play! So, how can we ensure that we’re giving our little ones plenty of opportunity to develop the skills required to sit independently?

Here at Acro Kids, we use a mix of tummy time, sitting with support (whilst in their carer’s lap), and a combination of reaching, grasping and rolling activities. Sitting independently means more eye contact, more experimental play with objects and more problem solving. This all translates to strengthening cognitive function for babies aged 0-12 months and beyond.

Crawling, running, tumbling and jumping!

Lack of sleep has been shown to have a detrimental impact on recovery time as well as staying well in the first place. A study in Germany in 2019 suggests that a sound sleep improves immune cells, known as T cells. Plus, you know your body well enough to know that an early night is sometimes the very best medicine.

Plenty of physical activity throughout the day, a healthy dinner and a predictable evening routine all contribute to good quality sleep. Turn off those devices and cuddle up with some books instead and you will soon be off to dream-land. You’ll be well rested and ready for another day!

All our programs are designed with health, development and enjoyment in mind. If you would like to add Parkour Ninja training or Acrobatics to your weekly immune-boosting routine, then Acro Kids can help.

Studies involving neuro-imaging have found that increased physical activity promotes the formation of grey matter in the brain. This means that encouraging more physical activity in babies, toddlers and young children will benefit not only their physical development, but their cognition too. All our classes are designed to be FUN. We find that enjoyment of something is a great motivator to keep doing it, so our experienced facilitators put an emphasis on positive reinforcement and encourage kids to play, laugh and have a go.

Mobility, movement and exploring their environment is crucial to the cognitive functioning of children of all ages. It aids in the formation of neural connections as well as promoting confidence and self-esteem. (For more info on how to foster confidence in children, check out our blog post, Raising Confident Kids here + link). As infants and children interact with their external environment, the brain reacts to the input, firing and creating new connections.

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