7 Essential Motor Skills needed for a Child to Reach Academic Success

This article provides information about the 7 essential motor skills needed to “awaken” the brain for better academic success. Integrated Learning Strategies (ILS) is a learning and academic center. As a reminder, ILS is not a health care provider. None of our materials or services provide a diagnosis or treatment of a specific condition or learning challenge you may see in your child or student. If you seek a diagnosis or treatment for your child or student, please contact a trained professional who can provide an evaluation of the child.

We have always been a big proponent of purposeful movement to help kids learn and thrive in the classroom. But, more importantly, we have seen the impact purposeful movement has on the brain.

Did you know building your child’s motor skills is not only for staying healthy and strong, but also for supporting every area and aspect of your child’s learning development?

Don’t believe me?

Think of the body as a tool needed for the mind to grow so it can reach the highest level of academic performance. Just like when we lift weights or run a marathon, the more we build our endurance, our bodies get stronger and faster.

As we “exercise” and “warm-up” the body, we are also giving the brain an even better workout.

Why does the body need strong motor skills for my child to learn?

Most people don’t realize there is a body and mind connection. When the body is prepared for learning, learning becomes automatic.

We want our kids to naturally read words across the page, have the ability to write words on the page and copy notes on the chalkboard. Surprisingly, many kids today are entering school without these simple basic skills.

The end result, gaps in learning start to form and a child may begin to breakdown as those gaps get wider and wider.

However, purposeful movement exercises can help. They can be the key to strengthening a child’s body for academic success.

Here’s a breakdown of all the motor skills kids need and use on a daily basis for higher learning. Did you even realize they use their bodies so much?

7 Motor Skills needed for better Academic Performance

#1 – Hand-eye Coordination

A strong development of hand-eye coordination can prepare the brain and body for handwriting, letter formation and tracking words across the page

#2 – Bilateral Coordination

Developing bilateral coordination is an important skill needed for simple tasks like holding the paper with one hand while the other writes across the page.

#3 – Core Muscle

Believe it or not, a strong core can help a child sit upright in their chair while supporting the head for copying notes off the chalkboard.

#4 – Balance and Coordination

If a child’s balance is off, you may begin to see them fidget in their chair. Building better balance and coordination can support your child’s attention and focus, emotional regulation and behavior.

#5 – Crossing the Midline

Crossing the midline activities are important for brain development. They can help a child track words across the page, problem solve and write words from sentence to sentence, paragraph to paragraph.

#6 – Back to Front Activities

Because higher learning takes place in the higher centers of the brain, kids can do back to front activities to help organize thoughts, improve speech and language, support memory and help follow directions.

#7 – Patterning

Playing games and participating in activities that require different patterns help kids with sequencing, fact retention, math and equations.

Warm-Up Activities for “Awakening” the Brain

If you don’t know where to begin or if you have students that need additional support at home, this FREE warm-up packet can help.

It’s a great way to get your children and students better prepared for homework, studying, tests and other academic performances.

For a copy of the free warm-up packet, click here.

Integrated Movement Activity Center

If you still feel your child has not developed the necessary skills for learning readiness, there is more you can do to help.

The Integrated Movement Activity Center provides parents and therapists with step-by-step videos to strengthen all areas of the body and the brain. Parents and professionals can use the activity center to help their kids and students “awaken” the brain for higher learning development.

For more information or to enroll, click here.

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Integrated Learning Strategies is a Utah-based center dedicated to helping mainstream children and children with learning challenges achieve academic success. Our services provide kids with non-traditional tutoring programs within the Davis County, Kaysville, Layton, Syracuse, Farmington, and Centerville areas. Areas to find Integrated Learning Strategies include: Reading tutors in Kaysville, Math tutors in Kaysville, Common Core Tutors in Kaysville, Tutors in Utah, Utah Tutoring Programs