Early childhood is a critical window
Sensory Integration
Listen to Dr Nalda explain what sensory integration is and how moving through childhood wires the brain and supports balance systems
Movement connects the body and brain
Movement and sensations in babies and young children build connections in the brain- this is called myelination which is a key part of sensory integration. Watch the video below to learn about sensory integration and brain development.
Crawling fires the brain
Crawling fires up both sides of the brain and integrates motor and balance systems. It also develops core, back and shoulder strength which helps with handwriting.
Professor Jackie Goodway explains how many of the activities in MiniMovers include crawling and putting weight on hands when moving on all fours which fires up both sides of the brain.
Support your child’s well-being
Movement underpins all your child’s development by improving their balance, strength and coordination. Supporting their physical development builds their confidence, self esteem and improves their abilities in the classroom.
As you play MiniMovers games with your child you will have fun together and see your relationship grow even more.
Give your child confidence to move
Developing good movement in early childhood makes your child more confident to try lots of different activities, making them more likely to be active and healthy.
The MiniMovers games are designed to help you be more active with your child giving you the power to support both their physical and mental health.
Physical experiences in the early years help children make sense of their world and understand language both verbal and non-verbal such as interpreting body language, which helps their social skills.
Stability is needed for fine motor skills
Children need a strong stable base before developing fine motor skills, like holding a pencil. Mini Movers games involve whole body movements and work on gross motor actions to develop strength and stability.
“If a child doesn’t have a nice strong base, when they try and control things at their fingers and hand level, they are all wobbly and cannot control it’”
Eye Tracking
Professor Jackie Goodway explains here, the Mini Movers APP includes lots of catching activities to develop eye tracking which is crucial for reading. Activities for children in the Mini worlds will be at the right level using slow moving equipment like scarfs and balloons to make sure they have success and positive experiences.
Children need to develop control
Children tend to do movement skills with lots of force and Professor Jackie explains how children need to learn to control the force of their body.
In Mini Movers we encourage children to control their movements such as tapping equipment softly.
Download to the MiniMovers app for fun activities when your child is walking
Fun, engaging activities for parents to play with their children anywhere
Children need the right equipment and activities for their stage of development. Learn about equipment for supporting your child on our dedicated page