The Value of Learning and Movement in Your Homeschool

Adding movement activities to your homeschool lesson plans adds value to the learning experience for everyone. The connection between learning and movement is strong and filled with benefits. Movement activities motivate kids, increase comprehension and retention, and boost self-confidence.

So how can you combine learning and movement in your homeschool? There are lots of fun hands-on activities for everything from math and science to reading and art. Adding “brain breaks” to your lessons this year might be just the thing for encouraging kids to keep learning and making homeschooling more fun for the whole family!

Keep reading to get the scoop on our newest discovery deck featuring movement activities and exciting exercises kids can use for brain breaks during the school day. Plus, learn more about how taking a whole child approach to learning can make all the difference.

The Connection Between Learning and Movement

The experts agree that there’s a big connection between learning and movement. Physical activity directly correlates to cognitive development. Movement helps to stimulate your child’s brain. So, encouraging movement during lessons is an excellent way to make learning more exciting and fun!

When we are physically active, our brains release hormones like dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins. Endorphins relieve stress, improve our moods, and trigger other good hormones like dopamine. Dopamine is the reward hormone and it’s a huge motivator. Serotonin boosts our moods. Together, all these hormones improve concentration and focus.

Movement also helps us develop neural connections or pathways to help our brain adapt and build connections. Together movement and learning boost memory, language development, and problem-solving skills. Since movement can help kids learn in various ways, it’s an essential strategy for teaching kids with different learning styles.

According to Shawna Wingert, an educational specialist at Different By Design Learning, there are many benefits for teachers and students who embrace hands-on learning with movement.

Increase Comprehension

Tactile and kinesthetic activities help kids comprehend new concepts. For example, hands-on science in our homeschool has made learning about and applying things like The Scientific Method much easier and more fun!

Boost Retention

Real-world practice and movement activities help children retain ideas faster and more effectively than bookwork. One way we’re boosting retention in math is by practicing math in everyday life. This approach makes it easy to cater to Emily’s interests, getting her excited about learning and adding movement opportunities too.

Added Motivation

It can be frustrating when you feel overwhelmed by a new concept or assignment. When you don’t feel motivated and everything feels challenging, it’s hard to get motivated. Fortunately, hands-on learning with movement can help.

Getting up and moving is always more fun! Movement activities add motivation and decrease “battles” over schoolwork. If you’re having a difficult time homeschooling when you lack motivation or getting back to homeschooling after the holidays, don’t miss the opportunity to build in movement activities and brain breaks to make the transition easier.

Sensory Input

Movement activities naturally provide sensory input. Incorporating hands-on learning helps kids regulate their emotions and builds opportunities for the sensory input they crave throughout the day. Plus, sensory input benefits learning by building nerve connections, encouraging language development, regulating emotions, and giving kids more motor skills practice.

Confidence Building

Hands-on movement activities don’t just provide a break from writing practice and math worksheets, they can also be confidence building for kids who prefer physical activity or struggle with more traditional schoolwork.

If grammar or math work has been challenging lately, a few movement breaks can be just the thing for encouragement. Sometimes the encouragement needed to keep going is found in the midst of a dance party or successful completion of a few jumping jacks. Movement is an easy way to encourage our kids and boost their confidence while learning!

How To Incorporate Movement Into Your Homeschool Learning

Brain Breaks make it easy to incorporate movement into your homeschool learning days. These are short, structured activities that help kids reset and get ready to learn.

What is a brain break?

Brain breaks can include lots of different activities that give the brain a rest from traditional academics by employing a different set of functions. Sometimes they include motor skills like running, jumping, or yoga. Other times brain breaks include mindfulness activities, sensory play, or creative art activities.

Brain Breaks and Movement Discovery Deck

Sometimes coming up with an idea for a “brain break” is the hardest part. That’s why we’ve put together a new Brain Break and Movement Discovery Deck. This new option will make it easy for parents and teachers to give kids movement opportunities throughout the school day at home and in the classroom.

Discovery Decks are printable decks of cards featuring 20 questions kids are naturally curious about with topics they’re already interested in. Each card features a QR code students can scan to watch curated videos answering their questions. It’s the perfect modern-day homeschool version of 20 Questions!

Our latest Brain Breaks and Movement Discovery Deck features 24 activities to get kids up and moving including chair exercises, dancing, yoga, and video game-themed moves. If your kids are fans of dance breaks or Mario, they won’t want to miss these!

Taking A Whole Child Approach To Learning In Your Homeschool

These new Brain Breaks and Movement Discovery Deck printables are part of our whole child approach to learning. We’re committed to providing an engaging learning environment with experiences for the whole family that focus on connection. This approach means we aren’t just worried about ensuring Emily remembers her multiplication tables, we’re also concerned with emotional learning, becoming lifelong learners, and exploring opportunities together as a family.

This out-of-the-box learning style has led to so many amazing opportunities and experiences! Check out some of our favorite ways to learn using a whole child approach below.

How are you using brain breaks in your homeschool? Do you have a favorite way to incorporate movement and hands-on learning in your lessons? Share your ideas in the comments. I can’t wait to read them and try a few of your favorites with Emily too!