New research highlights a growing truth for parents and educators: the earliest years of life are shaped by what young children see, hear, and say, but also by how they move. A recent study by the University of Illinois has provided a clear understanding of this connection.
When preschoolers walked on treadmills during carefully watched trials, scientists were able to track changes in their attention, problem-solving, and language skills. The findings point to a deep link between motion and mind in early childhood, raising important questions about how we allow children to move in daily life – not to put kids on treadmills, but with the goal of enhancing their development and well-being
The Science of Movement and Mind in Early Childhood
Over the years, researchers have built a large body of evidence connecting physical activity with brain growth for older children and adults. The University of Illinois study, led by Shelby Keye and Naiman Khan, brings a new focus to preschoolers. Using a modified six-minute walk test on a treadmill, they measured cardiovascular fitness in young children, then compared those results to a series of cognitive tasks.
The results sent a strong message. Preschoolers with better cardiovascular fitness handled attention tasks more easily, switched between different activities more flexibly, and scored higher on tests that probed language skills.
Even in children as young as four years old, the links between exercise and brain function were clear and measurable. It is through motion like walking, running, and coordinated play that young brains become better at processing information. At an age when children barely know the alphabet or arithmetic, their bodies are already helping lay a foundation for school success.
The researchers at the University of Illinois wanted to know if moving with purpose would change how a child’s mind works. The answer was yes. Preschoolers who covered more distance on the treadmill had stronger hearts and performed better on cognitive tests. Higher cardiovascular fitness meant better focus and higher scores on problem-solving tasks.
Children who could walk farther within six minutes paid closer attention, finished given tasks more quickly, and used more words to explain their answers. Each heartbeat sent blood and oxygen to the brain, feeding the growth of mental agility. Their bodies and minds formed a partnership that gave them an edge in learning.
Movement in early childhood is complex. When a preschooler steps onto a treadmill or balances on a beam, the brain must work with the eyes, ears, muscles, and joints all at once. Each step, jump, or twist draws on memory, coordination, and sensory input at the same time.
Active play wires young brains for school readiness. The effort to balance, turn, or keep up a steady pace on a treadmill calls on executive processes – the ability so synchronize many individual brain functions instantaneously. It strengthens the mechanisms in the brain that help children direct their attention to block out distractions, while focusing on relevant information, to notice changes in their path, and adjust their movements as needed. These patterns of full-body involvement grow brain pathways that support attention, sensory integration, and memory.
As the brain collects data from every limb, it develops skills that matter long past the playground years. These networks lay the groundwork for reading, math, and even social interactions. When children move, they practice skills they will soon use in the classroom and beyond.
Building Executive Function Skills Through Movement
Executive function is the set of mental skills that help people manage thoughts, actions, and emotions. Executive functions are your goal-oriented behaviors, the actions you take to achieve the desired outcome, whether the outcome is immediate or long-term. Strong executive function in early childhood supports working memory, impulse control, and flexible thinking. Structured movement and gross motor play provide the ideal practice ground.
Children who can climb, skip, or navigate obstacles are honing the necessary brain networks that contribute to supporting self-control, memory, cognitive flexibility, and adaptability. Without these opportunities, development stalls, holding back those higher-level brain functions. Children may show signs of restlessness, trouble following directions, or emotional outbursts when development and executive functions lag.
Recent research shows that movement builds the very circuits in the brain needed for self-management and academic progress. The risk of not moving enough in early years is more than missing out on fun; it threatens to weaken the cognitive foundation children need.
Physical activity demands focus. When preschoolers jump, run, or even walk on a treadmill, their brains must decide what to pay attention to and what to ignore. This constant filtering grows strong neural connections for the networks that direct attention, while blocking out unnecessary distractions.
Active children also become better at handling frustration or excitement. If a child falls off a balance beam, the brain must manage surprise, disappointment, or even fear while processing the change in body position and motion. This practice, repeated often, helps children recover from setbacks, wait their turn, and deal with strong feelings.
On average, children who move with purpose show fewer behavior problems. They tend to manage emotions more easily, show more independence, and handle transitions with less trouble.
Data on preschoolers’ activity levels is cause for concern. Most young children in the United States do not get the recommended three hours of daily movement. Too often, screens replace time once spent outside. The pandemic has only increased this trend.
“Lack of movement can trigger a crisis for brain development,” says Dr. Jackson, Chief Program Officer for Brain Balance, a national brain-based program using evidence-based methods to optimize brain health and development without medication. “Lack of movement minimizes the actions that enhance the necessary development that attention, cognition, and self-regulation are built upon. Less movement reduces the scaffolding for higher-level brain functions.” If children grow up sitting, the networks that support focus, self-control, and learning do not get enough exercise. Patterns of inactivity can lead to reduced potential in academic performance, trouble regulating emotions, and less resilience in the face of challenge.”
Purposeful play, such as active games, dance, and outdoor exploration, is essential, not optional. Intentional movement woven into daily routines helps preserve and build a child’s natural curiosity, drive, and balance. This makes them better prepared for classroom demands and for the ups and downs of growing up.
The connection between early movement and cognitive growth is now clearer than ever. Preschoolers who move regularly and vigorously gain real benefits in attention, problem-solving, language, and self-control.
Motion is more than a break from learning. It is the engine that drives brain development in the first years of life. When parents and educators prioritize structured and spontaneous play, they invest directly in a child’s mental health and readiness for school.
Children need to move to think, to learn, and to thrive. The next time a preschooler dashes, skips, or even walks purposefully on a treadmill, adults should cheer them on. Each step forward helps build brains that are flexible, focused, and strong. Prioritizing movement in early childhood is not just important; it forms the groundwork for a smarter and more balanced future.
