Importance of Movement – Raising Tomorrow Summary
Importance of Movement – Raising Tomorrow Summary
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our latest Raising Tomorrow Coffee Morning yesterday for the ‘Importance of Movement’ session, Thursday, November 20, 2025. These informal gatherings are a vital part of our community, offering a chance to connect with our educators and with each other, all while exploring themes critical to early childhood education and parenting.
We were delighted to host Elementary PHE Teachers, Andres Perdomo and Matt Magowan, for a thoughtful and engaging discussion on The Importance of Movement for our youngest learners (aged 2-7 years).
At UNIS Hanoi, we are deeply committed to partnering with you to nurture every aspect of your child’s growth. We know that effective learning happens when schools and parents work together. This session provided practical insights and resources to help you support your child’s essential physical development at home, ensuring they gain the skills, confidence, and motivation needed for a happy, active, and healthy life.
Here are the key takeaways from our session:
FUNDAMENTAL MOVEMENT SKILLS (FMS) : THE BUILDING BLOCKS
FMS are defined as a specific set of gross motor skills that involve different body parts. These skills are not merely exercise; they are the essential foundation for more complex skills learned throughout life, which in turn support a physically active and healthy lifestyle.
The session highlighted that acquiring these skills requires active play and practice. Mastery is generally expected within certain age ranges, assuming appropriate exposure and instruction (e.g., catching is typically fully developed between ages 6–9 years).
IMPORTANCE: LINKING MOVEMENT TO DEVELOPMENT
Research was presented that strongly links motor performance to key areas of child development:
| Developmental Area | Core Connection |
|
Executive Functioning |
Movement supports the ability to organize, plan, prioritize, and regulate emotions. |
|
Academic Performance |
Movement prepares brain cells for binding and storing new information. Skills like crossing the midline impact reading and writing. |
|
Mental Health & Well-Being |
Motor skill proficiency builds higher self-esteem, self-confidence, and motivation to participate in games and lifelong physical activity. |
SPECIFIC PARENT TIPS AND TEACHING CUES
This accompanying KIDDO Activity Pack provides child-friendly teaching cues to help parents support FMS development at home.
| FMS Skill | Teaching Cues (Aids to Performance) | Fun At-Home Activity Idea |
|
Balance |
Head up, eyes looking forward, arms out like an aeroplane. |
Musical statues, or build a balance course using masking tape. |
|
Throw |
Ready: Stand side on like a surfer. Aim: Make a muscle arm and point the non-throwing arm at the target. Fire: Step with the non-throwing side foot and throw. |
Build and Destroy (knock down a tower of boxes). |
|
Catch |
Eyes on the ball; hands move towards the ball. Hands like a butterfly for high balls, and fingers down like wriggly worms for low balls. |
Wall Ball (throw a ball against a wall and catch it). |
|
Jump |
Take off: Swing arms behind and spring. Flight: Reach for a star and pull it down. Landing: Land like riding a motorbike (knees bent, arms forward). |
Jumping Obstacle Course (over cushions, off small walls). |
The overall message is that engaging children in active play and deliberately practicing these fundamental skills is an investment in their comprehensive physical, cognitive, and mental health for life.