Key Takeaways
- Movement and learning are deeply connected. The same brain areas that control motion also power focus, memory, and executive function.
- Learning with movement supports neuroplasticity, helping students form stronger neural pathways and retain information more effectively.
- Exercise and the brain work together to improve attention, processing speed, and problem-solving skills across all age groups.
- Learning through movement enhances long-term memory and boosts academic performance. Even brief, five-minute activity breaks make a difference.
- Movement for learning builds lifelong brain health, fostering adaptability, resilience, and confidence in students.
For decades, we’ve separated movement from learning in schools, relegating physical activity to recess and gym class. But what if the key to better focus, memory, and academic success lies in the very motion we’ve sidelined from classrooms?
Scientists used to treat motor control and cognitive function as completely separate areas of study. Movement was examined through the lens of physical performance, while learning and memory were considered purely mental processes. This dissociation shaped education and the sedentary classrooms that we’re familiar with.
Today, neuroscience is painting a different picture. Studies now reveal that movement and learning are deeply interconnected. Exercise and the brain have a strong relationship. In fact, the same neural circuits that guide the body also support attention, memory, and executive function. Movement for learning is an essential part of how the brain develops, processes information, and solves problems.
This means that to truly optimize student success, we need to shift away from still and seated classes. Learning with movement aligns instruction with the brain’s natural operating processes. In other words, when children are active, they’re not only exercising their bodies, but strengthening the very systems that fuel cognition and learning.
How Does Our Brain Control Movement?
Voluntary movement is one of the most complex and highly coordinated processes the human brain performs. Each simple action – such as raising a hand, walking across the room, or writing a number on a paper – requires multiple brain regions working together. These areas plan, organize, and send instructions to muscles, all while adapting to sensory feedback from the body and the environment.
Understanding how this system operates helps us appreciate why movement and learning are so deeply intertwined.
Which Brain Regions Orchestrate Our Movements?
At the center of voluntary movement is the primary motor cortex (M1), located in the frontal lobe. This region is responsible for planning and executing voluntary movements.
A person’s motor and sensory systems both have topographic organization, meaning that different parts of the cortex correspond to specific body regions. This forms a kind of neural map that directs fine and gross motor skills.
M1 does not act alone in the brain. The premotor cortex (PMC) and the supplementary motor area (SMA) also play key roles in preparing and sequencing complex movements. These areas essentially “rehearse” actions before they occur, helping the brain decide which movements to perform and in what order.
This forward planning is vital for tasks requiring coordination, like solving a math problem while skipping along a number line—an example of learning with movement.
Another critical area, the posterior parietal cortex (PPC), processes sensory information to help us understand where our body is in relation to the environment. This function allows us to orient ourselves while moving.
How Do Brain Signals Reach Our Muscles?
Once the brain has decided on an action, signals must travel outward to the body. The spinal cord serves as a relay station by sending motor commands to the body and processing local reflexes that don’t require conscious thought, like instinctively pulling your hand away from something hot.
These signals then flow into the peripheral nervous system (PNS), which delivers instructions from the brain and spinal cord to muscles. The PNS also carries sensory feedback back to the brain, creating a continuous loop of communication. This cycle allows for rapid adjustment and smooth execution of movement.
Together, these systems reveal that exercise and the brain are inseparable partners.
How Does Movement Optimize Learning?
Learning through movement fuels the biological processes that make comprehension and memorization possible.
The Concept of Neuroplasticity
We know that movement and the brain have a strong relationship. In fact, movement supports neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to change its structure and function in response to experiences. This power is central to learning.
Neuroplasticity allows students to form new neural connections, strengthen existing ones, and reorganize neural pathways as they acquire knowledge and skills. Physical movement sustains this process by triggering the release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is a protein that helps develop neural pathways.
The brain’s structural changes start at the cellular level with the smallest connections between individual neurons.
How Does Movement Change the Brain's Structure?
Learning relies on synaptic plasticity, which is the ability of neurons to strengthen or weaken their connections based on activity.
More specifically, long-term potentiation (LTP) makes frequently used pathways stronger and reinforces learning. Meanwhile, long-term depression (LTD) prunes away unused connections, keeping the brain efficient.
Research shows that physical activity can reliably enhance and even regulate LTP, effectively changing the brain’s structure. This information underscores the valuable connection between learning and movement.
While these changes happen throughout the brain, one region plays an especially crucial role: the hippocampus.
What Is Movement's Relationship With the Hippocampus?
The hippocampus is a small, seahorse-shaped structure in the brain that serves as the hub for memory. It is responsible for:
- Short-term memory formation
- Memory consolidation (transferring information into long-term storage)
- Visual-spatial memory (remembering the position of your body in relationship to nearby objects)
- Verbal and declarative memory (facts, language, experiences)
The hippocampus has a significant relationship with learning and movement as well. Studies indicate that children with higher fitness levels have larger hippocampal volumes and stronger memory performance.
This means that learning through movement physically strengthens the very brain region that enables knowledge retention. Beyond structural growth, movement also affects how efficiently the brain functions on a daily basis.
How Does Physical Activity Directly Impact Brain Health?
The brain is energy-hungry. It requires constant fuel in the form of oxygen and glucose delivered through blood flow. Physical activity enhances cerebral blood flow and oxygenation, providing more fuel while also removing cellular waste.
This “cleaner, better-fueled” brain is sharper, more resilient, and primed for complex cognitive tasks. All of these biological effects contribute to developing a more flexible and efficient brain.
How Does Movement Create a More Adaptable Brain?
Regular physical activity sparks three major brain-boosting processes:
- Synaptic connectivity: stronger and more efficient networks.
- Neurogenesis: the creation of new neurons, particularly in the hippocampus.
- Angiogenesis: the formation of new blood vessels to improve nutrient delivery.
Together, these processes transform the brain into a more adaptable, resilient, and capable organ. Learning with movement builds a better brain that’s equipped for lifelong learning.
Can Movement Help Learning in the Classroom?
Absolutely. The connection between movement and learning is well established in neuroscience, yet many classrooms still operate on a sedentary model.
But from quick brain breaks to structured kinesthetic lessons, learning with movement transforms classrooms into environments where students think more clearly, remember more effectively, and engage more deeply.
Can Movement Really Improve Attention and Focus in the Classroom?
Research shows that cardio-respiratory and motor skill activities can significantly enhance attention, focus, and processing speed—key components of academic success.
In one study, students who performed activities requiring both coordination and motor control, such as skipping or hopping patterns, displayed greater concentration and accuracy than those who only ran in a straight line.
A comprehensive review by Active Living Research found that children who participate in regular physical activity demonstrate improved classroom behavior, stronger concentration, and higher academic achievement.
Recent studies in both children and adults reinforce these findings. The University of South Australia found that maintaining moderate-to-vigorous physical activity levels enhances processing speed, working memory, and executive function. In other words, movement helps the brain function more efficiently and effectively at any age.
So yes, movement really can improve attention and focus in the classroom.
These improvements are only part of the story. Physical activity also strengthens the brain’s memory systems, creating lasting benefits that extend far beyond the moment of movement.
Movement’s Lasting Impact on Memory and Learning
The cognitive benefits don’t end when activity stops. In fact, they continue for up to 24 hours afterward, perhaps even longer. One study found that adults perform better on memory-related cognitive tests if they exercise the day before.
Learning through movement boosts energy levels in the moment and strengthens neural pathways that help students retain and recall what they’ve learned. Knowing this, educators have a powerful opportunity to strategically use movement as an intentional part of instruction.
How Does This Apply to Actual Learning in the Classroom?
Integrating movement for learning doesn’t require major schedule or curriculum changes. It starts with small, purposeful shifts:
- Incorporate kinesthetic routines: Begin or end lessons with quick movement patterns that tie into academic content (e.g., clapping on even numbers while counting aloud, making “greater than” and “less than” symbols with your arms).
- Use visual and spatial learning tools: Floor mats, hopscotch grids, and wall charts can turn math and literacy concepts into full-body, tactile experiences.
- Build structured “brain breaks” into transitions. This will reset focus and boost engagement between lessons.
If you’re looking for an easy way to get started with learning through movement, download our Math & Movement Training Manual. This free resource includes hundreds of quick exercise ideas that get students moving and practicing math skills. They fit in perfectly during transition times. Best of all, no additional materials are required.
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These strategies make learning with movement accessible, achievable, and aligned with how the brain learns best. When schools embrace the science behind movement and learning, they create classrooms where every child can thrive.
Smarter, Dynamic Schools Embracing Movement-Based Learning
After this dive into neuroscience, it’s clear that movement and learning are inseparable. Motion doesn’t distract from academic achievement; it drives it. At Math & Movement, we’ve witnessed this firsthand.
Our program supplements your school’s existing curriculum with movement-based learning materials and activities. We transform the science of exercise and the brain into practical, easy-to-implement classroom strategies. Through kinesthetic materials, teacher training, and multisensory activities, Math & Movement empowers schools to integrate active learning into everyday instruction.
The Math & Movement Program is...
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Supplemental to your existing curriculum - no rewriting lesson plans!
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Aligned to state standards, so your classes will stay on track
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A cost-effective investment, since our durable materials can be used across classrooms and lessons for multiple academic years
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Backed by years of research and experience
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Used in 47 states by over 22,000 educators
Imagine your students hopping on giant number lines to solve multiplication problems, stepping on sight words while reciting them aloud, or factoring numbers with large numeral cards. Our floor mats, stickers, and other hands-on manipulatives take learning with movement to the next level.
Explore our popular products and kits, designed for a variety of subjects and grade levels. We offer kits for individual classrooms, full schools, family engagement events, summer learning programs, and before and after school programs.
Let’s harness the power of neuroscience and bring movement and learning together for healthier, smarter, and more engaged students.
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Article Sources and More Reading
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- Cleveland Clinic: Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) – Accessed October 20, 2025
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- Chaddock, L., Erickson, K. I., Prakash, R. S., Kim, J. S., Voss, M. W., VanPatter, M., Pontifex, M. B., Raine, L. B., Konkel, A., Hillman, C. H., Cohen, N. J., & Kramer, A. F. (2010). A neuroimaging investigation of the association between aerobic fitness, hippocampal volume and memory performance in preadolescent children. Brain Research, 1358, 172-183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainres.2010.08.049
- Rink, C., & Khanna, S. (2011). Significance of brain tissue oxygenation and the arachidonic acid cascade in stroke. Antioxidants & redox signaling, 14(10), 1889–1903. https://doi.org/10.1089/ars.2010.3474
- Heo, J., Noble, E. E., & Call, J. A. (2023). The role of exerkines on brain mitochondria: a mini-review. Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985), 134(1), 28–35. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00565.2022
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- Committee on Physical Activity and Physical Education in the School Environment; Food and Nutrition Board; Institute of Medicine; Kohl HW III, Cook HD, editors. Educating the Student Body: Taking Physical Activity and Physical Education to School. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2013 Oct 30. 4, Physical Activity, Fitness, and Physical Education: Effects on Academic Performance. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK201501/
- University of South Australia: Move more, think sharper: How physical activity boosts brain health in ageing – April 22, 2025
- UCL News: Commentary: Exercise boosts memory for up to 24 hours after a workout – new research – December 13, 2024
Suzy Koontz
Suzy Koontz, CEO and Founder of Math & Movement, has spent over 25 years helping students achieve academic success. She has created over 200 kinesthetic teaching tools adopted by schools nationwide and has authored over 20 books. As a sought-after national presenter, Suzy shares how movement can transform the way students learn.