Written by: Dr Tessa Grigg
Starting kindergarten is one of the biggest transitions in a child’s early life. To thrive in the classroom, children need more than just early literacy and numeracy skills. They also need to be physically and neurologically ready to learn.
In a time where excessive screen time can have an impact on young children’s development and even the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic1, it’s essential for parents to understand what children need to be ready for school learning.
The Importance of Arriving at School Ready for Learning
Research shows that children who enter school developmentally unprepared are more likely to struggle academically and socially. In Australia, the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) consistently finds that around one in five children start school developmentally vulnerable in areas that affect their learning, including physical health and emotional regulation.
Many of the essential foundations for school success are established through movement during the early years. Activities like crawling, climbing, spinning, balancing and coordinated hand use build the brain and body connections that are crucial for concentration, handwriting, listening and sitting still – skills that are expected from day one of kindergarten.
While you might think that there is potential to improve on learning after starting kindergarten, almost all children who start school behind, don’t catch up2. In the 2009 AEDC assessment, where 23.6% of children are vulnerable in more than one domain of development, and the same group of children, when tested for literacy and numeracy in Year 9, still have 20% functioning at minimum baseline or lower (NAPLAN, 2016).
How GymbaROO Helps Prepare Children for Kindergarten Through Movement
Backed by neuroscience and loved by families, GymbaROO is a fun, sensory-motor based program that uses movement to build the brain foundations essential for children’s learning and development.
Activities in GymbaROO’s programs are carefully developed with over 40 years of research to match each child’s stage. This ensures there is the right level of challenge to strengthen their skills in an engaging environment.
At a Movement and Cognition Conference held at Harvard Medical School, leading researchers reinforced what early childhood experts have long known – motor skill development plays a vital role in how well children learn, think and behave.3
Movement is not just physical exercise – it’s how young brains grow. When children move, they’re not only building muscles but also creating and strengthening the brain pathways that support focus, memory and self-regulation and academic performance. Put simply: children need to move to learn.
At GymbaROO, we support this essential brain and body development by guiding children through a sequential program of motor skills. These skills build from the ground up, just like a ladder, and are vital for school readiness.
If earlier stages are missed or underdeveloped, it can be harder for children to build the more advanced skills needed in the classroom. This is why GymbaROO’s activities are designed to revisit and strengthen the foundational movement patterns that support learning and behaviour.
Well-developed motor skills lead to:
- Better postural control, so children can sit comfortably and concentrate.
- Improved hand-eye coordination, helping with writing and using classroom tools.
- Efficient brain development, which supports planning, problem-solving and emotional regulation.
That’s why GymbaROO places purposeful movement at the heart of everything we do, because movement truly is the foundation of learning.
How Parents Can Help At Home
Supporting your child’s kindergarten readiness doesn’t have to mean worksheets or flashcards. It starts with movement, play and everyday opportunities to build confidence and independence. Here’s how you can help your child develop the motor and sensory skills that prepare them for kindergarten:
- Focus on age-appropriate activities
Is your two-year-old jumping with both feet? Can your three-year-old hop? Is your four-year-old marching with rhythm? Can your five-year-old skip confidently? These skills might seem simple, but they’re essential building blocks for classroom readiness. Each one strengthens brain-body connections that support balance, coordination and attention.
If your child hasn’t mastered a particular skill yet, go back to their current level and practice together. Repeat the movement regularly and make it fun! Children are far more likely to keep trying if you’re laughing, moving and enjoying it with them.
TIP: If you’re attending GymbaROO, make the most of the weekly home activity sheets. They’re full of playful and purposeful ways to practice at home.
- Practice with purpose
Motor development is a step-by-step process. Children need time to refine each skill before they’re ready to move to the next. Let your child repeat the same action over days or weeks until it becomes automatic. You’ll often find they move to the next level naturally once they’re ready.
Repetition builds confidence, and confidence builds motivation.
- Stimulate the senses
Movement and learning rely on more than just muscles – they also depend on well-developed sensory systems. Vision, balance, touch and body awareness all help your child understand where their body is in space and how to control it.
Incorporate simple sensory games into daily play
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- Touch and respond: Gently touch a body part and ask your child to lift or move it. This builds body awareness.
- Balance challenges: Try holding still like a tree, tipping like a teapot, or “flying” like a bird. These games engage the vestibular system and improve focus.
- Rhythm play: March to a beat, clap patterns or dance to music. These activities support auditory processing and timing.
- Encourage independence
A big part of kindergarten readiness is emotional maturity and the ability to manage simple tasks on their own. Support this by involving your child in daily routines:
- Let them carry their own backpack or unpack their lunchbox.
- Encourage dressing themselves, even if it takes longer.
- Offer simple choices like choosing their outfit or helping decide a family meal.
- Include them in household jobs like sorting laundry, setting the table or feeding a pet.
These small acts build decision-making skills, responsibility and confidence – all of which will help children settle into school more easily.
Join a GymbaROO centre today
Want to ensure your child feels ready to learn for kindergarten? Find your local GymbaROO centre today!
References
- Stafstrom, C.E., Neurological effects of COVID‐19 in infants and children. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 2022. 64(7): p. 818-829.
- Brinkman, S., et al., Associations between the early development instrument at age 5, and reading and numeracy skills at ages 8, 10 and 12: A prospective linked data study. Child Indicators Research, 2013. 6(4): p. 695-708.
- Willoughby, M.T., Motor proficiency – not moderate to vigorous physical activity – is related to executive function skills in early childhood, in Movement and Cognition Conference. 2018: Harvard University Medical School, Boston, MA.
Author:
Dr Tessa Grigg (PhD, Dip Tch ECE and Primary) is an experienced teacher with a passion for children’s learning. She is an Adjunct Fellow at the University of Canterbury (NZ) and is the Research and Education Manager at GymbaROO.