From bouncing to ballet: how to support physical activity in the early years

1 May 2025

Lauren Grocott, our Early Years Content Specialist, discusses the evidence for promoting physical activity on International Dance Day.

Lauren Grocott

Interim Content and Engagement Manager: Early Years

Defining physical activity

Physical activity in the early years is hugely varied. Depending on the developmental stages of the children you work with, this might include anything from ‘tummy time’ to running, jumping, and climbing.

One type of physical activity you might see regularly in an early years setting, is dance. Whether seated or standing, lots of young children love to move their bodies to music!

Promoting physical activity

Evidence confirms what many educators know: that physical activity – exercise – can benefit children’s physical development, their health, and wellbeing. However, physical activity is also crucial for their developing brains and particularly their self-regulation and executive function.

The organisation and structure of the learning environment is important, but the role of the educator is crucial for promoting both physical and cognitive development.

The evidence recommends that educators:

  • Provide regular and proactive opportunities for physical activity.
  • Focus on children’s enjoyment of physical activity.
  • Provide play-based physical activity (eg: through games or imaginative play) and opportunities for choice and independence.
  • Incorporate physical activity into different activities (eg: acting out a story as you read it together).

Evidence also suggests it might be helpful to:

  • Focus on moderate to vigorous physical activity (like running and jumping) over gentle activity (like walking),
  • Participate alongside children to motivate them.

In research, educators explicitly taught children dances. They found using both verbal instruction and physical modelling could be effective for supporting children’s physical development.

What next?

Taken together, the brief summary of findings above suggests we need to think carefully about the opportunities for physical activity in our daily routines, and how we encourage, motivate and engage children in physical activity.

It’s important to think about the context of your own setting before implementing any evidence-informed approach.

To learn more about this approach and see it in action, visit Promoting Physical Activity in the Physical Development theme.

To find out more about how this approach supports children’s cognitive development, visit the Self-Regulation and Executive Function theme.