Le rôle clé du mouvement pour apprendre et progresser

The key role of movement in learning and progress

Our society is becoming far too sedentary. Yet getting the body moving is essential not only for maintaining good health but also for supporting healthy growth. From cognitive and academic benefits to emotional well-being, discover how physical activity benefits children.

Moving doesn’t necessarily mean frantic running, wild games of hide-and-seek, or obstacle courses worthy of a ninja. Getting your body moving, activating your muscles, mobilizing your joints, and getting your heart pumping can be achieved through a wide variety of activities. Especially for growing children, it’s essential to respect their motor skills without pushing them too hard. The benefits of movement aren’t limited to physical and mental health. They extend far beyond that, promoting a wide range of learning.

The benefits of Pphysical activity on brain development

When discussing the benefits of physical activity, we often think first of the body. But what about the brain? A systematic review1 published in 2025 concludes that interventions based on physical activity have positive effects on attention, memory, information processing speed, and executive functions. These functions help effectively coordinate various cognitive skills to carry out complex, goal-oriented activities. In other words, they lay the groundwork for the proper regulation of thoughts, emotions, and actions.

The studies listed in this systematic review focus on children under 6 years of age, underscoring the importance of offering physical activities from a very young age. They do, however, highlight an important nuance: the improvement in the cognitive abilities mentioned above is most pronounced during motor activities that require minimal thought. A few simple examples: a treasure hunt, a life-size building game, stories enhanced with “active missions,” a motor skills course involving balance and various paths to explore...

A Boost to Academic Learning

Another systematic review2 found that physical activities are associated with better cognitive and academic performance, this time among children and adolescents aged 6 to 18.

The same study, published in 2025, reports that screen time has the opposite effect. This comes as no surprise, since time spent sitting or lying down tends to contribute to a sedentary lifestyle.

>> Discover some tips for balancing children’s screen time without feeling guilty.

Children with special educational needs benefit just as much, if not more, from these movement-based activities. According to the results of a 2022 meta-analysis3, interventions that include physical activity improve cognitive abilities and language skills (especially for children with mild learning difficulties), as well as executive functions (especially in cases of severe learning difficulties).

Generally speaking, scientific research agrees on one fact: academic learning is far more effective when the body is involved. Children who learn while moving—a concept that is unfortunately not widely practiced—retain lessons much better than those who remain seated4.

Move to grow up healthier

This concept seems obvious. And yet, it is far too often overlooked. To fully understand it, we need to distinguish between two types of activity:

  • physical activity, of moderate to vigorous intensity, to be done several times a week; 

  • daily movement, intended to counteract a sedentary lifestyle and the fact that we remain immobile - often sitting - for too many hours at a time.

The two go hand in hand. A few sessions of physical activity each week are not enough to offset a sedentary lifestyle the rest of the time. This holds true for both adults and children.

Physical activity stimulates, among other things, the muscles and blood circulation. Results: improved blood flow to the brain, the release of neurotrophic factors (which promote the growth of developing neurons and maintain mature neurons), and enhanced brain plasticity.

In the long term, children who enjoy being active generally grow up to be active adults. The fight against a sedentary lifestyle begins in early childhood, with the aim of instilling habits that will reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, anxiety, depression, and certain cancers later in life5.

Motivation, emotions, and enjoyment

Another benefit is that physical activity is linked to a significant improvement in emotional and social behavior among preschool-aged children6. Activity programs that include movement help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, which unfortunately can also affect young children. However, it appears that sleep remains a much more powerful protective factor. That said, the level of activity during the day has a major impact on sleep quality. Without overgeneralizing, the two can certainly be correlated.

Among school-aged children in elementary and middle school, physical activity has also been shown to be effective in promoting motivation and emotional regulation7. It also reinforces positive emotions such as joy and pleasure8.

From a physiological standpoint, activities that involve physical movement trigger the release of hormones such as endorphins, dopamine, adrenaline, and serotonin, which contribute to both physical and mental well-being.

Much more than just a distraction or a way to let off steam after a sedentary day, physical activities are essential for children in many ways, supporting their health and numerous mental processes. These are all reasons to encourage them to put down their screens, get off the couch, go outside, and get moving. Physical activity can take many forms, from the most athletic to the gentlest.

To help these habits stick, be sure to offer fun and engaging activities so they become a real moment of leisure. These habits will then become a more natural part of children’s daily lives and, hopefully, stay with them for the rest of their lives. One final essential tip: to help them enjoy being active, it can be helpful to lead by example.

 

Sources :

  1. Pacheco C, Culkin V, Putkaradze A, Zeng N. Effects of movement behaviors on preschoolers' cognition: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2025 Jan 23;22(1):12. doi: 10.1186/s12966-025-01705-y. PMID: 39849503; PMCID: PMC11755889
  2. Gonçalves JP, Ferreira G, Lopes L, Sousa-Sá E, Santos R. Associations Between Movement Behaviors, Cognition, and Academic Achievement in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review. J Phys Act Health. 2025 Jan 8;22(3):285-306. doi: 10.1123/jpah.2024-0014. PMID: 39778577
  3. Jylänki, P.; Mbay, T.; Byman, A.; Hakkarainen, A.; Sääkslahti, A.; Aunio, P. Cognitive and Academic Outcomes of Fundamental Motor Skill and Physical Activity Interventions Designed for Children with Special Educational Needs: A Systematic Review. Brain Sci. 2022, 12, 1001. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12081001
  4. Mavilidi, M.F., Paas, F., Zou, L. et al. Effects of videos with whole-body movements on young children’s geography learning. npj Sci. Learn. 11, 18 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-026-00408-8
  5. Ministère de la Santé : Activité physique, sédentarité et santé - Mise à jour le 12/09/2025
  6. Wang, C. The role of physical activity promoting thinking skills and emotional behavior of preschool children. Psicol. Refl. Crít. 35, 24 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41155-022-00223-1
  7. Rojo-Ramos, J.; Franco-García, J.M.; Mayordomo-Pinilla, N.; Pazzi, F.; Galán-Arroyo, C. Physical Activity and Emotional Regulation in Physical Education in Children Aged 12–14 Years and Its Relation with Practice Motives. Healthcare 2023, 11, 1826. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11131826

  8. Li, J.; Huang, Z.; Si, W.; Shao, T. The Effects of Physical Activity on Positive Emotions in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 14185. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192114185

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