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Introduction Research on early childhood development overwhelmingly recognizes movement as fundamental to physical, cognitive, social, and emotional growth. Within child development frameworks, dance and structured movement activities are a specific form of motor-based engagement that integrate physical activity with rhythm, social interaction, and cognitive challenge. This literature review synthesizes current empirical research on how dance and movement activities impact va

Introduction Enrichment programming is an increasingly common component of early childhood education, encompassing third-party curricula, targeted interventions, and professionally developed learning enhancements delivered within childcare settings. These initiatives often aim to supplement general caregiving with developmentally oriented content such as social-emotional learning, early literacy, school readiness, and responsive teaching practices. While early childhood progr

An Evidence-Informed Best Practice Guideline for Early Childhood Educators Abstract Non-participation in group movement activities such as dance, music, and physical play is a common and developmentally typical occurrence in toddler and preschool classrooms. How educators respond to children who withdraw, observe, or resist participation has important implications for children’s developing self-regulation, autonomy, and sense of belonging. This paper synthesizes research from

This study evaluated a brief, evidence‑based workshop that trains parents to better support their preschool children’s physical literacy — including motivation, confidence, movement skills, and understanding of active play. Parents who participated significantly increased their knowledge and confidence and reported more physical‑literacy‑enhancing play with their children at home. The findings highlight that parent‑focused education can be a practical, scalable way to strengt

This study evaluated a parent-focused physical literacy workshop designed to help caregivers better support their preschool-aged children’s physical development. Results showed that parents who attended the workshop significantly increased their knowledge and confidence about physical literacy and applied more supportive play practices at home — including fun, child-led activities that build fundamental movement skills. The findings highlight the value of engaging parents as

This article studies if how physical activity is taught matters just as much as the activity itself. It highlights that many children’s fitness programs focus on exercise outcomes while overlooking pedagogy, motivation, and student engagement. For educators, it reinforces the need for intentional, child-centered teaching approaches that support long-term physical literacy, confidence, and enjoyment of movement—not just short-term fitness gains. https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/

This systematic review brings together the latest evidence showing that school-based physical activity programs can support key cognitive skills in children — especially inhibitory control and working memory — when activities are sustained and include cognitive challenge, not just exercise. It highlights how movement integrated into the school day can enhance executive function development, which underpins self-regulation, focus, problem-solving, and academic success. For chi