Forget assessment books. Running, jumping, hopping and skipping are what your preschooler really needs to practise to do well in school, EVELINE GAN finds out.
While other parents clamour to give their little ones a head start in their ABCs and 123s, Poh Ying Bin is more concerned about whether his kids, aged two and four respectively, are getting their daily dose of running, jumping and climbing.
“I’m pretty chill when it comes to their academic learning. At the moment, I’d rather my kids get plenty of opportunity to explore and work on their motor skills, balance and coordination,” says the 29-year-old dad, whose third child is due this month.
Before you dismiss him as another New Age-y parent, consider this: Increasingly, child developmental studies have found that how confidently Junior moves, maintains his balance, throws and catches a ball or even tie his shoelaces, can predict how well he will learn in school later.
A rehabilitation trainer with Aileron Wellness who specialises in the development and movement of the body, Ying Bin understands why those seemingly trivial movement milestones are important for kids: They are the basic ingredients required for the development of sound thinking skills, which will prepare them for academic learning.
In fact, even the simple act of reaching out for a cup gives Junior’s brain a good workout, says Ying Bin.
“In doing so, our body has to sort out the most efficient way to get the cup. For example, you can bend your elbow or flex your wrist or spine. That is why every time a child learns or performs a movement skill, he is also working parts of his brain, and this can cross over to benefit academic learning,” he explains.
More clumsy kids now
Yet, experts tell Young Parents that they are seeing an uptrend of “clumsier” kids who tend to fumble through crucial motor skills required for healthy development.
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