Whether it's jumping, kicking, swinging, or running around like mad men, my boys are always on the go. Fortunately, there are great benefits to this movement beyond just burning energy.
In graduate school I read an article published in the 60's by Jean Piaget. He basically observed his own children and developed theories of human development. He suggests that young children learn primarily by interacting physically with their environment, acting on objects, and observing the results of their actions. This is most apparent during the first two years of life.
Since that article, many specific connections between movement and cognition have been identified. For example, one of the important skills needed for reading is Tracking, or the ability to control fine eye movements. To read a bit more about the neurophysiology of motor cognition, click here.
Here are 10 activities that develop fine motor skills necessary for Tracking:
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