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Unlocking Learning Through Movement: Why Regulation Comes First
- Justine Tarrant
- Jul 1
- 6 min read
Updated: Aug 15
Picture This...
You’re in the middle of circle time. One child rolls on the floor, another calls out, and a third taps their foot non-stop. You're trying to hold it together, but your stress is rising fast.
Sound familiar?
These moments aren’t about “bad behaviour.” They’re signals—signs that a child’s nervous system isn’t regulated.
If a child isn’t regulated, they can’t focus, listen, or learn.
It’s not personal. It’s neurological.
This understanding has profoundly changed how I view behaviour and the importance of seeing the whole child.
Below, I want to share five science-backed reasons why regulation and movement must come before learning. This approach supports children’s holistic development from the inside out.
Reason 1: Regulation Comes Before Learning
Backed by the Pyramid of Learning (Taylor & Trott, 1991)
To support attention and behaviour, we must start with the brain. It develops from the bottom up, beginning with survival, then emotion, and finally thinking.
The top part (the cortex) isn’t fully developed in young children—and it can’t function well if the foundation is shaky.
The Pyramid of Learning reminds us that nervous system regulation, sensory, and motor development form the base for higher-level thinking. Without regulation and movement, learning simply can’t happen.
Before a child can think, they must feel safe.
“Children must move to learn. It’s not optional—it’s developmental.” — Carla Hannaford, Smart Moves
The pyramid provides a useful tool to view the needs of the whole child. It encourages a holistic view of developmental learning and the necessary adaptations to the program that develop solid foundations.
Those foundations require attention to a child's nervous system and to what calms or activates a stress response.
Reason 2: Co-Regulation Builds Self-Regulation
Supported by neuroscience and Polyvagal Theory (Porges, 2011)
Children don’t calm down just because we tell them to. They calm down when they feel safe enough to.
That safety comes through co-regulation: when a regulated adult helps a child regulate using connection, body language, tone, and presence.
Your nervous system is one of the most powerful tools in the room.
“A dysregulated adult cannot regulate a dysregulated child.” — Dr. Mona Delahooke
The science? Mirror neurons and neuroception help children attune to the emotional state of those around them. This is why your energy matters more than your words.
We often tell children to “calm down,” but calming down is not something young children do on demand. Regulation is a learned skill. Learning starts in the body and brain, not with logic or language.
The foundation for self-regulation is co-regulation—when a calm, attuned adult helps a child return to a regulated state through connection, breath, tone, and body language.
This might sound simple, but we must remember that self-regulation isn't inherent. It's a skill that needs to be modelled through co-regulation, nurtured, and prioritised in our intentional teaching.
Reason 3: Movement Is Sensory Nutrition for the Brain
Backed by research from Jean Ayres (1972), Carla Hannaford (2005), and Patricia Wilbarger
When children fidget, bounce, climb, or roll, it's not random—it's often a message.
Their bodies are trying to regulate.
Movement isn’t just “letting off steam.” It’s how the brain develops and integrates sensory input, especially through the vestibular and proprioceptive systems.
“The body needs to move to know where it is, and the brain needs to know where the body is to focus.” — Jean Ayres
When children engage in movement that stimulates the vestibular and proprioceptive systems, it activates deep parts of the brain, such as the cerebellum and brainstem. These areas are responsible for balance, coordination, regulation, and attention.
These systems regulate arousal, improve focus, and build neural pathways for self-control and resilience.
“Sensory input is food for the brain.” — Patricia Wilbarger
Movement is not just a break between “real” learning. It is learning.
It’s how the brain builds neural connections, integrates sensory information, and prepares for complex thinking tasks.
When we provide movement throughout the day, we give children the tools they need to self-regulate before a meltdown occurs. As children repeat these movements, the brain builds neural pathways that support focus, impulse control, and executive functioning over time.
Reason 4: Educator Wellbeing Impacts Children’s Regulation
Grounded in Polyvagal Theory and self-compassion science (Neff, 2011)
When we talk about supporting regulation and resilience in children, we must start with the adults who care for them. Educator wellbeing isn’t a “nice extra”—it’s foundational.
Your wellbeing is a regulation strategy.
Dr. Stephen Porges’ Polyvagal Theory reminds us that we are wired for connection—but only when we feel safe. If your body is in survival mode, you simply can't offer connection to others.
“You can't pour from an empty cup. But you can share calm from a full one.” — Justine Tarrant
When you’re grounded, children feel it, and their nervous systems begin to settle too. This is not about being perfect. It’s about being present.
That’s why educator wellbeing is not about spa days or burnout prevention after a crisis. It’s about everyday nervous system nourishment—embedding micro-moments of regulation and reflection throughout your day.
However, educators are often their own harshest critics. They strive to be endlessly patient, emotionally available, and “on” for everyone else.
Dr. Kristin Neff, a leading researcher on self-compassion, defines it as offering yourself the same kindness, care, and understanding you'd offer a close friend.
“When we give ourselves compassion, we are opening our hearts in a way that can transform our lives.” — Dr. Kristin Neff
Imagine what would shift if more educators replaced guilt with grace.
What if we normalised pausing, asking for help, or simply saying, “I need a moment too.”
Micro-regulation moments (a breath, a pause, a stretch) can help you co-regulate from a place of calm, not burnout. When you feel safe and supported, and give yourself grace, you become a safe base for every child in your care.
Reason 5: Small, Repetitive Actions Create Lasting Change
Informed by neuroplasticity and trauma-informed practice
When we juggle busy schedules, complex behaviours, and curriculum demands, it’s easy to feel like we need to overhaul everything to make meaningful change.
But here’s the truth:
“Big shifts start with small steps—repeated with intention.” — Justine Tarrant
Embedding movement and regulation doesn’t mean adding more to your plate. It means working with the body and brain, not against them.
Often, it’s the tiny, consistent moments of connection and movement that ripple out and transform the day.
“Consistency creates safety. Safety opens the door to learning.” — Dr. Becky Kennedy
Repetition wires the brain. Predictability helps the nervous system feel safe.
The brain learns through pattern and repetition—not one-off interventions. When we build small, predictable regulation strategies into the daily rhythm, children begin to anticipate those moments as safe, nourishing, and stabilising.
Think: a breathing routine before transitions, a movement break after lunch, or a co-regulation space with sensory tools. These become rituals that signal safety—and safety is the gateway to learning.
These micro-moments send a powerful message:
“We’re safe. We’re connected. We’ve got this.”
Over time, this strengthens the neural pathways that support self-regulation, attention, resilience, and emotional literacy.
And the same applies to you.
Final Thoughts
The work you do matters—and so do you.
Understanding the nervous system, supporting co-regulation, and embedding simple movement practices can change not only how children learn but how they feel in your presence.
When you show up with awareness, compassion, and care, you become a powerful force for regulation and resilience. When we take a nervous system lens into our teaching and caregiving, everything starts to make more sense.
Movement, co-regulation, and educator wellbeing aren’t extras—they’re essentials. When we support the body and brain together, children can thrive—and so can we.
“The most powerful regulation tool in your learning space is you.” — Kind Connections Learning
Whether you’re just beginning this journey or deepening your practice, remember that small, consistent, intentional steps create lasting impact.
You don’t have to do it all—just start with one shift in perspective, one breath, or one movement moment at a time.
Let’s keep walking this journey together.
Useful Tools to Help Your Journey
FREE DOWNLOAD:
Top 5 Movement Breaks To Try Tomorrow
✔️ Easy to implement ✔️ No equipment needed ✔️ Designed for real learning spaces
Want to Go Deeper?
Join our PD Opportunities
Live Workshop: Unlocking Learning Through Movement
2-Hour Zoom Session
Includes Printable Educator Toolkit
Only $65
Multiple dates available—check out the schedule for August
www.kindconnectionslearning.com.au/workshops
Remember...
The most powerful regulation tool in your classroom is you.
Your tone. Your presence. Your breath. Your movement.
That’s where learning begins.
“When an adult is regulated, a child can feel safe. And when a child feels safe, they are primed to learn.” — Kind Connections Learning
Explore more about us on our website www.kindconnectionslearning.com.au
