Understanding movement, regulation, and what your child’s developing brain and nervous system may be communicating

Some children seem to be in constant motion.

They run instead of walk. They climb on everything. They wiggle in their chairs, bounce from one activity to another, jump, spin, wrestle, fidget, and seem happiest when their bodies are moving.

If this sounds familiar, you may have found yourself wondering:

“Why does my child always seem to be on the go?”

It’s an especially relevant question as summer winds down and children prepare to return to school.

During the summer, many children have more freedom to move throughout the day. Then September arrives and suddenly they’re expected to wake up earlier, follow schedules, sit for longer periods, listen, focus, transition between activities, and adapt to a much more structured environment.

But movement isn’t simply a way for children to burn off excess energy.

Movement provides important sensory information to the developing brain and nervous system. Running, jumping, climbing, balancing, pushing, pulling, crawling, and playing all help children learn about their bodies and the world around them.

For some children, seeking movement may also give us valuable information about the type of sensory input their brain and nervous system are looking for.

Rather than simply asking “Why can’t my child sit still?”, it can be helpful to ask:

“What might my child’s movement be telling me?”

Why Is Movement So Important for Children?

Movement begins supporting development long before a child takes their first steps.

Think about a baby’s first year.

They kick their legs, reach for objects, turn their head, roll, push themselves up, sit, crawl, pull themselves to standing, and eventually begin walking.  Each stage builds on each other.

Each new movement gives the brain information.

As children grow, those movements become increasingly complex. They learn to run, jump, climb, catch, kick, balance, ride a bike, navigate playground equipment, and coordinate both sides of their bodies.

These experiences aren’t only building muscles.

The brain and body are constantly communicating through the nervous system. Information from the joints, muscles, and surrounding environment travels to the brain, where it is processed and used to coordinate an appropriate response.

Movement helps support the development of:

• Balance
• Coordination
• Proprioception and body awareness
• Postural control
• Strength and stability
• Motor development
• Brain-body communication
• Confidence during physical activity
• Cognitive function

This is why movement shouldn’t simply be viewed as something children need to “get out of their system.”

Movement is part of how children grow and develop.

Why Do Some Children Seem to Need More Movement?

Every child is different.

Some children are naturally more physically active than others. But when a child seems to constantly seek movement, those patterns can give us useful information.

Parents may notice a child who:

• Frequently fidgets or wiggles
• Has difficulty remaining in one position
• Loves jumping, climbing, swinging, or spinning
• Seeks rough-and-tumble play
• Frequently changes sitting positions
• Enjoys pushing, pulling, or carrying things
• Crashes into cushions, furniture, or other objects
• Seems much more comfortable moving than sitting
• Has difficulty transitioning from active play to quieter activities

Rather than immediately seeing these behaviours as a problem, I encourage parents to become curious about them.

Why might this type of movement feel good to your child?

One possibility is that movement is providing sensory information their brain and nervous system are seeking.

That brings us to an important part of childhood development: proprioception.

What Is Proprioception?

Proprioception is your body’s internal awareness of where it is in space.

You don’t have to look at your feet every time you walk to know where they are. You can close your eyes, lift your arm above your head, and still know where your arm is  or eat a meal without sticking the fork into your forehead.

That’s proprioception at work.

Our muscles and joints continually provide information to the brain through the nervous system about the body’s position and movement.

For children, activities such as:

• Jumping
• Climbing
• Crawling
• Pushing
• Pulling
• Balancing
• Carrying
• Running

provide significant input to this system.

The brain receives that information and uses it to help organize and coordinate movement.

This ongoing exchange of information is one example of brain-body communication.

What Does the Nervous System Have to Do With Movement?

The nervous system is the communication network between the brain and body.

Every movement your child makes requires communication.

The brain must receive information about the body’s position, process that information, and coordinate an appropriate movement response.

This happens over and over again as children navigate their environments.

Running across uneven grass, climbing playground equipment, catching a ball, balancing on one foot, or simply moving from sitting on the floor to standing all require the brain and body to work together.

Healthy brain-body communication through the nervous system is therefore an important part of how children coordinate movement and adapt to the world around them.

Why Can Back to School Be Such a Big Adjustment?

Going back to school involves much more than buying new shoes and getting bedtime back on track.

It’s a significant change in a child’s daily environment.

Summer may involve plenty of:

• Outdoor play
• Swimming
• Bike riding
• Running
• Playground time
• Unstructured movement
• Flexible routines

Then school begins.

Children may suddenly be expected to:

• Wake up earlier
• Get ready according to a schedule
• Travel to school
• Sit for longer periods
• Listen and focus
• Follow classroom routines
• Transition between subjects and activities
• Navigate busy social environments
• Complete homework
• Attend extracurricular activities

For a developing brain and nervous system, that’s a lot of change.

Children who have spent much of their summer moving freely may suddenly have fewer opportunities for spontaneous movement throughout the day.

That’s why I encourage parents to think about movement as part of the back-to-school routine, not something separate from it.

Can Movement Help Children Transition After School?

Think about what your child has been asked to do all day.

They may have spent hours listening, following instructions, transitioning between activities, navigating social situations, and spending more time sitting than they did during the summer.

Then they arrive home full of energy.

Our instinct can be:

“Settle down. Sit at the table. Let’s get your homework done.”

But their body may be asking for something completely different.

It may be time for a body break.

Movement gives children another opportunity to receive sensory and proprioceptive input after a structured day.

A body break doesn’t have to be complicated.

Try:

• Playing tag
• Riding bikes
• Going to the playground
• Doing jumping jacks
• Walking the dog
• Kicking a soccer ball
• Dancing to a favourite song
• Creating an obstacle course
• Doing animal walks
• Jumping, climbing, or simply playing outside

Even a short period of movement can provide a valuable break between school and the next part of the day.

And whenever possible, join them. Children learn from watching us.  If you are sitting on the couch – they will want to sit on the couch too.  If you are active, they are more likely to be active too.

Movement can also become an opportunity to reconnect after a busy day.

Should I Be Concerned If My Child Can’t Sit Still?

An energetic child isn’t automatically a child with a problem.

Children are supposed to move.

There is also a wide range of normal differences between children. Some naturally seek and enjoy more physical activity than others.

What I encourage parents to look for are patterns.

You might notice that your child:

• Seems uncomfortable remaining in certain positions
• Constantly seeks intense movement
• Frequently trips or falls
• Has difficulty with balance or coordination
• Favours one side of the body
• Has difficulty moving smoothly between positions
• Seems to struggle with certain physical activities
• Has unusual postural patterns
• Has difficulty transitioning between movement and quieter activities

One observation alone doesn’t tell us everything.

But several patterns together can provide useful information about how a child’s brain, body, movement patterns, and nervous system are functioning.

It’s Not About Making an Active Child Less Active

This distinction matters.

My goal as a Pediatric Chiropractor isn’t to take a child who loves to run, climb, and jump and make them sit quietly.

Being active isn’t something we need to fix.

Instead, I want to understand how the brain, spine, body, and nervous system are functioning together.

Rather than focusing exclusively on the behaviour we can see, we look at the function underneath it.

Is the child moving comfortably and symmetrically?

How is their balance?

How is their coordination?

How does their body transition between different movements and positions?

Are there areas of spinal tension, imbalance, or restriction?

How effectively is information being communicated between the brain and body through the nervous system?

Those questions give us a much broader picture of the child.

What Do I Look at During a Pediatric Chiropractic Assessment?

A Pediatric Chiropractic assessment looks beyond whether a child is simply “active.”

I assess how different parts of the child’s neurological and movement systems are working together.

This can include looking at:

• Brain and nervous system function
• Spinal alignment and movement
• Pelvic alignment and movement
• Posture
• Balance
• Coordination
• Proprioception
• Movement patterns
• Side-to-side differences
• How the child transitions between positions
• How comfortably and confidently they move

I also listen closely to what parents have noticed.

Parents see their children every day, and those observations can provide valuable clues.

The goal is to understand the whole child, not simply one behaviour.

How May Pediatric Chiropractic Care Support the Nervous System?

Pediatric Chiropractic Care focuses on supporting optimal brain and nervous system function so communication between the brain and body can function as efficiently as possible.

The brain relies on sensory information coming from the body to understand where the body is and how it is moving. It then uses that information to coordinate movement and respond to the environment.

As a Pediatric Chiropractor, I have specialized training in assessing the relationship between the brain, spine, nervous system, movement, and development.

When areas of tension, imbalance, restricted movement, or spinal misalignment are identified, gentle and specific Pediatric Chiropractic adjustments can help support clearer communication between the brain and body through the nervous system.

The goal is to support a child’s ability to move, coordinate, adapt, and develop with greater ease.

How Can Parents Support Healthy Movement During the School Year?

You don’t need to create an elaborate exercise program for your child.

In fact, one of the best things you can do is simply create opportunities for play and movement.

Try building movement naturally into your family’s routine.

Walk or bike when possible. Stop at the playground after school. Go outside before dinner. Let children climb, run, jump, crawl, throw, catch, and explore.

If homework requires another period of sitting, incorporate body breaks.

And remember that not every minute of a child’s day needs to be structured.

Unstructured play gives children opportunities to decide how they want to move, experiment with their bodies, and explore their environments.

Supporting Children and Families in Ottawa

The transition back to school is a big one for families.

New teachers, new classrooms, different routines, earlier mornings, extracurricular activities, homework, and more structured days can all change the rhythm children became accustomed to over the summer.

As you’re rebuilding those routines, don’t forget to leave room for movement.

At LiveWell Family Health Centre in Ottawa, Pediatric Chiropractic Care looks beyond a single behaviour or symptom to understand how a child’s brain, spine, body, movement patterns, and nervous system are functioning together.

If you’ve noticed patterns in your child’s posture, movement, balance, coordination, or development, a Pediatric Chiropractic assessment can provide a closer look at how those systems are working together.

Final Thought

When your child seems to be constantly on the go, your first instinct may be to ask them to slow down.

But children are designed to move.

Every run, jump, climb, crawl, balance, push, pull, and playful movement provides information to their developing brain and nervous system.

As children transition from the freedom of summer into the more structured environment of school, maintaining opportunities for movement becomes especially important.

Instead of only asking:

“Why can’t my child sit still?”

Try asking:

“What might my child’s movement be telling me?”

That shift allows us to become curious about the whole child and better understand how their brain, body, and nervous system are working together as they grow, develop, and adapt.

If you have questions about your child’s movement, development, or nervous system function, I’d be happy to help.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my child always seem to be moving?

Children naturally need movement as part of healthy growth and development, and some children seek more movement than others. Running, jumping, climbing, pushing, pulling, and balancing all provide sensory information to the brain through the nervous system. If your child’s movement patterns concern you or are accompanied by challenges with balance, coordination, posture, or development, it may be worth having them assessed.

What is proprioception in children?

Proprioception is the body’s awareness of its position and movement in space. Information from the muscles and joints travels to the brain through the nervous system, helping children understand where their bodies are and coordinate movement. Activities such as climbing, crawling, jumping, pushing, pulling, and balancing provide proprioceptive input.

Is it normal for my child to have trouble sitting still?

Children are designed to move, and there is a wide range of activity levels among healthy children. Rather than focusing only on whether your child can sit still, consider their overall movement patterns, balance, coordination, posture, and ability to transition between different activities.

Why is movement important after school?

Children may spend considerably more time sitting and following structured routines during the school day than they do during summer. Providing opportunities to run, climb, jump, play, or take a “body break” after school gives them additional movement and sensory input before moving into homework, dinner, or other evening activities.

Can Pediatric Chiropractic Care help support my child’s nervous system?

Pediatric Chiropractic Care focuses on the relationship between the brain, spine, body, and nervous system. A Pediatric Chiropractor can assess spinal alignment and movement along with posture, balance, coordination, proprioception, and movement patterns. When areas of tension, imbalance, restriction, or spinal misalignment are identified, gentle Pediatric Chiropractic adjustments can help support brain-body communication and healthy nervous system function.

When should I consider a Pediatric Chiropractic assessment for my child?

If you’ve noticed ongoing patterns involving your child’s posture, balance, coordination, movement, side-to-side symmetry, or physical development, you may want to have them assessed. A Pediatric Chiropractic assessment looks at the whole child to better understand how the brain, spine, body, movement patterns, and nervous system are functioning together.