Here's something that might change your thinking: your child is communicating constantly through their entire nervous system, sending and receiving complex signals long before words show up. When we expand our definition of communication beyond spoken language, we discover the sophisticated ways children express their needs, feelings, and experiences.
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When your child jumps, spins, or paces, those movements aren’t random. They’re body signals about how their nervous system is feeling. Shifting the question from “How do I stop this?” to “What is my child telling me?” opens up new ways to support them.
Movement is one of your child’s clearest communication channels. It shows when they need grounding, organizing, or practice linking thought to action. These movements shape how focused, calm, and ready to learn they feel.
You might notice: crashing into couches, rough play, pushing against walls.
What it means: Their body is looking for pressure and resistance to feel steady and calm.
Try saying: "Looks like your body wants big pushes. Want to try some wall pushes with me?"
You might notice: spinning, rocking, swinging, hanging upside down.
What it means: Their inner ear balance system is asking for motion to reset alertness and focus.
Try saying: "Looks like your body wants circles. Want me to set up the swing before homework?"
You might notice: obstacle courses, patterned dances, repeating routines.
What it means: They’re practicing how to link ideas (“what I want to do”) with actions (“how I’ll do it”).
Try saying: "You built another course! Can you show me how you planned it?"
Offer safe ways to meet the need—wall push-ups, cushions to crash into, or a swing.
Build in movement breaks: carrying groceries, scooter rides, dance routines, obstacle courses.
Movement before homework, after loud environments, or during tough transitions can make tasks easier.
When you treat movement as a need, not a problem, you’ll often see fewer meltdowns, more cooperation, steadier focus, and a stronger sense of connection.
Why it works: Meeting sensory needs helps stress ease and regulation return—it’s not “hyperactivity,” it’s communication.
Track what types of movement they seek, when it happens most, and how they look after. Every child has a unique movement rhythm. Spotting patterns helps you anticipate needs and co-regulate more effectively.
Muscle and joint sensors send pressure/position signals to the spinal cord and cerebellum. The insula helps link body state with feelings.
Inner-ear canals/otoliths connect via vestibular nuclei to brainstem arousal systems and, through relays, to emotion circuits.
Prefrontal, motor, and coordination centers (including cerebellum and basal ganglia) strengthen communication with practice.
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This framework offers one helpful way to understand your child's experiences. It complements—never replaces—professional clinical services, medical advice, or therapeutic interventions.
Trust Your Instincts
Every child's brain works differently. You know your child best, and what resonates for one family may not fit for another.
This content is developed with care, grounded in research, and offered with respect for your family's unique journey.