Hop, Skip, Jump!

The Power of Locomotor Play in Child Development

At Superhero Sports Academy, we believe that movement is at the heart of learning — and one of the most important foundations for children's physical and emotional development is locomotor skills.

But what are locomotor skills?

Locomotor skills are the basic movement patterns that help children get from one place to another. These include:

• Walking
• Running
• Hopping
• Jumping
• Skipping
• Galloping
• Crawling
• Climbing
• Sliding

These are not just physical milestones — they are the building blocks for all future movement, play, learning and regulation.

Why Are Locomotor Skills So Important?

• Building Confidence
  Mastering movement helps children feel in control of their bodies, boosting self-esteem and self-awareness.

• Supporting Brain Development
  Movement stimulates neurological connections that support memory, focus, sequencing, and spatial awareness.

• Encouraging Emotional Regulation
  Children who move regularly are better able to manage emotions and stay calm and focused throughout the day.

• Promoting Social Skills
  Activities that involve locomotor skills also build co-operation, communication, and turn-taking.

Movement Through Story: The Very Hungry Caterpillar

This term, we used the classic story The Very Hungry Caterpillar as inspiration to bring locomotor learning to life.

Using themed floor art and props, the children re-enacted the caterpillar’s journey:

• Crawling like a caterpillar
• Hopping to the fruit
• Slithering through colourful tunnels
• Jumping and spinning into a cocoon
• Finally, flying like a butterfly
• This story-based movement journey allowed for child-led expression, while supporting a wide range of locomotor skills in a meaningful context

Spotlight on Stoneygate Nursery School, Preston

We were thrilled to work with Stoneygate Nursery School, Preston, a setting that truly champions children’s wellbeing, regulation and physical development through daily movement-rich opportunities.

During our sessions, the children created their own floor art using hoops and open-ended resources, building on their fascination with the Hungry Caterpillar. Educators extended this learning further by working with the outdoor area with tunnels, tyres and climbing challenges that supported child-led locomotor exploration.

This is CPD in action — Helen Dewhurst, local to Preston EYFS Physical Development Consultant and British Gymnastics pre-school specialist worked alongside staff to share new strategies for promoting fundamental movement skills in everyday practice. Practitioners learned how to:

• Tune in to children’s movement needs
• Enhance invitations to move
• Scaffold physical challenges to support strength, agility, and regulation
• Integrate movement seamlessly into literacy and storytelling
• Hats off to the Stoneygate team for prioritising the Prime Areas of the EYFS — and for giving their children a genuine flying start in life!

Grounded in Evidence: Why Physical Development Matters

The UK Government’s strategy for the early years, The

Best Start for Life: A Vision for the 1,001 Critical Days (2021), highlights the importance of movement, bonding, and responsive care in early childhood. Physical development is one of the three Prime Areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).

According to Development Matters (DfE, 2021):

“Children need to master basic movement skills such as walking, running, jumping and climbing… They need repeated and varied opportunities to practise these skills, with adult modelling and support.”

Further evidence is provided by the Start for Life Campaign, which supports parents and caregivers in creating physically active, healthy lifestyles from birth.

The UK Chief Medical Officers’ Guidelines (2019) recommend that:

“Children under 5 should be physically active for at least 180 minutes a day, with a variety of movement including opportunities for developing movement skills, balance and coordination.” These repeated, intentional movements support:

• School readiness
• Improved attention and behaviour
• Resilience and emotional wellbeing
• Long-term physical and mental health

How We Support Locomotor Skills

At Superhero Sports Academy, we:

• Create playful, imaginative movement setups
• Use our Little Superhero characters to promote each fundamental skill
• Help children explore strength, balance, agility, and co-ordination
• Support settings with CPD, coaching and storytelling-led movement

💬 Final Thoughts

Locomotor skills are not just about movement — they are about building the foundations for lifelong learning and wellbeing.

Through high-quality CPD, creative planning, and child-led exploration, settings like Stoneygate Nursery School are leading the way — putting movement, regulation, and joy at the centre of their practice.

Let’s continue to work together with the Little Superheroes to raise the status of physical development, empower practitioners, and give every child a truly active, flying start in life!

We are taking a break for the School Summer Holidays but we will be back in the Autumn term, supporting EYFS settings and running our community classes and groups. Our website remains open for resources and connection. Have a lovely Summer!