Now, more than ever, it is essential that your children get plenty of physical exercise, which may not be easy if you are staying safe through social isolation. Physical activity plays an important role in developing the brain and supporting important mental functions. Research shows that regular moderate exercise can increase the size of the hippocampus, an area of the brain involved with learning and memory. Exercise also helps release growth factors, chemicals in the brain that affect the growth and survival of new brain cells as well as blood vessels in the area. Not only that, but regular movement leads to improved motor skills (such as hand-eye co-ordination), better thinking and problem-solving, stronger attention skills and improved learning. Not surprisingly, these all combine to benefit school performance.

All Helen Doron programmes include plenty of physical movement, as “an active body is a learning body”, so learning is enhanced and naturally absorbed when combined with fun physical activity.

The Ready Steady Move! programme guides children through an active routine of movement, calisthenics and light exercise with elements from a variety of disciplines, including yoga, Pilates, dance and martial arts warm ups. The movement routines are used to introduce a basic vocabulary in one of six languages: English, Spanish, German, Hebrew, French, or Mandarin.