Movement Anxiety
What is Movement Anxiety?
An assessment that identifies fears in physical activity situations. The assessment is divided into four types of anxiety: heights, going upside down, ball handling and other children. Children perform tasks such as climbing stairs, climbing, catching and throwing a ball and doing forward rolls. The teacher observes and scores the child's behaviour.
Why does this matter?
Movement anxiety is an often underestimated problem. A child who is afraid to climb, catch a ball or do a forward roll withdraws from physical activity. Not out of unwillingness, but out of fear. This is not always recognised: the child is seen as "not sporty" or "unmotivated", when the real cause is a specific fear that can be overcome with the right guidance. Only when you know which fears are at play can you help a child effectively.
What are the risks of unaddressed movement anxiety?
Movement anxiety that goes unidentified and unaddressed grows with the child. A child who is afraid to climb at age 6 will still be afraid at age 12. The anxiety often expands: from one specific situation to a broader insecurity around physical activity. The long-term consequences include reduced self-confidence, social exclusion in sports and play, increasing inactivity and a negative association with movement that can persist into adulthood.
What does it deliver?
Per child, a picture of which specific movement anxieties are present and how strong they are. With the results, teachers can provide targeted guidance and help the child overcome fears step by step.
Connections worth noting
Movement anxiety is strongly linked to gross motor skills: children with motor delays are more likely to develop fear in physical situations, precisely because movement is harder for them. There is also a relationship with sports and physical activity: children with movement anxiety are often less active, which further widens the motor delay. This can become a negative spiral. By identifying movement anxiety early and combining it with gross motor data, you can break that cycle.
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Tom Haarings
"Finally a tool I can use in a single lesson that immediately shows me where to focus. That gives me back time I can spend with the children."
~ PE teacher