Research -- StepUp to Learn

Sport May Fast-Track Numeracy Skills for Indigenous Children

Sport May Fast-Track Numeracy Skills for Indigenous Children

Greater sports participation is linked with better academic performance, according to new research from the University of South Australia.

Blink! The Link Between Aerobic Fitness and Cognition

Blink! The Link Between Aerobic Fitness and Cognition

Researchers have found evidence that spontaneous eye blink activity, which reflects activity in the dopaminergic system, explains the connection between fitness and cognitive function.

Kids' Physical Fitness is More Important Than BMI

Kids' Physical Fitness is More Important Than BMI

Weight loss shouldn’t be the goal of PE new study shows.

Clumsy Kids Can Be Fit Too

Clumsy Kids Can Be Fit Too

Clumsy kids can be as aerobically fit as their peers with better motor skills, a new Finnish study shows.

Worth it? How the Brain Decides to Make an Effort

Worth it? How the Brain Decides to Make an Effort

A new understanding of motivation: How your brain weighs the costs versus the benefits of making a physical effort.

Regular Physical Activity Seems to Enhance Cognition in Children Who Need it Most

Regular Physical Activity Seems to Enhance Cognition in Children Who Need it Most

New research shows that regular physical activity can enhance cognitive functions, especially in those who have the most room for improvement.

Sport and Memory Go Hand in Hand

Sport and Memory Go Hand in Hand

By exploring the benefits of sport in memory and motor learning, scientists are opening up promising perspectives for school programs.

Children Use Both Brain Hemispheres to Understand Language, Unlike Adults

Children Use Both Brain Hemispheres to Understand Language, Unlike Adults

Whereas adults process most discrete neural tasks in specific areas in one or the other of their brain's two hemispheres, young children use both the right and left hemispheres to do the same task. The finding suggests a possible reason why children appear to recover from neural injury much easier than adults.

Visual-Spatial Learning Disorder Is More Common Than Thought

Visual-Spatial Learning Disorder Is More Common Than Thought

Nonverbal learning disability (NVLD), a poorly understood and often-overlooked disorder that causes problems with visual-spatial processing, may affect nearly 3 million children in the United States, making it one of the most common learning disorders.

Playtime with Dad May Improve Children's Self-Control

Playtime with Dad May Improve Children's Self-Control

Children whose fathers make time to play with them from a very young age may find it easier to control their behavior and emotions as they grow up.

Enrichment Programs Help Children Build Knowledge

Enrichment Programs Help Children Build Knowledge

New research suggests enrichment programs help children solidify the information they have added to their wall of knowledge and may help prevent summer slide.

Child's Play 'Lost' in Pandemic Fear

Child's Play 'Lost' in Pandemic Fear

Social and community disruptions caused by the COVID-19 restrictions could have a lasting effect on child wellbeing, Flinders University researchers warn.