The Importance of Physical Activity in the Holistic Development of Children in Early School and Preschool Education

Movement, as an integral part of education, is an important element supporting children's holistic development. An interdisciplinary approach to education is the foundation of contemporary teaching and learning, integrating various areas of student development. Numerous studies on the characteristics of preschool and early school-age children confirm this, indicating that integral teaching is the optimal solution for organizing the teaching process, as it focuses on children's well-being, their holistic functioning, and their comprehensive development. Physical activity supports neurogenesis and the development of cognitive functions such as memory and concentration, which has a direct impact on the effectiveness of teaching and learning processes. The interdisciplinary combination of education and movement is distinguished by a more comprehensive achievement of teaching objectives. The aim of the research, conducted over 20 years, was to determine the effects of using EDUballs and during movement classes integrated with subject content (Polish, English, and mathematics) on physical and cognitive development. To this end, 13 pedagogical experiments were conducted in natural settings using EDUballs. It was found that there are positive relationships between physical activity integrated with subject content using EDUballs and students' reading, writing, and numeracy skills. EDUballs also positively impact students' motor skills, eye-hand coordination, time-space orientation, and graphomotor skills.