Everything from household chores to tumbling heightens body awareness, explains Anne O'Connor.

Watching a child crawling across the floor, clambering up a slope or swinging on a rope, we might assume that movement is mainly a conscious act. But a largely unconscious system is also at play here and early years settings should provide ample opportunities to stimulate in young children what is known as proprioception.

Proprioception tells us where our body is in space, where it starts and finishes and how parts of our body are moving, without having to look at them. So, it is our proprioceptive sense that enables us to tap our feet, brush our hair, or walk downstairs without having to think consciously about it. A well-developed body map also helps us to tackle the unfamiliar and learn movements, to manage obstacles and break our fall.

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