Supporting Motor Skills Through Sensory Movement Breaks
The often-overlooked benefit of sensory circuits
When we talk about sensory processing, most people think about dysregulation or big reactions to sound, touch, sights and smells. But there’s another side that’s crucial for school life: motor coordination. Many pupils who struggle with attention, participation, handwriting, PE or playground games are actually battling gaps in in the sensory systems that underpin movement.
We have, as you probably know, 8 senses:: Interoception, Auditory, Vision, Taste, Smell, Touch, Vestibular and Proprioception - those last two give us information about where our bodies are in space, how are bodies are moving and how we make multiple body parts work together – skills which are critical for our fine and gross motor skills. Often these senses are ones we know less about so let’s explore those a little more.
The two "movement senses" we don't talk about enough...
Vestibular and proprioception work together to tell us where our bodies are and how they’re moving.
Proprioception (sensors in muscles, joints and soft tissue) lets us know where our limbs are without looking and how much force to use - whether we’re pressing a pencil or picking up a hamster. When it’s not processed well, you’ll see hugs that hurt, pencil pressure that’s too light or snapping leads from pressing too hard.
Vestibular (sensors in the inner ear) tells us which way is up and how fast we’re moving. It supports bilateral coordination (both sides of the body working together), timing and sequencing - think catching a ball, cutting with scissors, riding a bike, or judging where to place your feet next.
Difficulties in these systems often show up as challenges with praxis - the ability to have an idea, plan the movement, and carry it out.
What is Praxis?
Praxis comes from the Greek word meaning ‘to do’ and can be subdivided into three areas:
Ideation - coming up with the idea of what to do.
Motor planning - understanding how to move your body to achieve your idea
Execution - successfully carrying out your motor plan and do the action and doing the action.
Let’s take a playground swing as an example.
Ideation: “I want to swing.”
Motor Plan: Stand in front, back up until it touches my legs, hold the chains, jump and land on the seat.
Execution: Do it smoothly and safely.
Children with difficulties with praxis may have problems with one of these areas or all three. You may well see children with coordination difficulties who struggle in PE or in the playground or even to put on their coat. Sometimes it’s misread as “won’t” when it’s actually “can’t (yet).”
In my experience, children with difficulties with praxis (which may be termed dyspraxia) experience high levels of anxiety and this can manifest itself into controlling or demand avoidant behaviours.
Case study: A year 7 autistic pupil I recently worked with was referred to OT because of his controlling behaviours at play time; his teachers reported that he liked to play cricket with his friends but every single break time seemed to result in some incident which he was always in the middle of.
When I assessed him, I found out his praxis was extremely poor; he’d practised and practised his cricket as he wanted to join in the game with his friends, and he’d actually developed pretty nice skills, but only if they played exactly the way that he’d practised. if at play time another pupil suggested some change to the game of cricket, perhaps a different location, or using a different ball, this young man knew he wouldn’t be able to participate well so tried to prevent this by becoming very controlling about the whole game – it was his way or the highway as literally he lacked the motor skills to be able to adapt.
I have seen numerous other children, especially SEN or neurodiverse children, who are described as being controlling, avoidant, challenging, oppositionally defiant or having pathological demand avoidance, that I have subsequently found to have significant difficulties with their praxis - their planning and execution of motor skills.
Why sensory circuits (movement breaks) help
Sensory circuits, or sensory movement breaks (I use the terms interchangeably) are ideal to help these children. Well-designed sensory circuits are a powerful, low-cost way to build the skills that make school life work.
Execution: Repeated, scaffolded practice of specific movements builds accuracy, strength and endurance.
Motor planning: Involving pupils in setting up the circuit (spacing stepping stones, placing targets, sequencing stations) develops spatial awareness and step-by-step planning.
Ideation: Inviting pupils to generate new ways to use equipment (“How many types of jumps off the bench?” “How else can we carry the bean bag across the hall?”) expands their movement vocabulary and confidence.
When set up by school staff circuits or movement breaks can help children develop their execution skills by practising moving their bodies in different ways. Staff can support pupils and provide scaffolding to help them acquire and build skills.
Over time, pupils feel more secure in their bodies, anxiety reduces, and participation, friendships and self-esteem grow.
But circuits/movement breaks can do even more.
Practical ways to run movement breaks that build praxis
It often amazes me that children have no idea how far apart stepping stones should go when we are wanting to move from one to another, or how far away a target we are throwing to should be. No wonder then they have trouble laying their work out in a book or knowing where to stand for playground cricket. Getting them involved in the physical aspect of planning a circuit is invaluable and builds so many skills.
By asking pupils to help lay out equipment and plan what should go where you are helping them develop motor plans and spatial awareness.
1) Build the circuit with pupils
Measure and place distances (“How far should the spots be to step comfortably?”).
Choose targets and order the stations.
Discuss why the order makes sense (e.g., alerting → organising → calming).
2) Coach for quality, not speed
Model the movement once; then use brief cues (“soft knees”, “eyes on target”, “slow and strong”).
Offer graded support: full demo → hand-over-hand → light touch → verbal cue → independent.
3) Add ideation prompts
“Three new ways to cross the line.”
“How many ways can we balance the bean bag?”
“Invent a partner move using the floor spots.”
4) Track two things
A tiny motor skills checklist (balance, bilateral use, timing, force).
A simple regulation check (before/after: ready, fidgety, overwhelmed).
5) Generalise into the day
Link circuit cues to class tasks: “soft hands for pencil”, “eyes on the ball → eyes on the board”, “slow and strong for gluestick.”
What you might see change
Smoother transitions and less anxiety.
Better page layout, handwriting pressure and scissor control.
More flexible play and fewer fall-outs in games.
Increased stamina and willingness to try new tasks.
What teachers using my movement breaks have said:
“I use sensory breaks very often throughout the day… children with motor skills difficulties are seen more and more frequently… movement breaks allow children to find equilibrium between the demands of learning and their sensory needs.”
“The pupil has a higher degree of regulation due to individualised support including Ali’s circuits, and we’re seeing improved focus in developing motor skills… they’re now the managing director of our ‘company’ making bead creations to sell.”
Key takeaway
Sensory circuits aren’t just for regulation - they’re a practical route to better motor planning, execution and confidence. Done well, they lift participation across lessons, play and everyday school routines.
👉 Find out more:
Check out our ready-to-use themed movement breaks and 101 Sensory Circuit Activities.
Learn more about our CPD How To Run Sensory Circuits self-paced 1-day online course.
Learn more about our CPD Sensory Champion Award self-paced 2-day online course.
Check out our standalone module: An Introduction to the Senses and Sensory Processing (included in the Sensory Champion Award)
