Parenting Perspective 

Children often do not intuitively connect how they feel internally to what their bodies are physically doing. They may not realise that intense frustration can be significantly eased with a burst of motion or that a heavy sadness can lighten dramatically with a brisk walk. Helping them consciously notice this fundamental link is the very beginning of true emotional intelligence: the vital awareness that the mind and the body are constantly speaking to and influencing each other. 

Turning Motion into Awareness 

Start by gently drawing their attention to how movement feels, rather than strictly what it manages to achieve. After your child finishes running, jumping, or stretching, ask reflective questions that guide their internal assessment: ‘How does your chest feel right now after that running?’ or ‘Do you feel more awake or perhaps a little sleepy after stretching?’ These small, intentional check-ins help children sense the clear shift in energy that takes place inside them when they move their bodies. 

• Natural Calming Systems: Even light, rhythmic movements—such as gently swinging arms, hopping on one foot, or walking briskly—stimulate the body’s natural calming systems. They effectively release pent-up tension and restore balance in both breathing and heartbeat. When this sensory awareness becomes an internal habit, children instinctively learn to reach for movement as a tool for regulation, rather than defaulting to a distress signal or meltdown. Over time, they begin to express their need, saying things like, ‘I think I need a quick walk outside,’ rather than simply acting out their distress. 

Creating a Family Rhythm of Motion 

Parents are the most powerful model for this connection. Let your child clearly see you stretch when you feel tired, walk when you feel stressed, or take deep, conscious breaths when you feel overwhelmed. Explain your actions in simple, relatable terms: ‘Moving my legs for a bit helps my mind feel much clearer and more focused.’ Such simple comments, repeated casually and consistently, help build an inner dialogue in your child that movement is a form of healing, not a punishment or unnecessary pressure. 

Use playful ideas to make this practice feel natural: a few simple stretches before prayer, spontaneously dancing while performing household cleaning, or engaging in balance games at the local park. What matters most is not the intensity of the activity but the intentionality behind it: consciously noticing how the body and the mood successfully shift together. 

Micro-action: After your next walk or playtime, pause together. Ask, ‘Do you feel different inside now than you did before?’ Help your child name the specific sensation—calm, light, happy, peaceful—and link it gently to the movement they have just completed. 

Spiritual Insight 

Islam fundamentally recognises movement as a profound form of both reflection and spiritual renewal. The structured cycles of prayer (Salah), the rhythm of walking to the masjid, and even the natural turning of the earth are constant reminders that intentional motion brings about both order and peace when it is done with dedicated mindfulness. Movement performed in harmony with remembrance transforms inner restlessness into lasting serenity. 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran in Surah Al Ra’ad (13), Verse 28: 

‘…Indeed, it is only with the remembrance of Allah (Almighty) that one can (and does) find peace of mind and heart.’ 

When children learn that genuine peace begins with deep awareness—whether that awareness is cultivated through dhikr (remembrance) or through a calm, intentional walk—they realise that stillness is not always about physically stopping but about achieving an internal sense of being centred within the motion. Every conscious step can thus become an act of remembrance. 

It is recorded in Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2664, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, while there is good in both. Strive for that which benefits you, seek help from Allah, and do not lose heart.‘ 

Strength here encompasses not only the physical but also the emotional: the vital ability to regulate oneself and to find internal calm through purposeful, beneficial action. When a child learns that intentional movement can reliably restore balance and strength, they begin to perceive their body as a sacred trust (amanah) from Allah Almighty, perfectly designed for both spiritual worship and overall physical wellness. 

Thus, walking, stretching, or playing outdoors becomes significantly more than mere physical activity; it transforms into an intentional act of gratitude. Each movement whispers a quiet truth: that inner balance is patiently built step by step, through mindful motion, until the heart finds perfect rest in rhythm with the creation itself.