Brain Gym exercises improve learning

Brain Gym exercises improve learning
	UNSUPPORTED
	"A set of simple physical movements known as Brain Gym, such as crawling movements, pressing "brain buttons" and drinking water, integrates the brain's hemispheres and improves children's concentration, reading and learning."
Domain	Education & Learning
Tactic	Pseudoscience / Junk Science;
Era	Historical
First seen	1980s
Origin	"Educational Kinesiology," developed by Paul and Gail Dennison in California in the 1980s and marketed to schools worldwide through Brain Gym International
Last reviewed	2026-10-27
	Further reading: books on Education & Learning

The claim that Brain Gym exercises improve learning was promoted to schools in many countries from the 1980s onward. Brain Gym is a program of 26 movements and activities, such as "cross crawls," in which children touch a hand to the opposite knee, and "brain buttons," in which they rub points below the collarbone, said to improve blood flow to the brain and integrate its hemispheres. Teachers in the United States, the United Kingdom and elsewhere used the exercises in classrooms. Reviews of the research have found no reliable evidence that the program improves learning, and its theoretical explanations conflict with established neuroscience. Short physical activity breaks can help children feel more alert, but that does not support Brain Gym's specific claims.

The claim

The program's materials claimed that the movements could "activate" different areas of the brain, improve communication between the hemispheres and help children with reading, writing, mathematics and attention, including those with learning difficulties. Some materials said that rubbing "brain buttons" stimulated the carotid arteries to increase blood flow to the brain and that processed foods contained no water, so children needed to drink water to help their brains.

Origin

Paul Dennison, an educator, and his wife, Gail, developed the method, which they called Educational Kinesiology, drawing on applied kinesiology and older theories of neurological "patterning" that had been discredited. Brain Gym International trained teachers and sold materials, and the program spread widely in schools.

What the evidence shows

Reviews. A 2007 review by Keith Hyatt in Remedial and Special Education examined the theoretical foundations and research on Brain Gym and concluded that the claims were not supported by empirical evidence. A 2010 review by Lucinda Spaulding, Mark Mostert and Andrea Beam reached a similar conclusion, finding that the few studies claiming benefits had serious methodological weaknesses.
Theory. Neuroscientists have pointed out that the hemispheres already communicate constantly in healthy brains, and that the program's explanations of how the movements work are inconsistent with anatomy and physiology.
Criticism in schools. In 2006 physician and writer Ben Goldacre drew attention to Brain Gym materials used in British state schools, highlighting claims such as the idea that processed foods contain no water. Brain Gym International later revised some of its materials and said the program's benefits were based on experience rather than science.
Physical activity. Separate research suggests that short breaks for physical activity can improve children's attention in class. This general benefit does not depend on Brain Gym's particular movements or theories.

Why it persists

Brain Gym appeals to teachers because it is easy, enjoyable and seems to help children settle down, which can be explained by the benefits of movement and a change of activity. Its scientific-sounding language gives an impression of evidence, and once adopted, programs can persist in schools without being evaluated.

Lessons for readers

Ask whether an educational program's benefits have been tested in controlled studies.
Scientific-sounding explanations are not evidence.
An activity can have general benefits without its specific theory being true.
Schools should evaluate programs before spending on training and materials.
Be cautious of programs claiming to fix learning difficulties through simple exercises.

Sources

Keith J. Hyatt, "Brain Gym: Building Stronger Brains or Wishful Thinking?," Remedial and Special Education 28, no. 2 (2007).
Lucinda S. Spaulding, Mark P. Mostert and Andrea P. Beam, "Is Brain Gym an Effective Educational Intervention?," Exceptionality 18, no. 1 (2010).
Ben Goldacre, Bad Science (Fourth Estate, 2008), chapter on Brain Gym.