Move it to lose it: using movement to regulate anxious children

If you've ever watched Bluey's "Musical Statues" episode, you've seen brilliant emotional regulation in action. Here's why "move it to lose it" works so well for anxious and dysregulated children, and how to use it at home.

Move it to lose it (and the wisdom of Bluey's mum)

Yesterday my daughters and I were watching Bluey and the episode "Musical Statues."

Firstly, I love Bluey so much. It's wildly funny, really endearing and touching, and the episodes are the perfect length.

But here's what I love about Bluey. It's not preachy at all, but it is full of parenting gold nuggets for us to enjoy.

What happens in the "Musical Statues" Episode of Bluey

In Musical Statues everyone is grumpy. Bingo wants it to be the weekend and Bluey can't decide what she wants to eat. Everyone is whiney and whingy, and we all know how much fun that is.

And what Bluey's mum does is use the "move it to lose it" principle. She gets them all up and dancing and, sure enough, the grumpiness and dysregulation disappears, and everyone feels better.

Why movement helps anxious children

Move it to lose it is a powerful technique to intervene early when you notice some dysregulation going on, whether that be sadness, anger, frustration, anxiety, boredom and so on.

Physical movement helps regulate the nervous system, releases tension, and shifts children out of anxious thought patterns.

How to use movement with your child

The other day, I channelled my inner Bluey's mum and did this:

• "Girls, give me 10 jumps reaching as high as you can."

• "Give me 5 jumps reaching as wide as you can."

• "3 spins around."

• "Sing a song really loud that you love to sing."

Added bonus: singing calms the nervous system down due to the longer exhalations.

Quick regulation activities

Try these when you notice early signs of anxiety or dysregulation:

• Star jumps

• Dancing to a favourite song

• Animal walks (bear crawls, frog jumps)

• Simon says with big movements

• Obstacle courses

• Trampoline time

The key is to catch dysregulation early and redirect energy through movement before anxiety takes hold.

More strategies for anxious children

Book a free discovery call to learn comprehensive strategies for supporting your anxious child, or join my mailing list for practical tips delivered to your inbox.

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Watch "Shake it Out" with Bluey here

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About the Author

Katrina Batey is a trained SPACE anxiety treatment provider, mental health coach, and parent to a daughter who had selective mutism. She supports families across the UK and internationally to help anxious children build confidence and resilience. Learn more about Katrina.