Have you ever noticed a child dragging a backpack, pushing a heavy wagon, or plopping down with a satisfied thud into a pile of pillows?
To the casual observer, it might look like kids just being kids. And they are! But behind those big-body movements is something powerful—what early childhood educators call “heavy work.”
At DAZI, we don’t just allow for this kind of movement—we encourage it. We plan for it. Because we know that for many children, especially those still learning to regulate their emotions and energy, heavy work is exactly what their bodies and brains need.
Heavy work activates the proprioceptive system—our built-in GPS that helps us understand where our body is in space. For growing children, engaging this system can be grounding, calming, and incredibly organizing for the nervous system. It’s why some kids instinctively seek out lifting, pushing, pulling, or hauling—these actions help them feel centered and in control.
You’ll see it at DAZI every day:
Children loading up our extra-large wagon with outdoor toys and proudly pulling it to the park
Hauling our yoga sandbags around the room—sometimes just for the joy of it, but often to hold down the curtains of an elaborate fort-in-progress
Lifting, stacking, and rebuilding large hollow wooden blocks with focus and care
Practicing balance on the beam in our movement and sensory room
And yes—flopping with full commitment into a pile of soft cushions when their bodies say, “That’s enough for now”
None of this is random. It’s all deeply meaningful. These children are listening to what their bodies need—and we are too.
We know that a child who’s struggling to sit still or focus isn’t “misbehaving.” They may just need to move first. They might need deep pressure or resistance to help their nervous system settle. So instead of asking them to change, we change the environment.
Our movement and sensory room isn’t just a fun break from the classroom—it’s a carefully considered space where children can move their bodies, build strength, and regulate in ways that feel natural and safe. The tools may look like toys, but to us, they’re strategies—keys to unlocking calm and focus.
At DAZI, we believe children are incredibly intuitive. They know how to seek balance—we just need to give them the space and tools to do it.
So next time you see a child walking determinedly with a sandbag, pulling a wagon that’s almost bigger than they are, or rolling back and forth across a mat like a burrito, take a moment. That’s not chaos. That’s confidence. That’s self-regulation in action.
And when those big feelings settle, when their bodies get what they need, we see it:
The shoulders drop. The breath deepens. The spark returns.
Heavy work leads to light hearts.
Rosetta
