Busting 7 Early Years Myths: What Children’s Brains Really Need - By Dr Alistair Bryce-Clegg [Listen Along]

My Brand New Article Busting 7 Early Years Myths - You Can Listen Along To This Article

Hey PLAY People,

In Early Years, we all want to do the best we can for the children in our care. So, it’s not surprising that we sometimes pick up ideas that sound helpful, especially when they’ve been shared in training, plastered across social media, or just repeated so often they feel like fact.

But here’s the thing…not everything that sounds brain-based is backed by real science. A lot of what we still hear in education is actually a myth, a bit of a leftover from older research, or just something that caught on and stuck around.

These myths aren’t anyone’s fault – many of us have used them (I know I have), and they were often passed on with good intentions. But now that we’ve got more up-to-date research, it’s worth having a gentle look at which ideas might need a rethink. Not because we’ve “got it wrong,” but because we’re always learning – just like the children.

Myth 1 - Children Learn Best in Their Own Learning Style

This one’s been around for decades. You’ve probably heard people say that some children are visual learners, some auditory, some kinaesthetic. The idea is that if we match how we teach to the child’s preferred style, they’ll learn better.

But study after study has shown that this just isn’t true. Children might like learning a certain way, but that doesn’t mean they’ll learn more. In fact, using a variety of methods, showing, saying, doing, tends to work best for everyone.

Try instead - Mix up your teaching. Use pictures, stories, movement, objects, songs, role play… Let children experience the same idea in different ways. That’s what helps the brain build strong connections.

Myth 2 - Some Children Are Left-Brained, Others Right-Brained

It’s often said that ‘left-brained’ people are logical and good at maths, while ‘right-brained’ people are creative and emotional. It’s an interesting idea, but the brain doesn’t really work like that.

The two sides of the brain work together all the time. Even when you’re drawing a picture or solving a puzzle, you’re using both hemispheres. No one is just using one half of their brain.

Try instead - Forget the labels. Give all children the chance to be creative and logical, imaginative and mathematical. A child who builds amazing towers might also love stories. One doesn’t rule out the other.

Myth 3 - Boys Brains and Girls Brains Are Just Different

This one is still very common. People say things like ‘Boys aren’t wired for writing’ or ‘Girls are naturally better at talking and sitting still.’ But actually, brain research tells us that the differences between boys and girls are tiny, especially in the early years.

What makes the bigger difference is experience. If we expect boys to be rough and tumble, and girls to be neat and careful, we tend to offer them different opportunities, often without realising it. And those small differences in encouragement can really add up.

Try instead: Offer the same chances to everyone. Let boys lead the storytelling. Invite girls to build. If a child’s interested in it, it’s valid – regardless of gender.

Myth 4 - Brain Gym and Other Magic Movements

Brain Gym came along with lots of exciting promises – that certain stretches or movements could ‘wake up’ the brain or get the two sides working together. While there’s nothing wrong with moving and stretching, the specific claims Brain Gym made haven’t held up to research.

Rubbing your chest or doing a special pattern of arm movements doesn’t magically improve learning. But movement in general, especially when it’s fun and playful, absolutely does help with focus and wellbeing.

Try instead - Keep the movement, ditch the magic promises. Let children stretch, dance, wiggle, roll, crawl, climb. You don’t need a branded routine – just regular opportunities to move and reset in and around your environment.

Myth 5 - Beige Classrooms Are Best for Focus

There’s been a trend for a while to have very neutral classrooms – lots of beige, grey or greige (it’s a thing) muted tones. The idea is that bright colours are too stimulating and children focus better with a calming backdrop.

But the research doesn’t actually say that bright colours alone are the problem. What can be unhelpful is clutter. Too many competing visuals with no clear focus. Too much pattern, too much unnecessary labelling. But an all-beige classroom can feel dull and under-stimulating, especially for younger children.

Try instead - Aim for a balance. Keep walls uncluttered, but let children’s artwork, photographs, real objects and a bit of colour bring the space to life. Let the environment feel like theirs – not like a doctor’s surgery or a furniture shop showroom

Myth 6 - Children Need to Sit at a Table to Learn to Write

We often see mark-making as something that happens at a table, with a pencil in hand. But writing is a physical skill, and it begins with big movements like rolling tyres, painting with brooms, squeezing playdough, climbing, crawling.

Children need strong shoulders, arms and hands before they can control a pencil. Sitting at a table too early – especially if their body isn’t ready – can actually hold them back.

Try instead - Let them write wherever they want – on the floor, on the wall, outside in the mud, with sticks in the sand. Give them time and space to build the strength and control they’ll need later on.

Myth 7 - Boys Just Can’t Sit Still (they are full of testosterone)

This one is a classic ‘Boys struggle to sit still and listen.’ While yes, lots of boys have loads of energy (so do lots of girls!), the truth is that very young children aren’t meant to sit still for long periods, full stop.

Their bodies are designed to move, it’s how they learn. Expecting any three- or four-year-old to stay still for twenty minutes on the carpet is a tall order. It’s not about gender – it’s about development.

Try instead - Plan for movement. Keep whole-group times short. Let children learn through doing. Wriggly doesn’t mean misbehaviour, it usually just means they’re being exactly who they’re meant to be.

So What?

There’s no shame in having believed or used these ideas – many of them were common in training for years. They made sense at the time. But now that we know better, we have a chance to do better.

And actually, the truth is really encouraging. Children don’t need perfect environments, colour-coded learning styles or miracle brain routines. What they need is what you’re probably already giving them: a warm relationship, rich experiences, space to move, time to talk, and play that feels real.

So next time someone says ‘She’s a visual learner’ or ‘Boys’ brains aren’t built for writing’ you can (gently) bust the myth. Because when we base our practice on real understanding, everybody wins.

Any other myths we need to bust? Stick them in the comments

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References

1. Coffield, F. et al. (2004) – Should We Be Using Learning Styles? Learning and Skills Research Centre.
   – A major UK study reviewing the evidence behind learning styles and concluding there is no credible basis for adapting teaching to them.

2. Pashler, H. et al. (2008) – Learning Styles: Concepts and Evidence. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 9(3), 105–119.
   – A widely cited paper showing that there’s no benefit to matching teaching to a child’s preferred learning style.

3. Howard-Jones, P. (2014) – Neuroscience and Education: Myths and Messages. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 15, 817–824.
   – Discusses the prevalence of neuromyths in education and how they influence classroom practice.

4. Jarrett, C. (2022) – Great Myths of the Brain. Wiley-Blackwell.
   – Includes sections on left/right brain, gender differences, and other common myths, written for educators.

5. Fisher, A. V., Godwin, K. E., & Seltman, H. (2014) – Visual Environment, Attention Allocation, and Learning in Young Children: When Too Much of a Good Thing May Be Bad. Psychological Science, 25(7), 1362–1370.
   – A key study showing that overly decorated classrooms can distract young children and reduce learning outcomes.

6. Barrett, P. et al. (2015) – Clever Classrooms: Summary Report of the HEAD Project. University of Salford.
   – Found that classroom design (light, colour, layout) can impact academic progress, favouring balanced, child-centred environments over extremes.

7. Eliot, L. et al. (2021) – Dump the Dimorphism: Comprehensive Synthesis of Sex Differences in Children’s Brains. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 125, 667–697.
   – Explains that differences between boys’ and girls’ brains are small and don’t justify major teaching changes.

8. Kersey, A. J. et al. (2019) – No Intrinsic Gender Differences in Children’s Brain Function or Math Ability. Science of Learning, 4(1).
   – Study using brain imaging to show boys and girls process maths the same way.

9. Stephenson, J. & Harold, B. (2013) – A Critical Review of the Validity of Brain Gym as an Educational Intervention. The Australian Journal of Education, 57(2), 147–161.
   – Reviews Brain Gym’s claims and finds no evidence to support its effectiveness.

10. Blakemore, S.-J. & Frith, U. (2005) – The Learning Brain: Lessons for Education. Blackwell.
    – A go-to text for understanding what neuroscience actually tells us about learning, widely read in UK teacher training.

11. Royal Society (2011) – Brain Waves Module 2: Neuroscience: Implications for Education and Lifelong Learning.
    – UK-based summary of neuroscience for education, highlighting myths and misconceptions.

12. Uttal, D. H. et al. (2013) – Learning Through Play: A Review of the Evidence. American Journal of Play, 6(1), 1–23.
    – Outlines the importance of movement, gross motor activity, and play in early development, including pre-writing skills.