This paper aims to analyse studies and research conducted in EU and non-EU member states to identify and compare trends in physical activity and motor skills. Thus, a comparative overview of the state of the art in the two pre-pandemic decades that can facilitate an understanding of the different territorial realities and training needs to be conducted, considering the different cultural situations. A scoping review was conducted by analysing a series of studies published between 1990 and 2022, including only those studies that collected data in the pre-pandemic period. The search was carried out on databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect. The following keywords were used for the acquisition of relevant studies: children, decline, motor skills, physical activity, and young people. From the literature review emerged clearly in all the longitudinal surveys a negative trend of body mass index (BMI), which was increasing in all the countries analysed, and cardiorespiratory fitness, which, in close relation to the increase in overweight levels, was in decline. If an unambiguous trend could be declared for the variables just mentioned, it was not possible to declare the same trend for the other variables analysed, which showed discordant results between the different countries.

Recent neuroscientific research highlighted interesting interactions between superior cognitive functions and the sensorimotor system. Overcoming the traditional views of the philosophy of mind and cognitive sciences, current empirical evidence shows that bodily states are the basis of information processing and that incarnation contributes to various aspects of mental phenomena. Starting from this theoretical framework, the purpose of this contribution is to outline, through exposure to the most significant discoveries in the world of neuroscience, the importance of Embodied Cognition as an emerging vision that considers the cognitive processes deeply rooted in the interaction of the body with the world. After careful selection and analysis of studies on neuroscience applied to teaching, the study focused on those who experienced in the school context embodied-teaching approaches aiming to promote transversal learning through movement and corporeality in action and interaction. The analysis highlights the strengths and critical points of the studies implemented in recent decades that focus on the integration and transversality of the body in learning. This is to understand whether embodied learning environments involving all spheres of personality can foster perception, knowledge, and conscious action in teaching and learning processes. An important result from the overview is the potential of theory in different educational environments and disciplines. The contemporary theoretical framework highlights the great potential of corporeality and physical education as actors in learning, but at the same time place in the foreground the need to experiment and disseminate new teaching approaches and perspectives.

The school-age period is a crucial time for the integrated development of cognitive and motor functions. Literature highlights that physical activity enhances executive functions, including visuospatial working memory (VSWM). In light of this evidence, this study investigated the effects of a school-based coordinative motor intervention on VSWM and gross motor skills in primary school children. An experimental research trial was conducted involving 184 children aged 9–10 years (mean age = 9.5 years, SD = 0.50 years), with 51.1% girls, divided into an experimental group (EG; n = 110), and a control group (CG; n = 74). Randomisation was performed at the class level via sealed envelope extraction by an independent researcher, ensuring allocation concealment. Outcome assessors were blinded to group assignment. VMWM was assessed using BVS-Corsi-2, and gross motor skills were evaluated via the TGMD-3. The EG showed significant improvements in VSWM (Corsi Forward: p < 0.001, d = 1.12; Corsi Backward: p < 0.001, d = 1.40) and gross motor skills, including Total Gross Motor: p < 0.001, d = 1.58, as well as in locomotion (p < 0.001, d = 2.11) and ball skills score (p < 0.001, d = 1.34). These findings strongly endorse incorporating cognitively demanding physical activities into standard school programmes to support children’s overall development and demonstrate the practicality of implementing such programmes within existing educational settings.

Background/Objectives: The study aims to experiment with a teaching methodology based on the application of some principles of Nonlinear Pedagogy (NLP) in order to understand its effectiveness not only on motor development but also on attention and processing speed. Methods: A between-subjects quasi-experimental design involved 165 children (mean age = 7.21 ± 0.93 years), assigned to an experimental (n = 98; 45% Male and 55% Female) and control group (n = 67; 42% Male and 58% Female) over 16 weeks (32 sessions). The experimental group followed Physical Education (PE) lessons grounded on NLP principles, while control group followed traditional PE lessons. Divided attention and visual processing speed were assessed using the Witty SEM test with 2 difficulty levels, and the motor skills were assessed through Test of Gross Motor Development-3 and used as covariate. Results: Significant interactions emerged for Divided Attention (p = 0.014, d = 58 for level 1; p = 0.014, d = 42 for level 2). The visual processing speed also showed significant interaction (p < 0.001, d = 0.88 for level 1; p < 0.001, d = 1.11 for level 2). Conclusions: Findings from this preliminary study indicate a significant relationship between NLP-based teaching and improvements in attention and visual processing speed. The NLP intervention group outperformed the control group in both domains, supporting the effectiveness of this pedagogical approach within primary school PE settings. These promising results encourage further investigation with larger samples and over longer intervention periods.