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Young children's motor skill performance: relationships with activity types and parent perception of athletic

Jennifer R O'Neill1, Harriet G Williams1, Karin A Pfeiffer2

  • 1Department of Exercise Science, University of South Carolina, USA.

Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport
|December 18, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Children with better motor skills engage in more physical activities like dancing and throwing. Parents also perceive children with higher motor skills as more athletically competent, highlighting the need for early motor skill development opportunities.

Area of Science:

  • Child Development
  • Motor Skill Acquisition
  • Early Childhood Education

Background:

  • Motor skills are crucial for children's physical and cognitive development.
  • Preschool environments offer opportunities for developing motor skills through various physical activities.
  • Parental perception of a child's athletic competence can influence their engagement in physical activities.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between children's motor skill levels (locomotor and object control) and their participation in physical activities during preschool.
  • To examine how children's motor skill performance relates to their parents' perception of their athletic competence.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 264 preschool-aged children (3-5 years).
  • Locomotor and object control skills were assessed using a standardized protocol.
  • Direct observation (OSRAC-P) recorded physical activities, and parents rated their child's athletic competence.

Main Results:

  • Children with higher locomotor skills engaged in more dancing.
  • Children with higher object control skills participated more frequently in throwing activities.
  • Parents' perception of athletic competence aligned with children's actual motor skill levels.

Conclusions:

  • Higher motor skill levels in children are associated with specific physical activities and positive parental perceptions of athletic competence.
  • Findings underscore the importance of providing structured opportunities for motor skill development in early childhood settings.
  • Further research is needed to inform policies and practices that support motor skill learning in young children.
Abstract

Keywords:
ChildLocomotor skillMotor skillsObject control skillPhysical activityPreschool

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