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Head, Toes, Knees, SKIP! Improving Preschool Children's Executive Function Through a Motor Competence Intervention
Kelly Lynn Mulvey1, Sally Taunton2, Adam Pennell2
11 North Carolina State University.
Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology
|November 1, 2018
Summary
The Successful Kinesthetic Instruction for Preschoolers (SKIP) program significantly improved both gross motor and executive function skills in preschoolers. This research highlights SKIP
Area of Science:
- Child Development
- Motor Learning
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Executive function is crucial for school readiness.
- Preschoolers often have deficits across multiple developmental domains.
- Integrated interventions are needed to address multiple domains simultaneously.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if the Successful Kinesthetic Instruction for Preschoolers (SKIP) intervention improves executive function in preschoolers.
- To assess the impact of a gross motor skill intervention on cognitive skills.
Main Methods:
- Randomized controlled trial with 107 preschoolers.
- Intervention group received 6 weeks of SKIP (30-min sessions, twice weekly).
- Executive function and gross motor skills were assessed pre- and post-intervention.
Main Results:
- Participants in the SKIP intervention group demonstrated significant improvements in gross motor skills compared to the control group.
- Preschoolers in the SKIP group also showed significant enhancements in executive function skills.
- These findings are the first to link the SKIP intervention to executive function gains.
Conclusions:
- The SKIP intervention is effective in enhancing both gross motor and executive function skills in young children.
- Gross motor skill development can positively influence cognitive development in preschoolers.
- Integrated interventions like SKIP offer a promising approach for holistic child development.