Effects of Different Multi-Year Physical Exercise Programs on Motor Skills in Preschool Children

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Kristian Plazibat1, Josip Karuc2,3, Tihomir Vidranski1

  • 1Department of Social-Humanities Sciences, University of Slavonski Brod, 35000 Slavonski Brod, Croatia.

Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology
|September 26, 2021
PubMed

Insights

A multi-year exercise program significantly improves preschool children's motor skills. Girls showed greater benefits than boys, suggesting tailored programs could enhance psychomotor development.

Area of Science:

  • Child Development
  • Motor Skill Acquisition
  • Exercise Science

Background:

  • Optimal motor skill acquisition is crucial for preschool children's psychomotor development.
  • Understanding gender differences and the impact of sustained physical activity is essential for effective early childhood education.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effects of a multi-year exercise program on motor skills in 5-6-year-old children.
  • To determine gender-specific responses to the exercise intervention.
  • To assess the long-term impact of continued participation in the program.

Main Methods:

  • 161 preschool children (5-6 years) were assigned to a control or experimental group.
  • Motor skills were assessed using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOT-2).
  • Statistical analyses included one-way ANOVA (gender-specific) and two-way ANOVA (overall scores and gender comparison).

Main Results:

  • A 1-year multilateral exercise program positively impacted motor skills.
  • Continued participation maintained acquired motor skill levels.
  • The exercise program demonstrated a more significant effect on girls' motor skills compared to boys'.

Conclusions:

  • Multilateral exercise programs can enhance preschool children's motor skill development, balancing locomotor and manipulative abilities.
  • The findings support integrating such programs into kindergarten curricula for holistic child development.
  • Exercise interventions may offer differential benefits based on gender, warranting further investigation.

Keywords:
exercise effectsfundamental motor skillmotor skillspediatricsphysical activitysex differences

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