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Effects of 8 weeks of rhythmic physical activity on gross motor movements in 4-5-year-olds: A randomized controlled
Haotian Zhao1, Yongjia Deng1, Ge Song2
1Department of Physical Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China.
Insights
Eight weeks of rhythmic physical activity significantly improved gross motor skills in 4-5-year-olds, enhancing abilities like running, jumping, and balance. These advancements suggest rhythmic activities may be more effective than general physical activity for young children's development.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Exercise Science
- Motor Development
- Childhood Physical Education
Background:
- Gross motor development is crucial for 4-5-year-old children's overall physical and cognitive well-being.
- Limited empirical research exists on the specific effects of rhythmic physical activity on this age group's motor skills.
- Understanding effective interventions for enhancing gross motor development is essential for early childhood education and sports programs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of a structured 8-week rhythmic physical activity program on the gross motor development of 4-5-year-old children.
- To compare the motor skill improvements in children participating in rhythmic physical activity versus a control group.
Main Methods:
- Fifty 4-5-year-old children were randomly assigned to an intervention (rhythmic activity) or control group.
- The intervention group underwent 8 weeks of thrice-weekly rhythmic physical activity training, assessed using the PGMQ scale.
- Both groups were assessed pre- and post-intervention, with data analyzed using two-way repeated measures ANOVA.
Main Results:
- The intervention group showed significant improvements in displacement abilities (running, jumping, leaping) and manipulative skills (throwing, catching, kicking).
- Significant enhancements were also observed in balance abilities, including single-leg and double-leg stands.
- The rhythmic activity group demonstrated statistically significant differences compared to the control group across multiple gross motor skill measures.
Conclusions:
- Eight weeks of rhythmic physical activity positively impacts gross motor development in 4-5-year-old children.
- Rhythmic physical activity may offer superior benefits for gross motor development compared to general physical activity interventions.
- Findings support the integration of rhythmic physical activities into early childhood curricula to foster motor skill acquisition.
Objective:
Rhythmic physical activity holds promise for positively influencing the gross motor development of 4-5-year-old children, yet empirical research in this domain remains limited. This study aimed to investigate the effects of rhythmic physical activity on the gross motor development in children aged 4-5 years.
Methods:
Fifty children aged 4-5 years were recruited and randomly assigned to either the intervention or control group. Both groups participated in a 10-week intervention program facilitated by a professional trainer, with support from numerous dedicated volunteers from reputable sports universities. This program comprised a one-week baseline assessment followed by 8 weeks of rhythmic physical activity training conducted three times per week. Gross motor performance was assessed using the PGMQ scale before and one week after the intervention.
Results:
Following the 8-week intervention, the intervention group demonstrated significant enhancements in displacement ability, with notable improvements observed in. Specifically, the scores for running, sliding lateral transfer, leaping step, two-footed back-and-forth jump, and total displacement ability showed significant increases (P < 0.05). Moreover, the total scores for running, standing long jump, sliding lateral transfer, leaping step, two-footed back-and-forth jump, and displacement ability exhibited significant differences between the intervention and control groups (P < 0.05). Regarding manipulative ability, the intervention group showed significant increases in scores for over-the-shoulder throwing, two-handed catching, and kicking (P < 0.05). Moreover, there were significant differences between groups in the scores for two-handed catching and kicking (P < 0.05). Concerning balance ability, the intervention group exhibited significant improvements in scores for single-leg stand, double-leg stand, and total balance ability (P < 0.05). No significant differences were observed in any of the indices within the control group (P > 0.05). The two-way repeated measures ANOVA of intervention × time revealed significant differences in scores for running, sliding lateral movement, leaping step, jumping back and forth with both feet, leading ability, kicking, manipulation ability, single-leg stand, double-leg stand, balance ability, and gross motor scores (P < 0.05).
Conclusions:
This study underscores the beneficial impact of engaging in eight weeks of rhythmic physical activity on the gross motor development of 4-5-year-olds. Furthermore, the improvements in gross motor development achieved through rhythmic physical activity may surpass those obtained through general physical activity.
