Motor engagement, physical activity intensity, and enjoyment in pre-school children during different game-based...

This study aimed to compare two small and adjusted game formats (1v1 and 2v2) in basketball and soccer, focusing on preschool children's motor engagement, physical activity (PA) levels, and self-reported enjoyment across multiple sessions. A within-subjects repeated-measures design was used, involving 26 male preschool children (5.7 ± 0.5 years old). In the basketball and soccer sessions, children played games targeting small goals (soccer) and lowered hoops represented by floor circles (basketball). During gameplay, participants wore accelerometers to measure physical activity levels, and trained observers recorded motor engagement using the Observational System for Recording Physical Activity in Children - Preschool Version (OSRAC-P). After each session, children rated their enjoyment using a validated preschool visual analog scale designed for real-time assessment of young children's enjoyment of physical activity. Results revealed significant effects of format on light (p = 0.012, d = 0.53) and vigorous PA (p < 0.001, d = 1.25), with 2v2 promoting more light PA and 1v1 provoking more vigorous PA. Sport type significantly influenced moderate PA (p = 0.007, d = 0.58), with soccer showing higher values than basketball. Motor engagement differed by condition; slow-easy movements were most frequent in 2v2 soccer (r = 0.56), while fast movements were highest in 1v1 formats (r ≥ 0.52). Regarding enjoyment, 2v2 basketball consistently elicited greater scores across all dimensions-attraction (r = 0.59), preference (r = 0.63), environment (r = 0.69), and social engagement (r = 0.66)-compared to 1v1 soccer and basketball. In conclusion, the findings suggest that while more individual formats of play may support motor engagement and physical activity levels, games involving teammates and hand-based interaction may be more enjoyable for male preschoolers in short-term settings. Further studies are needed to determine whether these patterns extend to girls and to longer-term interventions.