Effects of Developmental Gymnastics Exercise Program on Preschoolers' Motor Skills: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Exercise Science
• Motor Development Studies
• Early Childhood Education

Background:

• Developmental Gymnastics (DG) is a specialized program targeting physical, cognitive, and motor development in children.
• Preschoolers' gross motor skills (GMS) are crucial for overall development and future physical activity engagement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of a 36-week Developmental Gymnastics (DG) program on the gross motor skills (GMS) of preschool children.
• To compare the GMS development between children participating in DG and those in a control group with standard physical activities.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 300 preschool children (aged 5.1 ± 0.83 years).
• Participants were assigned to an experimental group (DG program) or a control group (standard activities) for 36 weeks.
• Gross motor skills were assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (TGMD-2), with analyses adjusted for age and BMI.

Main Results:

• The experimental group showed significantly greater improvements in locomotor skills compared to the control group (mean difference in TGMD-2 total scores: +3.28, p=0.0002).
• Effect sizes for locomotor skills ranged from small to large (Cohen's d = 0.6-1.4), indicating practical significance.
• While both groups improved object control skills, gender-specific differences emerged, with boys in the EG showing greater improvements in stationary dribble and total object control scores.

Conclusions:

• A nine-month Developmental Gymnastics (DG) program led to significant improvements in preschool children's gross motor skills (GMS).
• These findings underscore the effectiveness of structured gymnastics interventions in enhancing motor development.
• The study suggests that DG can be a valuable and sustainable component of preschool curricula.