Differences in motor performances of children attending or not attending nursery school in Sénégal

This study reports the results of motor performance measurements of Senegalese children aged 3.5-5.5 years. A total of 69 children were studied, of whom 30 were from a town and were attending a nursery school, while 39 were from rural areas and did not attend school. The tests were administered three times at 6 months intervals. The children were divided into two age groups: younger group (less than 4.5-years-old) and older group (more than 4.5-years-old). They had physical growth inferior to the international reference. In the successive tests carried out over one year, the children showed progress, while the difference in sex was insignificant. The younger group of urban origin performed better than their rural counterparts in tests of imitation, coordination, precision of movements, running, and balancing. There was less difference in older children according to their origin, however, the urban children had better physical growth and developed a stronger hand grip than their rural counterparts. The usefulness of nursery school as a vehicle for nutritional assistance and motor stimulation of underprivileged children has been emphasized.