Structured training on gross motor skills and physical fitness in 4–5-year-old children

ObjectivePreschool children are in a period of rapid physical development, and improving their gross motor skills and physical fitness is quite important for their health. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a structured physical training program in improving Chinese preschool child...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Sheng Quan, Yutong Liao, Yulin Ji, Shuwen Zheng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2024-12-01
Series:Frontiers in Pediatrics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fped.2024.1466911/full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850108839510147072
author Sheng Quan
Yutong Liao
Yulin Ji
Shuwen Zheng
author_facet Sheng Quan
Yutong Liao
Yulin Ji
Shuwen Zheng
author_sort Sheng Quan
collection DOAJ
description ObjectivePreschool children are in a period of rapid physical development, and improving their gross motor skills and physical fitness is quite important for their health. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a structured physical training program in improving Chinese preschool children's gross motor development and physical fitness.MethodA sample of 80 children aged 4 to 5 from Fujian, China, were randomly assigned to the intervention group (N = 41), which received a 15-week structured physical training, while the control group (N = 39) continued with their daily physical activity. The Test of Gross Motor Development-3, and the National Physical Fitness Measurement Standards Manual -Preschool Children Version (2003) were assessed before and after the intervention.ResultsA series of ANCOVA analyses revealed significant group differences in aspects of gross motor skills (F = 10.17, p < 0.01) including locomotor skills (F = 5.31, p < 0.05) and ball skills (F = 15.09, p < 0.001) after controlling the effect of the age, sex, and pre-test scores. Moreover, the results also indicated a higher improvement in young children's physical fitness (F = 91.33, p < 0.001) including their body shape (F = 5.05, p < 0.05), health-related fitness (F = 43.09, p < 0.001), and skill-related fitness (F = 61.47, p < 0.001) in the intervention group over the control group. The results demonstrated that the effect size of the structured training on young children's health-related fitness (η2 = 0.38) and skill-related fitness (η2 = 0.50) was much stronger than on children's body shape (η2 = 0.07).ConclusionThe structured training program effectively improved young children's gross motor skills and physical fitness.
format Article
id doaj-art-e0b831d9cf274e9ea69128e72c3ffe60
institution OA Journals
issn 2296-2360
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Pediatrics
spelling doaj-art-e0b831d9cf274e9ea69128e72c3ffe602025-08-20T02:38:15ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Pediatrics2296-23602024-12-011210.3389/fped.2024.14669111466911Structured training on gross motor skills and physical fitness in 4–5-year-old childrenSheng Quan0Yutong Liao1Yulin Ji2Shuwen Zheng3Department of Police Tactics, Fujian Police College, Fuzhou, Fujian, ChinaCollege of Education, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, ChinaCollege of Education, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, ChinaCollege of Education, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, ChinaObjectivePreschool children are in a period of rapid physical development, and improving their gross motor skills and physical fitness is quite important for their health. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a structured physical training program in improving Chinese preschool children's gross motor development and physical fitness.MethodA sample of 80 children aged 4 to 5 from Fujian, China, were randomly assigned to the intervention group (N = 41), which received a 15-week structured physical training, while the control group (N = 39) continued with their daily physical activity. The Test of Gross Motor Development-3, and the National Physical Fitness Measurement Standards Manual -Preschool Children Version (2003) were assessed before and after the intervention.ResultsA series of ANCOVA analyses revealed significant group differences in aspects of gross motor skills (F = 10.17, p < 0.01) including locomotor skills (F = 5.31, p < 0.05) and ball skills (F = 15.09, p < 0.001) after controlling the effect of the age, sex, and pre-test scores. Moreover, the results also indicated a higher improvement in young children's physical fitness (F = 91.33, p < 0.001) including their body shape (F = 5.05, p < 0.05), health-related fitness (F = 43.09, p < 0.001), and skill-related fitness (F = 61.47, p < 0.001) in the intervention group over the control group. The results demonstrated that the effect size of the structured training on young children's health-related fitness (η2 = 0.38) and skill-related fitness (η2 = 0.50) was much stronger than on children's body shape (η2 = 0.07).ConclusionThe structured training program effectively improved young children's gross motor skills and physical fitness.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fped.2024.1466911/fullstructured trainingyoung childrengross motorphysical fitnessintervention
spellingShingle Sheng Quan
Yutong Liao
Yulin Ji
Shuwen Zheng
Structured training on gross motor skills and physical fitness in 4–5-year-old children
Frontiers in Pediatrics
structured training
young children
gross motor
physical fitness
intervention
title Structured training on gross motor skills and physical fitness in 4–5-year-old children
title_full Structured training on gross motor skills and physical fitness in 4–5-year-old children
title_fullStr Structured training on gross motor skills and physical fitness in 4–5-year-old children
title_full_unstemmed Structured training on gross motor skills and physical fitness in 4–5-year-old children
title_short Structured training on gross motor skills and physical fitness in 4–5-year-old children
title_sort structured training on gross motor skills and physical fitness in 4 5 year old children
topic structured training
young children
gross motor
physical fitness
intervention
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fped.2024.1466911/full
work_keys_str_mv AT shengquan structuredtrainingongrossmotorskillsandphysicalfitnessin45yearoldchildren
AT yutongliao structuredtrainingongrossmotorskillsandphysicalfitnessin45yearoldchildren
AT yulinji structuredtrainingongrossmotorskillsandphysicalfitnessin45yearoldchildren
AT shuwenzheng structuredtrainingongrossmotorskillsandphysicalfitnessin45yearoldchildren