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. 2024 Sep 13;11(9):1122.
doi: 10.3390/children11091122.

Supporting Young Children's Physical Development through Tailored Motor Competency Interventions within a School Setting

Ellie Huggett  1 , Kristy Howells  1
Affiliations

Supporting Young Children's Physical Development through Tailored Motor Competency Interventions within a School Setting

Ellie Huggett et al. Children (Basel). .

Abstract

Background/Objectives: This study investigated how tailored motor competency (MC) interventions within a bespoke Scheme of Work (SOW) can support young children's physical development (PD) by enhancing fine motor skills (FMS) and gross motor skills (GMS). The objective was to enable children to meet curriculum developmental physical milestones. Methods: The longitudinal case study design was conducted over 19 weeks across three academic terms and focused on 25 children (12 boys and 13 girls aged between 5 and 6 years old). Interventions within the SOW were evaluated at six points to assess effectiveness and to make adjustments. Data collection included observations on FMS and GMS development. Results: Statistically significant improvements were observed in FMS and GMS after implementing the MC interventions. Notable improvements included hopping, running, climbing, kicking, catching, and using scissors (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The study underscores the importance of holistic approaches to PD, highlighting the need for early intervention and the crucial role of educators. The findings advocate for strategically planned MC interventions and practitioner observations to achieve longitudinal improvements in PD. The study recommends nationwide implementation to enhance PD outcomes, preparing children for lifelong and life-wide MC.

Keywords: core strength and coordination; fine motor skills; gross motor skills; motor competency; motor skills; physical development; young children.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The timeline of the study.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The assessment circuit.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The percentage of children meeting each of the five success criteria for hopping.
Figure 4
Figure 4
The percentage of children meeting each of the four success criteria for running.
Figure 5
Figure 5
The percentage of children meeting each of the four success criteria for kicking.
Figure 6
Figure 6
The percentage of children meeting each of the four success criteria for climbing.
Figure 7
Figure 7
The percentage of children meeting each of the four success criteria for the use of scissors.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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