INTED 2022

Annual International Technology, Education And Development Conference, 7-8 March, Valencia, Spain

The effects of physical education on gross motor skills in 6-7 years old

I. Boros-Balint¹, 2, G.F. Deak¹, 2, A.H. Molnar³, D.R. Ciocoi-Pop^1,2

¹Department of Kinesiotherapy and Theoretical Disciplines, Babeș-Bolyai University (ROMANIA)
²Interdisciplinary Research Center in the Domain of Physical Education and Sport, Babeș-Bolyai University (ROMANIA) 
³Institute of PE and Sports Science, University of Szeged (HUNGARY)

Abstract

Introduction: Physical education classes are essential for the development of fundamental gross motor behaviors during the first years of primary education. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of physical education classes, held twice per week, on the gross motor skills of 6-7 years old children. Methodology: Participants were 102 children (age 6-7 years old; 57 boys, 45 girls) enrolled at two public schools from Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Anthropometric measurements were performed for all subjects and gross motor skills were assessed during physical education classes at the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year, in the second semester of the 2018-2019 school year, and at the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year using the Test of Gross Motor Development – 2^nd Edition (TGMD-2). An analysis of variance test with repeated measures (repeated measures ANOVA) was carried out to evaluate the effects of physical education classes on body mass index, body fat and TGMD-2 scores. Results: There were no statistically significant differences for body mass index, F(2, 202) = 0.37, p =0.688. On the other hand, body fat values increased significantly over the course of twelve months, F(2, 198) = 8.33, p = 0.000. Statistically significant increases were also observed for the locomotor subtest scores, F(2, 202) = 29.53, p = 0.000, for the object control subtest scores, F(2, 202) = 37.51, p = 0.000, as well as for the cumulate outcomes of TGMD-2, F(2, 202) = 47.79, p = 0.000. Conclusions: A physical education curriculum with a frequency of two classes per week seems to be effective in improving gross motor skills in children (age 6-7 years).

Keywords: gross motor development, primary school children, physical education, assessment