Fundamental movement skills among Australian preschool children

Abstract

Early childhood is a critical period for the development of fundamental movement skills (FMS). Children who do not master FMS are more likely to experience failure in the motor domain and less likely to participate in sport and games during childhood and adolescence. Studies among primary school aged children report low levels of FMS mastery indicating the need to implement FMS programs during the preschool years. Cross-sectional study of 425 children attending preschools in the Sydney, Australia in 2008. FMS were assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 including locomotor (run, gallop, hop, horizontal jump) and object control (strike, catch, kick overhand throw) skills. Data were analysed using linear regression and chi-squared analyses. Total locomotor score was higher among girls compared with boys (p < 0.00); however only the hop was significantly different (p = 0.01). Boys had higher total (p < 0.00) and individual object control scores compared with girls, except the catch (p = 0.6). The prevalence of mastery differed across each FMS. Girls generally had higher mastery of locomotor skills and boys had higher mastery of object control skills. These findings highlight the need to provide structured opportunities which facilitate children's acquisition of FMS, which may include providing gender separated games, equipment and spaces. That mastery of FMS is low in primary school children indicates the importance of early intervention programs in preschools. Preschools and child care centers hold promise as a key setting for implementing FMS programs.

Introduction

Preschool and the early elementary years are critical to a child's development and mastery of fundamental movement skills (FMS). The acquisition of FMS are developmentally sequenced¹ and are contingent upon multiple internal and external factors (biological, psychological, social, motivational, cognitive, etc.) and the process of acquisition occurring though a range of active play experiences and structured programs. These skills allow children to interact and explore their environment.² Furthermore, research among school aged children3, 4, 5, 6 shows that mastery of FMS is correlated with higher levels of physical activity, and there is emerging evidence among preschoolers that FMS,⁷ and in particular locomotor skills⁸ are also positively associated with physical activity.

Basic descriptive epidemiological information on FMS among preschool aged children (i.e., 2–5 years) is limited. Studies among primary school aged children indicate low levels of FMS mastery9, 10 and given that children with low FMS competence are less likely to participate in and enjoy many physical activities compared with their skilled peers,⁶ it appears prudent to examine FMS in preschool aged children. Socio-demographic differences in FMS have been noted in school aged children, albeit inconsistently. There is some evidence which suggests socioeconomic status was positively associated with FMS among girls9, 11 and children from non-English-speaking backgrounds had lower levels of FMS mastery.12, 13

Over 56% of 4-year-old Australian children attend preschool¹⁴ indicating that this sector could be a key setting for intervention programs. Preschool years are an optimal time to introduce FMS because movement patterns are not entrenched. Therefore, early childhood programs can play a key role in promoting opportunities for young children to routinely practice a range of FMS through structured activities and free play.

In order to establish relevant and sustainable programs which focus on FMS development within the early childhood sector detailed information about the acquisition and mastery level of preschool aged children is required. Ideally, a holistic assessment of FMS incorporates locomotor, manipulative (object control) and stability skills.² In this study the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (TGMD-2)¹⁵ protocols were used to examine a subset of locomotor and manipulative skills which are related to activities and games in which children are most likely to participate during the preschool years. Stability, which measures balance skills, occurs very early in development and because ceiling effects may be observed was not assessed in this study.

The TGMD-2 is a criterion- and norm-referenced instrument designed to assess gross motor development among children aged between 3.0 and 10.11 years. It is a valid and reliable (test–retest reliability = 0.88–0.96) process-orientated test which is used for FMS research among young children. Process-oriented tests assess whether the form of the movement skill incorporates the observed performance criteria in a mature pattern and therefore more accurately identify specific characteristics of the movement which reflect the developmental skill level rather than the physical growth and maturational levels of children.

Given the lack of basic descriptive information on preschooler's FMS, the primary purpose of this study was to describe the prevalence and socio-demographic distribution of FMS and secondly to describe the performance criteria of each skill among 4-year-old children attending preschool in the Sydney area of New South Wales (NSW), Australia.