Abstract
This study aimed to examine the associations between play behaviors during preschool recess and foundational movement skills (FMS) in typically developing preschool children. One hundred and thirty-three children (55% male; mean age 4.7 ± 0.5 years) from twelve preschools were video-assessed for six locomotor and six object-control FMS using the Champs Motor Skill Protocol. A modified System for Observing Children’s Activity and Relationships during Play assessed play behaviors during preschool recess. Associations between the composition of recess play behaviors with FMS were analyzed using compositional data analysis and linear regression. Results: Relative to time spent in other types of play behaviors, time spent in play without equipment was positively associated with total and locomotor skills, while time spent in locomotion activities was negatively associated with total and locomotor skills. No associations were found between activity level and group size play behavior compositions and FMS. The findings suggest that activity type play behaviors during recess are associated with FMS. While active games without equipment appear beneficial, preschool children may need a richer playground environment, including varied fixed and portable equipment, to augment the play-based development of FMS.
Highlights
Childhood is recognized as a critical period for the development of foundational movement skills (FMS) [1,2,3]
This study aimed to examine the relationships between FMS and play behaviors in typically developing preschool children during preschool recess using compositional data analysis (CoDA)
The findings indicate that participation in specific types of play behaviors during recess are potentially important for FMS development in young children
Summary
Childhood is recognized as a critical period for the development of foundational movement skills (FMS) [1,2,3]. Young children will not acquire proficiency in FMS through growth and maturation alone: the rate and extent of FMS development is dependent on the interplay between environmental (e.g., access to equipment) and individual (e.g., confidence) factors [6,7,8] and is non-linear and idiosyncratic [9]. Developing proficiency in these skills through childhood is important, as FMS provide an underlying base or support for successful participation in physical activities and sport across the life course [1,7,10,11,12]. FMS level has been found to be inversely related with body mass index (BMI) [20,21] and positively associated with physical activity behaviors in preschool children [22,23,24]
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