Abstract
Gross motor locomotion is the basis of various sensory motor locomotion. Interventions helping preschoolers develop gross motor skills (GMS) could provide a solid foundation for complex motor skills. This study analyzed a table tennis physical activity program’s influence on preschoolers’ GMS development with 104 preschoolers (experimental group (EG): N = 52, 25 boys, 27 girls; control group (CG): N = 52, 25 boys, 27 girls). The EG conducted table tennis physical activities three times per week for 12 weeks. Preschoolers’ GMSs were assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development (second edition). After 12 weeks, both the male and female EGs had significantly improved scores for GMS, locomotor subtest, gallop, hop, leap, slide, object control subtest, strike a stationary ball, stationary dribble, catch, overarm throw, and underhand roll (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, p < 0.001). The female EG also showed significant improvement for the run, horizontal jump, and catch in the post-test. Both the male and female EGs significantly outperformed the control group in their post-test scores for GMS, locomotor subtest, object control subtest, strike a stationary ball, overarm throw, and underhand roll (p < 0.05). The female EG also showed significant differences in slide scores (p < 0.05). Therefore, table tennis physical activities can promote preschoolers’ GMS development, especially object control skills. The research results provide an empirical basis for preschoolers’ physical education. Meanwhile, our findings have important implications for preschoolers’ GMS development and table tennis’ popularization in Chinese kindergartens.
Highlights
As an essential human skill, locomotion is the main instrument by which individuals interact with the external environment, and it plays a dual role in ensuring individuals’survival and development [1]
The locomotion performed by gross muscles is called gross motor locomotion, and the development of gross muscles plays a crucial role in the process of motor development
There was no significant difference in kick in the experimental group between the pre-test and post-test, while in the control group, there was no significant difference in the scores for the object control subtest, strike a stationary ball, stationary dribble, catch, kick, overarm throw, and underhand roll between the pre-test and post-test
Summary
As an essential human skill, locomotion is the main instrument by which individuals interact with the external environment, and it plays a dual role in ensuring individuals’survival and development [1]. Gross motor refers to locomotion in which the gross muscles of the trunk and limbs participate [2], and it includes the motor skills of physical locomotion and object control [3]. Children at the preschool and early education stage are the ideal learning subjects for developing gross motor skills [4]. Gross motor skills are the earliest-developed motor skills, and their development is beneficial to their physical health, mental cognition, and social adaptation [5,6,7]. Gross motor skills play an important role in preschoolers’ growth, development, and formation of an active lifestyle, and their sports psychology, sports interest, sports habits, sports cognition, and comprehensive sports quality are optimally developed through these skills’ promotion [8]
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