Fundamental Motor Skills Intervention Research Articles

Intervention effects on low performing preschoolers' early mathematical skills: Adding fundamental motor skill practice as a supporting method

BackgroundThis study examined the effects of (1) combined early numeracy and fundamental motor skills (MovEN), (2) early numeracy, and (3) fundamental motor skills intervention programs on children's early mathematical and fundamental motor skills, and how individual background variables affect the effectiveness of these interventions. ProcedureTogether 50 preschoolers participated in the interventions (16 × 45 min sessions). Children's early numeracy, mathematical problem-solving, and fundamental motor skills were measured once before and twice after the interventions. Main findingsThe results showed that the MovEN and early numeracy -interventions were effective in improving children's early numeracy, and mathematical problem-solving. Whereas the MovEN and fundamental motor skills interventions improved children's fundamental motor skills. From individual factors, only updating ability predicted the intervention's effectiveness over and above prior performance. ConclusionThe results suggest that children's early mathematical and fundamental motor skills can be supported effectively at the same time with the MovEN -intervention.

Impact and Implementation of an Early Years Fundamental Motor Skills Intervention for Children 4-5 Years.

The Early Years FMS intervention ran for 18 weeks, 1 h/week, using a standardised programme of activities to develop FMS competencies across 219 children from 15 schools in the Midlands, UK. An adapted assessment was employed as a measure of FMS, assessing locomotor, object control, and stability skills at weeks 1, 9, and 18. The FMS were each rated as green = competent, amber = working towards, or red = not meeting the standards of the skill. A description of key programme implementation characteristics was described. Statistically significant increases in FMS competencies were achieved for 80% of participants at 18 weeks. Key implementation characteristics for the intervention included consistent staffing, a standardised programme, and a variety of pedagogical approaches delivered by specialist PE staff. This evaluation provided important insights into the effectiveness and implementation of the Early Years FMS intervention to improve FMS competencies in children aged 4-5 years.

The necessity and challenge of family-school cooperation in developing fundamental motor skills for children with autism: the perspective of Chinese teachers and parents

Objectives Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often show delayed development of fundamental motor skills (FMS). This group needs more attention and guidance to master FMS. It is very important to find out how parents can be involved in FMS intervention to improve the impact. The aim of this study is to explore the views of teachers and parents of children with ASD on the current situation of FMS teaching and the relationship between family and school in physical education in special schools in China. Methods Teachers (n = 10) and parents (n = 10) who met the inclusion criteria were recruited for semi-structured interviews and NVivo 12.0 was used for analysis. Results Two themes were highlighted: (1) The necessity of systematizing FMS courses for children with ASD; and (2) The challenges affecting the development of FMS for children with ASD. Conclusions This study provided a foundation for future research and practical activities, aimed at perfecting intervention measures and ensuring a holistic approach to the FMS development of children with ASD.

Effectiveness of an Eight-Week Fundamental Skills Intervention Programme on the Motor Skills of Children with Visual Impairment, Nairobi City County, Kenya

Physical activity has been included in early intervention programmes involving fundamental motor skills among children with differing disabilities. Though research has documented improved motor skills performance generally, few have focused on intervention programmes as a means towards improving motor skill performance in children with visual impairment (VI). This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of an eight-week fundamental motor skills intervention programme on motor skills of children with visual impairment in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The study targeted children with VI aged between six to eleven years. Out of the two public integrated primary school with special unit for VI, the school with the highest number of children with VI was purposively selected. Twelve out of the 20 targeted children with VI in grade one and two met the inclusion criteria. Ethical clearance and consent were acquired before the study. One group pre and post-test quasi experimental design was used. The study utilised Test of Gross Motor development which include two subsets: locomotor and object manipulation skills. The motor skills were assessed before and after the intervention programme. The results showed significant improvement of both the locomotor and object control skills. The study therefore recommends implementation of motor skill intervention programmes for children with VI at an early age

The Effects of Physical Activity Interventions in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: a Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis

AbstractWe conducted a network meta-analysis to assess and rank the efficacy of different physical activities on motor function, social function, communication, and stereotyped behavior in children with autism spectrum disorder. PubMed, EBSCO, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases were searched through May 25, 2023. A total of 37 studies involving 1200 participants and 17 interventions were included in our study. Based on the ranking probabilities, Tai Chi Chuan and fundamental motor skill intervention were ranked as possibly the most effective intervention for motor function and communication, respectively. Kata techniques had the highest probability of being best for stereotyped behavior and social function. This review provides valuable information that physical activity can be a useful strategy in the management of autism spectrum disorder.

Parental engagement and implementation fidelity in a mHealth motor skills intervention for young children

ABSTRACT Introduction Mobile apps (i.e. mHealth) provide unprecedented opportunity for widespread dissemination of health behavior programs. However, for programs directed towards young children, parental engagement may explain differing results of mHealth programs. Within the context of an app-based fundamental motor skill (FMS) intervention that improved children’s motor skills (PLAY), this paper examines parents’ fidelity to the intervention and the extent to which fidelity was related to children’s motor skill improvements. Methods In the PLAY trial, 72 children aged 3–5 years were randomized for their parents to access a Motor Skills app or Free Play app for a 12-week intervention. The Motor Skills app contained lessons, videos, and activity breaks totaling 1 h/week of directed FMS instruction by the parent to the child over a 12-week period. The Free Play app was similar in appearance and format but focused on unstructured physical activity. Children’s FMS were evaluated with the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-3) at baseline, 12-weeks, and 24-week follow-up. Implementation fidelity data included dosage completed (activity breaks completed), parental engagement (duration of video views), and quality of intervention delivery (feasibility and acceptability). Dosage and engagement were dichotomized within the Motor Skills condition into high vs. low. Linear mixed effects models were used to examine the association of dosage completed and parental engagement with changes in children’s FMS both within and between conditions. The level of significance was set at 0.05 for all analyses. Results Children completed 70% (8.4 of 12 h) of the prescribed activity breaks based on parental report in the Motor Skills condition and 87% (10.4 of 12 h) in the Free Play condition (not significantly different). Parental engagement based on video viewing duration for the Motor Skills condition was on average 8.0 ± 8.6 of the 9.8 available minutes and for the Free Play condition was 5.0 ± 5.5 of the available 18 min, with no significant difference between conditions. Parents rated high acceptability and usability for both apps. Children in the Motor Skills condition improved their FMS more than children in the Free Play condition regardless of whether they were classified as receiving high or low dosage or high or low parental engagement. Conclusion Parents and children consistently engaged with a 12-week Motor Skills app intervention, and the salience of FMS improvements did not differ by the level of parent fidelity or engagement with the mHealth app. The intervention potency, parental engagement, and dosage completed were sufficient to produce the desired child motor skills improvements.

Fundamental Motor Skills Intervention for School-age Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a motor intervention program on the improvement of fundamental motor skills (including motor skills and object control skills) in school-aged children through a meta-analysis system based on the US Gross Motor Development Test to determine further the effects of motor intervention on fundamental motor skills in school-aged children. A comprehensive search of relevant literature in PubMed and Web of Science databases was conducted to include trials on motor interventions published up to October 2021, examining the effects of motor intervention programs on fundamental motor skills in school-aged children. The Cochrane Risk of Bias tool identified studies of acceptable methodological quality. Meta-analyses showed that motor interventions had an effect on children's overall fundamental motor skills (N=1197, SMD=0.94, 95% Cl:0.81-1.07, p<0.00001, I²=79%, random-effects model) and object control skills (N=1380, SMD=0.83, 95% Cl:0.45-1.21, p<0.0001, I²=89%, random-effects model) improved by a larger effect size. In contrast, the effect size for improvement in motor skills (N=1380, SMD=0.57, 95% Cl:0.29-0.85, p<0.0001, I²=80%, random-effects model) was moderate. The combined analyses suggest that motor intervention programs can improve children's performance of fundamental motor skills to some extent. However, the optimal type of motor intervention needs to be further determined in subsequent studies. Considering the limitations of this study, the findings need to be interpreted and applied with caution.

Cognitive and Academic Outcomes of Fundamental Motor Skill and Physical Activity Interventions Designed for Children with Special Educational Needs: A Systematic Review.

This systematic review aimed to investigate the methodological quality and the effects of fundamental motor skills and physical activity interventions on cognitive and academic skills in 3- to 7-year-old children with special educational needs. The review was reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) statement. A literature search was carried out in April 2020 (updated in January 2022) using seven electronic databases, including ERIC, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, CINAHL, PubMed, and SPORTDiscus. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed with Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) Quality Assessment Tool. Cohen’s d effect sizes and post-hoc power analyses were conducted for the included studies. Altogether 22 studies (1883 children) met the inclusion criteria, representing children at-risk for learning difficulties, due to family background (nstudies = 8), children with learning difficulties (nstudies = 7), learning disabilities (nstudies = 5), and physical disabilities (nstudies = 2). Two of the included 22 studies displayed strong, one moderate, and 19 studies weak methodological quality. The intervention effects appeared to be somewhat dependent on the severity of the learning difficulty; in cognitive and language skills, the effects were largest in children at-risk due to family background, whereas in executive functions the effects were largest in children with learning disabilities. However, due to the vast heterogeneity of the included studies, and a rather low methodological quality, it is challenging to summarize the findings in a generalizable manner. Thus, additional high-quality research is required to determine the effectiveness of the interventions.

Impact of a Fundamental Motor Skill Intervention on Low-Income Preschoolers’ Body Composition

ABSTRACT Introduction/Purpose Fundamental motor skills (FMS)—the building blocks of play, recreation, and sport—are deficient in overweight and obese children. FMS interventions may curb increasing childhood obesity rates. This randomized control trial aimed to determine the effect of an FMS intervention on fat mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM), and body mass index (BMI) in preschool-aged children (ages 3–5 yr) attending a low-income preschool. Researchers hypothesized that children in the intervention would have increased FFM. Methods Eleven preschool classes (n = 136; mean age, 4.3 yr; 74% Black) were randomly assigned to the intervention (6 classes) or control (5 classes) groups. Participants in the intervention group attended a 30-min FMS intervention two times per week for 9 months, whereas the control group simultaneously participated in outdoor-free play. FM and FFM were measured with foot-to-foot bioelectrical impedance before and after intervention. BMI was measured using height and weight. Results At baseline, the control group had significantly more FM (t 76 = −2.12, P = 0.04) and FFM (t 76 = −2.59, P = 0.01) than the intervention group. A mixed-effects analysis of variance examined differences in FM, FFM, and BMI with respect to group, sex, and time. Significant time by group interactions were found for FM (P = 0.05), FFM (P = 0.01), and BMI (P = 0.05). The intervention group increased FM, FFM, and BMI by 12.93%, 9.11%, and 0.75%, respectively, whereas the control group increased FM, FFM, and BMI by 23.60%, 12.75%, and 5.30%, respectively. Conclusions The findings of the current study suggest that an FMS intervention can delay additions of FM. It is further evident that increases in FM occurred at an alarming rate in primarily Black preschool children from a low-income center. The findings emphasize the importance of FMS in obesity prevention and measuring body composition in preschool children.

Effect of a Fundamental Motor Skills Intervention on Fundamental Motor Skill and Physical Activity in a Preschool Setting: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.

To determine the effect of a 12-week fundamental motor skill (FMS) program on FMS and physical activity (PA) on preschool-aged children. A cluster randomized controlled trial. The intervention (PhysicaL ActivitY and Fundamental Motor Skills in Pre-schoolers [PLAYFun] Program) was a 12-week games-based program, delivered directly to the children in childcare centers by exercise physiologists. Children in the control arm received the usual preschool curriculum. Outcomes included FMS competence (Test of Gross Motor Development-2) and PA (accelerometer) assessed at baseline, 12weeks, and 24weeks (12-wk postintervention). Fifty children (mean age = 4.0 [0.6]y; 54% male) were recruited from 4 childcare centers. Two centers were randomized to PLAYFun and 2 centers were randomized to the waitlist control group. Children attended on average 2.0 (1.0) 40-minute sessions per week. The PLAYFun participants demonstrated significant increases in object control (P < .001) and total FMS (P = .010) competence at week 12, compared with controls in a group × time interaction. Girls, but not boys, in PLAYFun significantly increased moderate to vigorous PA after the intervention (P = .004). These increases were not maintained 12-week postcompletion of PLAYFun. The PLAYFun Program is effective at improving FMS competence in boys and girls and increasing PA in girls. However, improvements are not maintained when opportunities to practice are not sustained.

A Randomized Feasibility Trial of a Fundamental Motor Skill Parent-Mediated Intervention for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the feasibility of a fundamental motor skills (FMS) intervention with two groups on the acquisition of FMS of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We randomly assigned families (n = 15) of children with ASD aged 4–11 years into two groups (a workshop or a home-based group) focused on FMS development. Both groups participated in a 10-week intervention and were given the same instructional manual and adapted physical activity equipment. The workshop group also attended four in-person workshops targeting the needs of children with ASD and their parents. Children were tested on their FMS using the third edition of the Test of Gross Motor Development at the start and end of the intervention and then three months following the intervention. The recruitment rate was 50%, and the retention rate was 80% for all participants. The intervention for groups was safe and accepted by the participants as evaluated by post-program interviews. The outcomes of this pilot study suggest that parents can facilitate the acquisition of FMS of their children with ASD. Although these results are positive, there is a need to further identify effective interventions for FMS development in children with ASD.

The Effect of Fundamental Motor Skills Intervention Program on Kindergarten Students

Background: The ability of motor skills becomes the basis for children to master movement skills. There are still many students whose motor skills are below average. Objective: The aim is to compare the fundamental motor skills (FMS) regular program with the intervention FMS program conducted in 12 meetings within 6 weeks in schools. Methods: 80 kindergarten students were sampled and split into two equal groups where 40 students were placed in the control group to receive regular training and the rest 40 students in the intervention group. The test of gross motor development-2 (TGMD-2) was employed while measuring the motor skills through pre-test and post-test approach. Results: There was an increase in motor skills in both learning groups. After testing with the Mann-Whitney test, obtained with the mean range of 21.44 in the regular FMS program which was found lower comparing to the other one of the FMS in the intervention program of 59.56, Sig. equal to 0.000 <0.05, meaning that this discrepancy was statistically significant at p-value = 0.05. These latter findings imply that motor skills were highly increased in the intervention group rather than in those who followed the regular FMS program. Conclusion: The FMS learning through intervention programs is better at improving students' motor skills. Schools can use FMS interventions to improve motor skills, provided that the teacher understands the implementation of the program, implements the program according to the guidelines, students follow the entire learning process.

Long-term effectiveness of a fundamental motor skill intervention in Belgian children: A 6-year follow-up.

The aim of this study was (1) to examine the long-term effectiveness of the "Multimove for Kids" program, a 30-week fundamental motor skill intervention (approximately 1hour per week) for typically developing children between 3 and 8years, and (2) to determine the influence of participation in organized sports on motor competence (MC) six years after the intervention. Of the 992 children who took part in the "Multimove" program, 399 (intervention group: N=228, control group: N=171) were tested again at 6-year follow-up. MC was measured with the Test of Gross Motor Development, 2nd Edition. To examine the long-term impact of "Multimove" on MC, and the effect of participation in organized sports a latent growth curve analysis was conducted. After the 30-week intervention, the intervention group outperformed the control group (β=5.57, P<.001). However, when the entire study period, including the 6-year follow-up, was considered, the intervention group made less progress in MC than the control group (β=-0.41, P<.05). Looking at the engagement in organized sports, it was found that years of experience before the intervention had no significant influence on the evolution of MC over time, whereas a positive effect was observed for children's average sports participation (h/week) during the 6-year retention period (β=0.14, P<.001). Finally, children practicing predominantly object control-oriented sports during retention obtained slightly better MC scores at follow-up (β=0.01, P<.01). The "Multimove" intervention does not have a long-term effect on the development of MC. However, participation in organized sports has a positive influence on MC evolution over time.

Beyond the Motor Domain: Exploring the Secondary Effects of a Fundamental Motor Skill Intervention for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Early motor skill interventions have been shown to improve the motor skill proficiency of children with autism spectrum disorder; however, little is known about the secondary effects associated with these types of interventions (e.g.,influence on behavior, social skills, family dynamics). The purpose of this qualitative study was to (a)investigate parents' perceptions of the child-level benefits associated with a fundamental motor skill intervention for their 4-year-olds with autism spectrum disorder and (b)explore how child-level benefits influenced the family unit. Eight parents (N = 8) were interviewed (semistructured) about their experiences with the intervention for their child(ren); the study was grounded in phenomenology. Five main child-level benefits emerged, including improvements with (a)motor skills, (b)social skills, (c)listening skills, (d)turn-taking skills, and (e)transition skills. The child-level benefits then extended to family members in a number of ways (e.g.,more positive sibling interactions). These findings highlight several important secondary effects that should be investigated in future research.

Early intervention for children with/at risk of developmental coordination disorder: a scoping review.

To summarize current evidence for early identification and motor-based intervention for children aged 5 years and younger of age with/at risk of developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Using scoping review methodology, we independently screened over 11 000 articles and selected those that met inclusion criteria. Of the 103 included articles, 78 articles were related to early identification and are summarized in a companion article. Twenty-two articles focused on early intervention, with an additional three articles covering both early identification and intervention. Most intervention studies were at a low level of evidence, but provide encouraging evidence that early intervention is beneficial for young children with/at risk of DCD. Direct intervention can be provided to whole classes, small groups, or individuals according to a tiers of service delivery model. Educating and building the capacity of parents and early childhood educators are also key elements of early intervention. Evidence for early intervention for children with/at risk of DCD is emerging with promising results. Further studies are needed to determine best practice for early intervention and whether intervening early can prevent the negative developmental trajectory and secondary psychosocial consequences associated with DCD.

A Pilot Study of a Parent-Mediated, Web-Based Motor Skill Intervention for Children With Down Syndrome: Project SKIP.

To inform the development of scalable and sustainable fundamental motor skill interventions for children with Down syndrome, this study examined the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of Project Skill Intervention Implemented by Parents (Project SKIP), a web-based, parent-mediated intervention intended to improve ball skills among children with Down syndrome. Twenty-four families enrolled in the study (including 13 boys and 11 girls; Mage = 4.92). Fourteen children were assigned to an experimental group and participated in the 6-week intervention, and 10 children served as the inactive comparison group. The Test of Gross Motor Development-3 was administered preintervention and postintervention. In addition, parents of children in the experimental group completed a postintervention survey to assess their perceptions of Project SKIP. Following the intervention, there was a significant improvement in ball skills (p = .023, d = 0.86) for children in the experimental group, whereas the comparison group did not show significant improvement. Moreover, parents perceived Project SKIP to be feasible and effective; all parents reported being satisfied with their overall experience in the program, and 11 parents indicated that their child's fundamental motor skills were positively influenced by the intervention. Engagement was high, with the majority of parents (n = 8, 57%) interacting with Project SKIP content three to four times a week.

Fundamental Motor Skills Intervention for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A 10-Year Narrative Review.

In the past decade, converging evidence has suggested that motor impairment is one of the most consistent markers, alongside sociocommunicative difficulties, for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Indeed, widespread anomalies of movement have been described in the ASD context. These motor abnormalities could have critical implications for subsequent cognitive and social development. Nevertheless, this area of development is particularly underexamined in the autism-related context, and early intervention programs commonly focus on the core symptoms of the condition. In the present work, we review and discuss the findings from recent studies that investigated the effect of interventions regarding fundamental motor skills in autistic children. Although the limited nature of the literature prevents researchers from drawing definitive conclusions, the results from the studies discussed here demonstrated potentially significant improvements in the motor abilities of autistic children after the interventions. Only a subset of the reviewed studies explored possible changes in the sociocommunicative domain after the motor skills improvements, and they had not concordant, although promising, conclusions. Overall, in consideration of the well-documented motor impairment people with the condition, the present findings highlight the importance of including motor skills training within the rehabilitation programs designed for autistic children. Furthermore, this narrative review encourages future interventional trials to consider motor skills as a possible target for reducing activity limitations and participation restrictions of autistic children.

Environment for Preschool Children to Learn Fundamental Motor Skills: The Role of Teaching Venue and Class Size

The development of children’s fundamental motor skills (FMS) is shaped by the environment surrounding them. The purpose of this study was to examine whether the changes of children’s FMS after an intervention program differed between classes conducted in different schooling conditions. Participants were 295 preschool children (62 boys, 133 girls; M = 5.4 years; SD = 0.28) from eight preschools in Hong Kong. Children participated in an 8-week FMS program and their FMS were assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (TGMD-2). A linear mixed model was used to analyze the association on the changes of FMS score between children in different schooling conditions: (1) teaching venue size (large or small); and (2) class size (large, medium, or small), while accounting for the clustering of participants within preschools. The changes of object control skills were significantly different between groups with different teaching venue size (p = 0.000) (small: 5.54 (SD = 5.84) vs. large: 2.46 (SD = 6.42)) and different class size (p = 0.000) (small: 8.12 (SD = 6.34) vs. medium: 2.92 (SD = 6.26) vs. large: 4.00 (SD = 5.79)). The findings have practical implications for the teaching of FMS in that the social and physical environment in preschools should be considered for the design of FMS intervention programs.

An Intervention For Fundamental Motor Skills And Physical Activity In Pre-schoolers: A Cluster-randomized Controlled Trial

PURPOSE: Physical activity (PA) is important for health and development in preschool-aged children yet only 34% of Australian pre-schoolers achieve the recommended levels. Fundamental motor skill (FMS) interventions have been shown to improve FMS proficiency and PA levels, however, whether these changes are maintained post-intervention is unknown. We aimed to determine if a 12-week FMS program improved FMS and PA in pre-schoolers; and if so, whether these improvements were maintained 12 weeks post-intervention. METHODS: The PhysicaL ActivitY and Fundamental Motor Skills in Pre-schoolers (PLAYFun) Program was a cluster randomized controlled trial. Participants were recruited from 4 University pre-schools. The PLAYFun Program was a 12-week, games-based, FMS program delivered directly into the centers by an exercise physiologist. Primary outcomes included FMS proficiency, objective PA and parent perceived PA assessed at baseline, 12 weeks and 12 weeks after the completion of the intervention (week 24). Differences within and between groups were assessed via a one-way analysis of variance. RESULTS: Forty-nine participants (mean age 4.0±0.6; 54% male) were recruited. Children attended on average 2.0±1.0 sessions per week for 40 minutes per session. Participants in the PLAYFun Program demonstrated a significantly greater increase in object control (p=0.003) and total FMS (p=0.019) proficiency at week 12 compared to controls. Locomotor skills score (M 14.83 95% confidence interval (95%CI) [3.90 to 25.75]; p=0.012), object control skills (M 24.11 [9.93 to 38.29]; p=0.003) and gross motor quotient (M 20.14 [8.33 to 31.96]; p=0.003) all significantly improved when children attended twice a week, but these improvements were not maintained at 24 weeks. Girls in PLAYFun significantly increased objective moderate to vigorous PA after the intervention (P=0.015), but not boys. This increase was also not maintained 12 weeks post-completion of PLAYFun. No significant relationships between FMS and PA outcomes were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Motor skill programs delivered directly to preschool children by an exercise physiologist within their preschool is effective at improving FMS proficiency in boys and girls and PA in girls. However, these improvements are not maintained when the practice is not ongoing.

A four-week fundamental motor skill intervention improves motor skills in eight to 10-year-old Irish primary school children

Aim: To determine if a four-week fundamental motor skills intervention improves fundamental motor skills in Irish school children. Methods: 100 Primary School boys (n = 58) and girls (n = 42) participated in this study (Age 9 ± 1 years, equally divided into a control and intervention group. Proficiency was assessed qualitatively using the Fundamental Motor Skills Quotient (FMSQ) pre and post intervention, and between gender. Results: There was no change in the control group over time (p = 0.54; Mean change = 0.06 [−0.14 to 0.26]; Cohen’s d = 0.01 [Trivial]). In the intervention group, both the male (p ≤ 0.001; Mean diff = 0.893 [7.79 to 10.08]; Cohen’s d = 2.24 [V. Large]), and female group (p ≤ 0.001; Mean diff = 11.85 [10.45 to 13.25]; Cohen’s d = 3.54 [V. Large]) significantly improved fundamental motor skills scores. A four-week intervention is effective at improving FMSQ.