2014, Volume 6, Issue 2
Corrective gymnastics and motor skills of fiveand six-year-old children
Magdalena Rokicka-Hebel1
1Gdansk University of Physical Education and Sport in Gdansk
Author for correspondence: Magdalena Rokicka-Hebel; Gdansk University of Physical Education and Sport in Gdansk; email: mrokickahebel[at]awf.gda.pl
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Abstract
Background: The purpose of the study was to evaluate motor skills of children participating and not participating in corrective gymnastics activities. It has been assumed that children participating in additional physical activities conducted in nursery school have better motor skills than those staying out of this type of activities.
Material/Methods: Tests were carried out in two stages. For quantitative research a questionnaire was conducted among headmasters of nursery schools in Gdansk. The qualitative and quantitative research involved: observation, document analysis, tests of educational performance verifying the level of motor skills. A total of 286 five- and six-year-old children were recruited from different preschools (eight preschools and three primary school preschool programs in Gdansk).
Results: Comparing groups of preschoolers participating and not participating in the activities of corrective gymnastics showed that among five-year-olds attending corrective gymnastics greater skills were noticed only in two of the seven tests: I – walking on a balance bench and II – crawling on an inclined balance bench. Among six-year-olds only in one test: VI – throwing a ball against the wall and catching it.
Conclusions: Corrective gymnastics viewed as additional physical activity exercise in preschools does not contribute to the development of new motor skills of five- and six-year-olds.
Key words: preschool children, corrective gymnastics, motor skills, physical activity