Exploring the effects of a 12-Week functional training program on fundamental motor skills for primary school children aged 6–7

Background

Fundamental motor skills (FMS) are the foundation of children’s movement. Professional guidance and customised training methods are essential to effectively acquiring and mastering fundamental motor skills. Recently, functional training has gained widespread popularity and is associated with numerous benefits. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the effect of functional training on fundamental motor skills in children aged 6–7.

Methods

This study was conducted at a primary school. One hundred children were randomly selected from 382 who met the criteria and allocated to a functional training or regular physical education group, with 25 boys and 25 girls in each group. The research program lasted 12 weeks, with two weekly sessions, each lasting 40 min. The assessment of fundamental motor skills utilises the Test of Gross Motor Development and Pediatric Balance Scale. The pre-test and post-test data were analysed using generalised estimating equations.

Results

The data analysis showed statistically significant differences between and within groups. There was a significant interaction effect of time and group on the gross motor quotient ($x^2$ = 51.603, p = 0.001), locomotor subtest standard scores ($x^2$ = 22.259, p = 0.001), object control subtest standard scores ($x^2$ = 29.283, p = 0.001), and PBS balance scores ($x^2$ = 24.881, p = 0.001). Furthermore, the main effect of time was significant for the four variables. However, the main effects of the group varied. Significant effects of the group were observed for the gross motor quotient ($x^2$ = 8.662, p = 0.003) and object control subtest standard scores ($x^2$ = 7.471, p = 0.006), but not for locomotor subtest standard scores ($x^2$ = 2.558, p = 0.110) or PBS balance scores ($x^2$ = 1.188, p = 0.276).

Discussion and Conclusions

Functional training can positively impact the development of fundamental motor skills in children aged 6–7, demonstrating greater effectiveness than regular physical education courses. These findings provide evidence that incorporating functional training into early childhood physical education can be an effective intervention for enhancing the development of fundamental motor skills.