Reference (author, year, country) | Design and setting | Sample | Intervention length | Intervention groups | Intervention content | Motor skill measurement | Results |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alhassan et al 2012, USA17 | RCT, preschool children | N: INT=43, CON=28, mean age=4.3 years | 6 months | INT: Physical activity intervention, CON: unstructured free playtime | INT: Teacher-taught locomotor skill-based physical activity programme. 30 min, 5×/week. CON: Unstructured free playtime | TGMD-2 | INT>CON for leaping skills (p<0.009) |
Bellows et al 2013, USA18 | RCT, early childhood settings | N: INT=98, CON=103, mean age=4.3 years | 18 weeks | INT: The Food Friends: Get Movin’ With Mighty Moves Programme CON: Food Friends, a 12-week nutrition programme | INT: Motor skill intervention programme. 15–20 min, 4×/week. Nutrition programme, 12 weeks. CON: Nutrition programme, 12-week | PDMS-2 | INT>CON (p<0.001) |
Bonvin et al 2013, Switzerland19 | RCT, child care centres | N=648, (baseline), N:INT=187, CON=202 (follow-up), mean age=3.3 years | 10 months | INT: Physical activity intervention, CON: Regular care | INT: Physical activity programme designed to intervene at individual and environmental level. No time demands. CON: no intervention | Zurich Neuromotor Assessment Test | INT=CON |
Hardy et al 2010, Australia23 | RCT, preschool children | N: INT=263, CON=167, mean age=4.4 years | 20 weeks | INT: Munch and Move, CON: Regular care | INT: Resource containing games and learning experiences related to healthy eating and fundamental movement skill activities. No time demands. CON: no intervention | TGMD-2 | INT >CON (p<0.001) |
Jones et al 2011, Australia20 | RCT, early childhood settings | N: INT=52, CON=45, mean age=4.1 years | 20 weeks | INT: Movement skill development physical activity programme. CON: Usual care | INT: Structured lessons and unstructured activities for children. 20 min, 3×/week. CON: no intervention | TGMD-2 | INT>CON (p=.00) |
Robinson and Goodway 2009, USA22 | RCT, preschool children | N: INT (LA)=38, INT (MM)=39, CON=40, mean age=3.8 years | 9 weeks | INT: LA or mastery motivational (MM) instructional climate CON: Comparison group | INT: Motor skill intervention programme. 30 min, 2×/week. LA: Students following guidance and directions from instructor. MM: Students navigated independently through activity stations. CON: Typical Head Start curriculum | TGMD-2 | INT>CON (p=.001) |
Tsapakidou et al 2014, Greece21 | Quasi-experiment, nursery school | N: INT=49, CON=49, ages 3.5–5 years (no mean age reported) | 2 months | INT: Motor skill development programme CON: Daily routine | INT: Motor skill intervention programme, 30–40 min, 2×/week. CON: No intervention | TGMD-2 | INT>CON (p=<0.005) |
CON, control group; INT, intervention group; LA, low-autonomy; MM, mastery motivational; PDMS-2, peabody developmental motor scales 2; RCT, randomised controlled trials; TGMD-2, the test of gross motor development 2.