Impact of preschool children's aquatic motor skill acquisition on their fundamental motor skill development

MA Feifei; ZHAO Guohui; SONG Wenjing; LIU Hongqiang; LUO Dongmei

doi:10.16835/j.cnki.1000-9817.2025210

Volume 46 Issue 7

Jul. 2025

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MA Feifei, ZHAO Guohui, SONG Wenjing, LIU Hongqiang, LUO Dongmei. Impact of preschool children's aquatic motor skill acquisition on their fundamental motor skill development[J]. CHINESE JOURNAL OF SCHOOL HEALTH, 2025, 46(7): 1014-1018. doi: 10.16835/j.cnki.1000-9817.2025210

Citation:

MA Feifei, ZHAO Guohui, SONG Wenjing, LIU Hongqiang, LUO Dongmei. Impact of preschool children's aquatic motor skill acquisition on their fundamental motor skill development[J]. CHINESE JOURNAL OF SCHOOL HEALTH, 2025, 46(7): 1014-1018. doi: 10.16835/j.cnki.1000-9817.2025210

Citation:

MA Feifei, ZHAO Guohui, SONG Wenjing, LIU Hongqiang, LUO Dongmei. Impact of preschool children's aquatic motor skill acquisition on their fundamental motor skill development[J]. CHINESE JOURNAL OF SCHOOL HEALTH, 2025, 46(7): 1014-1018. doi: 10.16835/j.cnki.1000-9817.2025210

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Impact of preschool children's aquatic motor skill acquisition on their fundamental motor skill development

doi: 10.16835/j.cnki.1000-9817.2025210

1.
College of Physical Education, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, Shanxi Province, China

Received Date: 2025-01-15
Rev Recd Date: 2025-06-04

Available Online: 2025-08-02

Publish Date: 2025-07-25

Abstract

Abstract

Objective To investigate the impact of preschool children's aquatic motor skill (AMS) acquisition on their fundamental motor skill (FMS) development and the correlation between AMS and FMS development, so ao to provide a scientific basis for early childhood education and physical education teaching. Methods From April to June 2024, 60 children, recruited by random sampling from a kindergarten in Taiyuan, were stratified randomly divided into an experimental group (n=30) and a control group (n=30). The experimental group were further divided into five classes of six each. They received AMS practice interventions twice weekly, 40 minutes per session, over eight weeks (16 sessions total) at a designated swimming center. The control group maintained their usual routine. Children's FMS and AMS were assessed pre- and post-intervention using the Test of Gross Motor Development-3rd (TGMD3) and Actual Aquatic Skills Test (AAST), respectively. Before and after test comparisons within and between groups employed t-tests, Wilcoxon signedrank tests, ANCOVA (including ranktransformed ANCOVA), and Cohen's d effect sizes were calculated for standardized mean differences. Spearman rank correlation was used to analyze relationships between FMS and AMS. Results After the aquatic learning, the experimental group scored significantly higher than the control group on locomotor skills (F=20.47, P < 0.01, η²=0.26), FMS (F=4.59, P=0.04, η²=0.08), and AMS (F=109.71, P < 0.01, η²=0.79). The experimental group's improvement in locomotor skills 5.0(3.8, 7.3) versus the control group (2.8±2.5) yielded a medium effect size (Cohen's d=0.71); AMS gains in the experimental group versus controls showed a very large effect size (Cohen's d=4.73) (both P < 0.01). Among preschool children, AMS acquisition was positively correlated with locomotor skills (r=0.39) and overall FMS (r=0.43)(both P < 0.05). Skill specific assessments revealed lower proficiency in headfirst entry (immersion), treading water, and sagittalplane rotation. Conclusion Preschool children's acquisition of AMS has a positive effect on their FMS, with mutual facilitation between the two, especially in locomotor abilities.
- Aquatic motor skill,
- Motor skills,
- Growth and development,
- Child

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References(23)

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