Perceived motor competence in early childhood predicts perceived and actual motor competence in middle childhood

The study aims were to (1) identify perceived motor competence (PMC) and actual motor competence (AMC) profiles in children at two time points (early and middle childhood) 3 years apart, (2) explore transitions between the profiles from T1 to T2, and (3) investigate how PMC-AMC profiles at T1 differ in their mean values for AMC and PMC variables at T2. PMC was assessed by the pictorial scale of Perceived Movement Skill Competence for young children (PMSC). At T1, AMC was measured with Test of Gross Motor Development–third version (TGMD-3), and at T2, a shortened TGMD-3 was used. To identify the PMC-AMC profiles using latent profile analysis, the Mplus statistical package (version 8.7) was u…

What factors relate to three profiles of perception of motor competence in young children?

The study aims were to 1) examine profiles of perception of motor competence (PMC) in relation to actual motor competence (AMC), i.e. under-estimators (UEs), realistic estimators (REs) and over-estimators (OEs) and 2) investigate associations between the profiles and selected socioecological factors at the individual, family and environmental levels. PMC (Pictorial Scale of Perceived Movement Skill Competence) and AMC (Test of Gross Motor Development-Third Edition) were administered to a representative sample of children from 37 childcare centres in Finland (n=441;6.2±0.6yrs;52% boys). Socioecological factors were investigated using a parental questionnaire. The three profiles were formed b…

Erilaiset liikkujapolut huomioitava lapsilähtöisesti

Ohjaajat ja valmentajat tarvitsevat pedagogisia taitoja, jotta he voisivat tukea harrastajien kiinnittymistä liikuntaan. nonPeerReviewed

Motorisissa taidoissa eroja Suomen eri osissa

Lasten motoriset taidot paranevat iän myötä. Liikunnan harrastaminen ja ulkona vietetty aika sekä temperamentti piirteet, kuten lapsen aktiivisuus ja kyky ylläpitää tarkkaavaisuutta, tukevat motoristen taitojen kehittymistä. Maaseudun lapsilla on parhaat motoriset taidot Suomessa. nonPeerReviewed

Outdoor activities and motor development in 2–7-year-old boys and girls

Problem Statement: Parents of young children favor indoor activities for their children, because staying inside supports comfortable daily routines in the family timetable, safety issues and clothing. However, playing outdoors supports children’s development, offering multiple challenges to overcome and the possibility to learn new skills. Approach: Based on Gibson’s theory of affordances (1977), outdoors can be seen as an excellent learning environment for children to reach the zone of proximal development (Vygotsky, 1987). Purpose: This paper describes Finnish nature and four seasons as an environment to support children’s motor development and inspire outdoor playing. The Skilled kids pa…

Children's Types of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour in Day Care Environment during Outdoor Play over the Course of Four Seasons in Finland

What makes John move? Outdoor play physical environmental factors changing a child’s activity from sedentary to physically active: longitudinal mixed-method case study

Children’s low physical activity levels call for an investigation of what can promote activity for excessively sedentary children. The purpose of this longitudinal mixed-method case study in an early childhood education (ECE) environment was to observe one sedentary child’s free outdoor playtime in four seasons and determine the physical environmental factors changing his activity from sedentary to physically active. Systematic observation of video material and quantitative analysis were used to identify the most sedentary individual of the one ECE group. The child was named “John”. Qualitative analysis of John’s video material showed that during the four seasons he spent an average of 25% …

Varhaiskasvatusikäisten lasten unen määrän yhteys motorisiin taitoihin ja liikkumiseen

Unen tiedetään olevan yhteydessä lasten fyysiseen, kognitiiviseen ja emotionaaliseen kehitykseen sekä oppimiseen. Tässä tutkimuksessa haluttiin selvittää varhaiskasvatusikäisten lasten unen määrän yhteyttä liikkumis- ja pallonkäsittelytaitoihin, motoriseen koordinaatioon sekä koettuun motoriseen pätevyyteen. Lisäksi selvitettiin unen määrän yhteyttä fyysisen aktiivisuuden, paikallaan olon sekä ruutuajan määrään. Tutkimuksessa tarkasteltiin myös mahdollisia iästä ja sukupuolesta johtuvia eroja kyseisissä muuttujissa. Tutkimus oli osa Taitavat tenavat –tutkimushanketta, jonka aikana lapset olivat 3–7-vuotiaita (N = 1234, 624 tyttöä ja 610 poikaa, ikä 5,0 v. ± 1,1). Unen määrää, fyysistä aktii…