Motor-Focused Exercise and Brain Development in Preschool Children (MoBraD)

December 25, 2025 updated by: Liu Bo, Hunan Normal University

Effects of Motor-Focused Exercise Training on Brain Function and Gross Motor Skills in Preschool Children

This study will test whether a structured motor-focused exercise program can improve both brain function and gross motor skills in preschool children. About 110 children aged 4 to 6 years will be recruited from kindergartens in Changsha, China. Classes will be randomly assigned to receive either (1) motor-focused physical education three times per week for 16 weeks, or (2) ordinary physical education of the same frequency and duration.

The motor-focused program includes playful, game-based activities designed to strengthen locomotor skills (such as running and hopping) and object-control skills (such as throwing and catching). The main outcome will be changes in children's gross motor skills, measured with a standardized motor test (TGMD-3). Brain activity will also be assessed using portable electroencephalography (EEG) during rest and simple tasks related to attention and memory. Parents and teachers will complete short questionnaires about children's behavior and executive function.

The results of this study may provide new insights into how physical education influences both movement skills and brain development in early childhood.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Early childhood is a critical period for both movement and brain development. Learning basic motor skills, such as running, jumping, throwing, and catching, supports later physical activity, health, and learning. At the same time, the brain is rapidly maturing, and experiences that challenge movement and coordination may also strengthen brain systems related to memory, attention, and self-control. However, little is known about how structured physical education influences both motor skill growth and brain function during the preschool years.

This study is designed to test whether a semester-long, motor-focused exercise program can improve gross motor skills and brain activity in preschool children. Approximately 110 children aged 4 to 6 years will be recruited from kindergartens in Changsha, China. Classes will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. The intervention group will participate in structured physical education sessions three times per week, lasting 30-40 minutes, for 16 weeks. These sessions will emphasize locomotor skills (e.g., running, hopping, sliding) and object-control skills (e.g., throwing, catching, kicking), delivered in playful, game-based formats. The control group will continue with ordinary kindergarten physical education, which focuses on rhythmic movement, free play, and group games, also held three times per week.

The primary outcome of the study is gross motor competence, measured using the standardized Test of Gross Motor Development-Third Edition (TGMD-3). Secondary outcomes include brain function assessed with portable electroencephalography (EEG) during rest and during simple tasks measuring attention, memory, and visuomotor control. Parents will complete short questionnaires on executive function in daily life, and teachers will provide ratings of children's behavior and social adjustment. Together, these measures will provide a comprehensive picture of both motor and cognitive development.

The study uses a cluster-randomized controlled trial design, meaning entire kindergarten classes will be randomized as a unit. Outcome assessments will be completed at baseline (before the intervention) and after the 16-week program. Teachers delivering the intervention will receive training and written guidance, and the quality of program delivery will be monitored to ensure fidelity. Motor assessments will be video recorded and scored by independent evaluators who are blinded to group assignment. EEG recordings will follow standardized child-friendly procedures to minimize discomfort.

This trial is among the first to combine structured motor training with direct measures of brain activity in preschool children. By linking improvements in movement skills with changes in brain function, the study aims to provide new insights into how physical education contributes to healthy development in early childhood. Findings may guide schools, teachers, and policymakers in designing more effective physical education programs that promote both physical and cognitive growth.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

110

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Children aged 4 to 6 years enrolled in participating kindergartens in Changsha, China
  • Physically healthy and able to safely participate in structured physical education activities
  • Written informed consent provided by a parent or legal guardian

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Diagnosed neurological, developmental, or musculoskeletal disorders that may interfere with motor performance or EEG measurement
  • Currently enrolled in specialized sports or motor-training programs outside of the kindergarten curriculum
  • Unable to comply with EEG assessment procedures due to behavioral or sensory intolerance

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Motor-Focused Exercise Training
Children will receive structured, motor-focused physical education sessions (30-40 minutes, 3 times per week, for 16 weeks), emphasizing locomotor and object-control skills through playful, game-based activities.
Behavioral: Motor-Focused Physical Education
Children will receive structured, motor-focused physical education sessions (30-40 minutes, 3 times per week, for 16 weeks), emphasizing locomotor and object-control skills through playful, game-based activities.
Active Comparator: Ordinary Physical Education
Children will continue with their regular kindergarten physical education curriculum (30-40 minutes, 3 times per week, for 16 weeks), focusing on rhythmic movement, free play, and group games.
Behavioral: Ordinary Physical Education
Children will continue with their regular kindergarten physical education curriculum (30-40 minutes, 3 times per week, for 16 weeks), focusing on rhythmic movement, free play, and group games.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Gross Motor Competence (TGMD-3)
Time Frame: Baseline (week 0) and immediately post-intervention (week 16).
Change in children's gross motor skills measured by the Test of Gross Motor Development-Third Edition (TGMD-3).
Baseline (week 0) and immediately post-intervention (week 16).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
EEG Spectral Power
Time Frame: Baseline (week 0) and post-intervention (week 16).
Change in resting-state EEG spectral power.
Baseline (week 0) and post-intervention (week 16).
Event-Related Potentials (ERP)
Time Frame: Baseline (week 0) and post-intervention (week 16).
Change in N2 and P3 amplitudes and latencies recorded during Go/No-Go and working memory tasks.
Baseline (week 0) and post-intervention (week 16).
Inhibitory Control
Time Frame: Baseline (week 0) and post-intervention (week 16).
Accuracy and reaction time on inhibitory control via Go/No-Go.
Baseline (week 0) and post-intervention (week 16).
Working Memory
Time Frame: Baseline (week 0) and post-intervention (week 16).
Working memory will be assessed according to picture recognition.
Baseline (week 0) and post-intervention (week 16).
Executive Function (Parent Report)
Time Frame: Baseline (week 0) and post-intervention (week 16).
Parent-rated executive function using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Preschool Version (BRIEF-P).
Baseline (week 0) and post-intervention (week 16).
Behavioral Adjustment (Teacher Report)
Time Frame: Baseline (week 0) and post-intervention (week 16).
Teacher-rated behavior using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), including domains of prosocial behavior, hyperactivity, and peer relations.
Baseline (week 0) and post-intervention (week 16).

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Hunan Normal University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

March 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

July 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

July 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

December 13, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 25, 2025

First Posted (Actual)

December 29, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

December 29, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 25, 2025

Last Verified

December 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • HunanNU-2025-532
  • 2025-532 (Other Identifier: Hunan Normal University)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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