App-based Motor Skills Intervention in Primary School and Home Settings (DigiKids RCT)

DigiKids C-RCT: App-based Motor Skills Intervention in Primary School and Home Settings

The objective of this trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of a mobile app-based motor skills intervention (DigiKids RCT) on motor competence, physical activity, and perceived motor competence compared with standard school practices in primary school children. In addition, the study will examine other factors such as child-specific and family-related factors that might influence the findings.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Healthy; Motor Activity
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Standard school practices; Behavioral: App-based Motor Skills Intervention

Detailed Description

This study will be conducted between August 2026 and January 2027 in Tampere, Finland. The target sample size will be 314 children enrolled from 22 classrooms across 18 primary schools, along with one caregiver from each participating family. In a cluster randomized controlled trial design, nine of the 27 primary schools are randomly allocated to an intervention group and nine to a control group. Randomization has been conducted prior to study initiation in the fall of 2025. The intervention group will receive a 12-week mobile app-based intervention which will be delivered in classrooms by teachers with homework tasks supported by guardians. A total estimated activity time of the intervention is 900 minutes (approximately 75 minutes per week over 12 weeks). The control group will continue the standard school practices. Data will be collected at baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1, 3 months post-baseline), and follow-up (T2, 7 months post-baseline). The primary outcome is motor competence, and the secondary outcomes include physical activity and perceived motor competence. The first results are anticipated to be available and published between 2027 and 2028.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 314
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Jenny Gustafsson; Phone Number: +358504358331; Email: jenny.gustafsson@tuni.fi
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Pilvikki Absetz, Professor; Phone Number: +358469215112; Email: pilvikki.absetz@tuni.fi

Study Locations

• Finland
  • Tampere, Finland
    • Tampere University
    • Contact: Pilvikki S Absetz, Professor; Phone Number: +358469215112; Email: pilvikki.absetz@tuni.fi
    • Sub-Investigator: Jenny H Gustafsson, Doctoral researcher

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Children enrolled in the first grade of primary school
• Sufficient Finnish language proficiency
• Written informed consent from the guardian and written assent from the child

Exclusion Criteria:

• Age under 6 or over 8 years
• Medical or physical conditions preventing participation in the assessments (including severe musculoskeletal complaints or concussions within the preceding 3 months)
• Refusal to participate in baseline assessments

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Other: Waitlist control; Participants in the control group will continue with standard school practices.	Other: Standard school practices; Control schools will continue standard school practices as usual. After the 7-month follow-up, the waitlist control group will be offered one-year access to the application and will receive the intervention materials as described for the intervention group below. During this period, teachers in these schools may decide how to use the intervention materials and the application in their teaching practices.
Experimental: DigiKids intervention; Participants in the intervention group will receive a 12-week motor skills intervention, followed by free access to the application until the 7-month follow-up. The intervention will be integrated into daily classroom routines as part of the school curriculum and delivered through a teacher-supported digital application.	Behavioral: App-based Motor Skills Intervention; The DigiKids intervention will be delivered over 12 weeks as part of the school curriculum using the Geego Kids application. Intervention includes two main components delivered via Geego Kids application: (1) Teacher interface. Two 3-minute structured movement breaks each school day and 18 weekly homework assignments including monitoring of completition. (2) User interface for children and guardians. Guardians are instructed to support homework assignments. The total activity time with the intervention during the school hours is approximately 6 minutes per day, corresponding to 30 minutes per week. At home, the estimated minimum activity time is approximately 45 minutes per week. A total estimated activity time of the intervention is 900 minutes (approximately 75 minutes per week over 12 weeks). In addition, teachers and children with guardians are permitted free use of the application.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in raw scores for each subtest and the total raw score on the Test of Gross Motor Development Third Edition (TGMD-3)	A validated and widely used assessment tool for evaluating fundamental movement skills in children aged 3-10 years. Maximum scores for locomotor skills are 46, ball skills 54, and total gross motor skills 100. In addition, the gross motor index (GMI) scores will be reported.	From baseline to week 12 and at the 7-month follow-up.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in the perceived motor competence measured using the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Movement Skill Competence (PMSC)	A validated instrument for children aged 4-8 years. The instrument includes pictorial items aligned with TGMD-3 fundamental movement skills. The maximum score for locomotor skills is 24 points (6 × 4), for ball skills 28 points (7 × 4), and the maximum total score is 52 points.	From baseline to week 12 and at the 7-month follow-up.
Change in the device-assessed physical activity using the UKK RM42 accelerometer	The UKK RM42 provides high-resolution data on movement intensity, frequency, and duration, enabling the assessment of total physical activity, time spent in different intensity zones (e.g., light, moderate, vigorous), and sedentary behavior. Accelerometer will be worn on the hip for seven consecutive days during waking hours.	From baseline to week 12 and at the 7-month follow-up.

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Intervention adherence	User adherence in the app is automatically tracked via the Geego Kids application in both school and home settings. Objective data includes the number and type of movement breaks and physical activity homework videos completed, as well as frequency of use. Adherence to the intervention protocol will be evaluated based on the completion of movement breaks in school settings and homework tasks in home settings. An acceptable level of intervention completion is defined as completion of at least 80% of the intervention tasks in both settings.	From baseline to week 12 and at the 7-month follow-up.
Child temperament	Child temperamental traits are assessed using the Very Short Form of the Children's Behavior Questionnaire (CBQ), a validated and widely used parent-report instrument designed for early to middle childhood. The CBQ measures multiple dimensions of temperament, originally adapted from constructs examined in both infants and adults. The parent-reported questionnaire includes 36 items, with a 7-point Likert scale (ranging from 1 = extremely false to 7 = extremely true).	At baseline assessments.
Child motivational factors	Child's motivational factors related to activities are assessed through a parent-reported questionnaire, developed specifically for the purposes of this study. Responses are in a 6-point scale (1 = significantly decreases my child's motivation; 2 = somewhat decreases my child's motivation; 3 = has little or no effect on my child's motivation; 4 = somewhat increases my child's motivation; 5 = significantly increases my child's motivation; 6 = I am unable to say). The questionnaire will consist of 30 items addressing factors describing children's motivation to participate in various physical activities or play.	At baseline, 12-week, and 7-month assessments.
Family factors	Parent-reported background measures including family income and highest education, family dynamics (parental support, setting limits, communication, parental role modeling), family physical activity habits, digital device usage (the number of devices the child can use, daily sedentary and overall screen time, the level of parental control over the child's device use, and the use of digital devices in parenting practices).	At baseline assessments. Selected questions at baseline, 12-week, and 7-month assessments.
Child weight	Child body weight will be measured objectively in light indoor clothing and without shoes and recorded to the nearest 0.1 kg.	At baseline assessments.
9. Child height	Child height will be measured objectively without shoes and recorded to the nearest 0.1 cm.	At baseline assessments.
10. Child waist circumference	Child waist circumference will be measured objectively and recorded to the nearest 0.1 cm.	At baseline assessments.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Tampere University
• Collaborators: UKK Institute; Juho Vainio Foundation
• Investigators: Study Director: Pilvikki Absetz, Professor, Tampere University; Principal Investigator: Jenny H Gustafsson, Doctoral researcher, Tampere University; Principal Investigator: Eero A Haapala, Docent, South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences; Principal Investigator: Mari H Leppänen, Docent, UKK Institute

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Rothbart MK, Ahadi SA, Hershey KL, Fisher P. Investigations of temperament at three to seven years: the Children's Behavior Questionnaire. Child Dev. 2001 Sep-Oct;72(5):1394-408. doi: 10.1111/1467-8624.00355.
• Ulrich DA. Test of Gross Motor Development-Third Edition. Published online June 12, 2023. doi:10.1037/t87935-000
• Barnett LM, Ridgers ND, Zask A, Salmon J. Face validity and reliability of a pictorial instrument for assessing fundamental movement skill perceived competence in young children. J Sci Med Sport. 2015 Jan;18(1):98-102. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2013.12.004. Epub 2014 Jan 2.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): August 10, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): January 31, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): May 31, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 22, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 28, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): July 1, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 1, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 28, 2026
• Last Verified: June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Physical Activity; Child; Behavior; Motor Skills; Mobile Applications
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Motor Activity; Behavior
• Other Study ID Numbers: R25024

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: Individual participant data will not be shared due to ethical and data protection considerations in a target group representing a vulnerable population.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No