Effects of Physical Game Intervention on Memory, Attention, Gross Motor Skills and Social Adaptability in Children Aged 4-6 Years

This study aims to improve the memory, attention, gross motor skills and social adaptation ability of children aged 5 to 6 years. Taking physical games as the intervention method, it explores the effects of physical games on promoting young children's memory, attention, gross motor skills and social adaptation ability, and analyzes the approaches and mechanisms through which physical games enhance these abilities among children aged 4 to 6 years. The game scheme will be timely adjusted according to feedback obtained from a semester-long intervention. Finally, in collaboration with kindergarten teachers and the research team, a set of classroom-based physical game programs suitable for children aged 4 to 6 will be developed, so as to provide theoretical references and practical approaches for the improvement of the above abilities in preschool children of this age group. Smart physical game equipment is adopted and integrated into children's daily physical game classes to record and store children's sports data, establish individual archives of children's motor abilities, and realize real-time uploading, analysis and sharing of sports test results, enabling parents and teachers to keep abreast of children's physical exercise and motor development status in a timely manner.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Attention; Memory; Locomotor Skill; Perceived Motor Competence; Short-term Memory; Immediate Memory; Perceived Competence; Gross Motor Skills; Social Adaptation Ability; Physical Game
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Structured Physical Game Intervention Group

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 42
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• China
  • Guangdong
    • Shenzhen, Guangdong, China, 518060
      • Shenzhen university

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

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

Description

Inclusion criteria:

• Preschool children aged 5 to 6 years old
• In good physical and mental condition, with normal cognitive ability, able to attend daily courses and communicate with others normally
• Have not received any extracurricular training targeted at memory, attention and locomotor skills in the past one year
• Written informed consent obtained from guardians, and children participate in this study voluntarily

Exclusion criteria:

• Children with non-Chinese nationality or language barriers
• Children with congenital diseases who are not suitable for participating in extracurricular physical game activities
• Children who have received extracurricular training targeted at memory, attention and locomotor skills in the past one year

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Non-Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Structured Physical Game Intervention Group; Physical games focusing on improving preschool children's locomotor skills verified based on three-round Delphi method:W-Run; Pony Finding Friends; My Territory; Eagle Catching Chicks; Fruit Picking; The Wolf is Coming; Puppy Seeking Bones; Dizzy Spin.	Behavioral: Structured Physical Game Intervention Group; Physical games focusing on improving preschool children's locomotor skills verified based on three-round Delphi method:W-Run; Pony Finding Friends; My Territory; Eagle Catching Chicks; Fruit Picking; The Wolf is Coming; Puppy Seeking Bones; Dizzy Spin.
No Intervention: Routine Kindergarten Outdoor Activity Control Group; Kindergarten where this study was conducted, the regular curriculum follows a periodic activity schedule, including rhythmic gymnastics, skipping rope, circular training (physical large circulation), cycling, and ball sports.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Locomotor Skill	Children's locomotor skill is assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (TGMD-2). The raw score for the locomotor subscale ranges from 0 to 48. Higher scores represent better performance in children's locomotor motor skills. This indicator is used to explore the intervention effect of the 8-week structured physical game program on preschool children's locomotor development.	Baseline (before the 8-week intervention) and post-intervention (upon completion of the 8-week physical game intervention)
perceptual motor ability	Children's perceived motor competence is measured with the Perceived Competence Scale for Children (PSPC). The total score of the scale ranges from 1 to 4; higher scores indicate a higher level of children's perceived motor competence. This indicator is used to explore the intervention effect of the 8-week structured physical game program on preschool children's self-perceived motor ability.	Baseline (before the 8-week intervention) and post-intervention (upon completion of the 8-week physical game intervention)
memory	Preschool children's immediate memory and short-term memory are measured using the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised for China (WMS-RC) revised by Professor Gong Yaoxian. The outcome indicator is Memory Quotient (MQ), which ranges from 50 to 150; a score of 100 represents the average memory level, and higher scores indicate better memory performance. This indicator is used to evaluate the effect of the 8-week structured physical game intervention on children's memory ability.	Baseline (before the 8-week intervention) and post-intervention (upon completion of the 8-week structured physical game intervention)
attention	Preschool children's attention ability is assessed by the Schulte Grid Test. The test score ranges from 0 to 100; higher scores reflect better attention concentration and sustained attention performance. This indicator aims to evaluate the intervention effect of the 8-week structured physical game program on children's attention level.	Baseline (before the 8-week intervention) and post-intervention (upon completion of the 8-week structured physical game intervention)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Shenzhen University

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• 1. COLOMBO J. The Critical Period Concept - Research, Methodology, and Theoretical Issues. PSYCHOL BULL. 1982; 91(2):260-275. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.91.2.260. 2. Logan SW, Robinson LE, Wilson AE, Lucas WA. Getting the Fundamentals of Movement: A Meta-Analysis of the Effectiveness of Motor Skill Interventions in Children. CHILD CARE HLTH DEV. 2012; 38(3):305-315. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2214.2011.01307.x. 3. Barnett LM, Stodden D, Cohen KE, et al. Fundamental Movement Skills: An Important Focus. J TEACH PHYS EDUC. 2016; 35(3):219-225. https://doi.org/10.1123/jtpe.2014-0209. 4. Adams J, Veitch J, Barnett L. Physical Activity and Fundamental Motor Skill Performance of 5-10 Year Old Children in Three Different Playgrounds. INT J ENV RES PUB HE. 2018; 15(9). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15091896. 5. Guo HX, Schenkelberg MA, O'Neill JR, Dowda M, Pate RR. How Does the Relationship Between Motor Skill Performance and Body Mass Index Impact Physical Activity in Preschool Children? PEDIATR EXERC SCI. 2018; 30(2):266-272. https://doi.org/10.1123/pes.2017-0074. 6. Hardy LL, King L, Farrell L, Macniven R, Howlett S. Fundamental Movement Skills Among Australian Preschool Children. J SCI MED SPORT. 2010; 13(5):503-508. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2009.05.010. 7. Hume C, Okely A, Bagley S, Telford A, Booth M, Crawford D, Salmon J. Does Weight Status Influence Associations Between Children's Fundamental Movement Skills and Physical Activity? RES Q EXERCISE SPORT. 2008; 79(2):158-165. 8. Goodway JD, Rudisill ME. Perceived Physical Competence and Actual Motor Skill Competence of African American Preschool Children. ADAPT PHYS ACT Q. 1997; 14(4):314-326. https://doi.org/10.1123/apaq.14.4.314. 9. Stodden DF, Goodway JD, Langendorfer SJ, Roberton MA, Rudisill ME, Garcia C, Garcia LE. A Developmental Perspective On the Role of Motor Skill Competence in Physical Activity: An Emergent Relationship. QUEST. 2008; 60(2):290-306. https://doi.org/10.1080/00336297.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): April 8, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 3, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): July 10, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 27, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 2, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): July 6, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 6, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 2, 2026
• Last Verified: July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: PN-202400029

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: The individual participant data involves sensitive personal information of preschool children. Considering the strict protection of minors' privacy and the constraints of the approved ethical review protocol, the original individual-level data will not be shared externally to prevent the risk of information leakage.

Drug and device information, study documents

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