Presentation Information
[07発-ポ-03]Volume or Design?Combining Structured Play and Cognitively Engaging Physical Activity for Early Childhood Development
*Mi Ryang Kim1, Donghyun Lee2, Sung- Hee Koh3 (1. Soonchunhyang Univ, 2. Sangmyung Univ, 3. Myongji Univ)
BACKGROUND: Early childhood is a critical window for physical and cognitive growth due to higher neuroplasticity. Traditional exercise interventions in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings often focus primarily on physical activity (PA) volume, evaluating development in a fragmented manner. This study integratively examines the differential effects of intervention designs on fundamental movement skills (FMS) and cognitive functions in preschoolers.
METHODS: A structured narrative synthesis was conducted, evaluating comprehensive evidence from recent systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and randomized controlled trials. The analysis integrated findings across two primary developmental axes: physical outcomes (PA levels, FMS) and cognitive outcomes (executive functions, language).
RESULTS: The synthesis revealed that exercise interventions yielded robust and consistent positive effects on increasing moderate-to-vigorous PA and improving FMS. Notably, skill-oriented structured programs and FMS-targeted interventions demonstrated clear superiority over unstructured free play, particularly in enhancing locomotor skills. Conversely, cognitive outcomes—including attention, inhibition, and working memory—showed highly domain-specific and conditional variations. Crucially, simple increases in total PA volume did not directly predict cognitive gains. Instead, cognitively engaging physical activities (e.g., incorporating rule-switching or response inhibition) and digital exergaming exerted significantly stronger impacts on executive functions and language metrics.
CONCLUSION: ECEC routines should transition toward a structured-play hybrid model that systematically embeds explicit motor skill instructions within cognitively engaging, play-based frameworks.
METHODS: A structured narrative synthesis was conducted, evaluating comprehensive evidence from recent systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and randomized controlled trials. The analysis integrated findings across two primary developmental axes: physical outcomes (PA levels, FMS) and cognitive outcomes (executive functions, language).
RESULTS: The synthesis revealed that exercise interventions yielded robust and consistent positive effects on increasing moderate-to-vigorous PA and improving FMS. Notably, skill-oriented structured programs and FMS-targeted interventions demonstrated clear superiority over unstructured free play, particularly in enhancing locomotor skills. Conversely, cognitive outcomes—including attention, inhibition, and working memory—showed highly domain-specific and conditional variations. Crucially, simple increases in total PA volume did not directly predict cognitive gains. Instead, cognitively engaging physical activities (e.g., incorporating rule-switching or response inhibition) and digital exergaming exerted significantly stronger impacts on executive functions and language metrics.
CONCLUSION: ECEC routines should transition toward a structured-play hybrid model that systematically embeds explicit motor skill instructions within cognitively engaging, play-based frameworks.
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