The effect of traditional games in fundamental motor skill development in 7-­9 year old boys

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of traditional games on fundamental motor skills in seven to nine year-old boys. Methods: Forty subjects of seven to nine year-old boys selected randomly by a personal information questionnaire. After pretest by Test of Gross Motor Development, edition 2 (TGMD-2), gross motor skill, locomotor and object control motor skills, subjects were divided by random matching into two groups. The first group performed traditional games and the second group performed daily activities. Then children in first group played traditional game at 24 sessions. After 12 and 24 sessions, traditional game and daily activity groups participated in the mid and post tests. Data were analyzed by Variance Analyze of Repeated Measures. Findings: The results showed that traditional games with mean difference in fundamental motor skill development (17.12, P<0.001), and also with mean difference in locomotor (2.23, P=0.002), and mean difference in object control skill development (2.27, P=0.002) significantly are more effective than daily activities. Conclusion: Traditional game program is appropriate for a fundamental motor skill development.