Motor competence and physical fitness among children attending nature preschools and traditional preschools. Issue 1 (2nd January 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lysklett, Olav B.; Berg, Anne; Moe, Børge
• Is Part Of: International journal of play. Volume 8:Issue 1(2019)
• Page Start: 53
• Page End: 64
• Publication Date: 2019-01-02
• Subjects: Physical activity -- movement -- nature kindergarten -- test -- health; Play -- Periodicals; Play; Periodicals; 155
• DOI: 10.1080/21594937.2019.1580337
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2159-4953

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Nature provides a wide range of potential affordances for children's play. Whether children attending nature preschools have better motor competence and physical fitness than children attending traditional preschools is not known. In a cross-sectional study, we compared the motor competence (Movement ABC-test) and physical fitness (Physical fitness test) of children in four nature preschools ( N = 43) and four of their neighboring traditional preschools ( N = 49). The results showed that there were no differences in the motor competence of children attending nature preschools and traditional preschools. Children in traditional preschools performed slightly better in all subtests of physical fitness and had better total scores than children in nature preschools. Similarities between preschools' access to nature and how the potential affordances for physically active play are used may explain our results. This highlights the importance of encouraging the development of children's motor competence and physical fitness independent of a preschools's outdoor environment.