Kindergarten Affordances for Physical Activity and Preschoolers’ Motor and Social-Emotional Competence
This study examined the relationship between the quality of the kindergarten physical and social environment to promote physical activity (PA) and preschoolers’ motor and social-emotional competence. Two Portuguese kindergartens (Gondomar city) were selected from a pool of seventeen with an assessme...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Children |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/10/2/214 |
| _version_ | 1797621693670227968 |
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| author | Mariana Moreira Guida Veiga Frederico Lopes Derek Hales Carlos Luz Rita Cordovil |
| author_facet | Mariana Moreira Guida Veiga Frederico Lopes Derek Hales Carlos Luz Rita Cordovil |
| author_sort | Mariana Moreira |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study examined the relationship between the quality of the kindergarten physical and social environment to promote physical activity (PA) and preschoolers’ motor and social-emotional competence. Two Portuguese kindergartens (Gondomar city) were selected from a pool of seventeen with an assessment of kindergarten PA best practices (one with high PA practices, the other with low). Thirty-six children (M = 4.42; SD = 1.00 years) without neuromotor disorders participated in this study. Motor and social-emotional competence were assessed with standardized motor skills tasks and parent report of child behaviors. Children from the kindergarten with higher compliance with PA best practices showed significantly better motor competence. No statistically significant differences were found for social-emotional competence scores. These findings emphasize the critical importance of kindergarten in promoting preschoolers’ motor competence by assuring a physical and social environment that enhances their PA practice. This is a particularly relevant concern for directors and teachers during the post-pandemic period, given the developmental delays and decreases in physical activity preschool children experienced across the pandemic period. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:59:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-07b2c261913c4d56a03618effc9de18f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:59:31Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Children |
| spelling | doaj.art-07b2c261913c4d56a03618effc9de18f2023-11-16T19:47:37ZengMDPI AGChildren2227-90672023-01-0110221410.3390/children10020214Kindergarten Affordances for Physical Activity and Preschoolers’ Motor and Social-Emotional CompetenceMariana Moreira0Guida Veiga1Frederico Lopes2Derek Hales3Carlos Luz4Rita Cordovil5Interdisciplinary Center for the Study of Human Performance (CIPER), Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, University of Lisbon, 1499-002 Lisbon, PortugalDepartamento de Desporto e Saúde, Escola de Saúde e Desenvolvimento Humano, Universidade de Évora, 7004-516 Évora, PortugalLaboratory of Motor Behavior, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, University of Lisbon, 1499-002 Lisbon, PortugalCenter for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USAResearch Center in Sports Performance, Recreation, Innovation and Technology (SPRINT), 4960-320 Melgaço, PortugalInterdisciplinary Center for the Study of Human Performance (CIPER), Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, University of Lisbon, 1499-002 Lisbon, PortugalThis study examined the relationship between the quality of the kindergarten physical and social environment to promote physical activity (PA) and preschoolers’ motor and social-emotional competence. Two Portuguese kindergartens (Gondomar city) were selected from a pool of seventeen with an assessment of kindergarten PA best practices (one with high PA practices, the other with low). Thirty-six children (M = 4.42; SD = 1.00 years) without neuromotor disorders participated in this study. Motor and social-emotional competence were assessed with standardized motor skills tasks and parent report of child behaviors. Children from the kindergarten with higher compliance with PA best practices showed significantly better motor competence. No statistically significant differences were found for social-emotional competence scores. These findings emphasize the critical importance of kindergarten in promoting preschoolers’ motor competence by assuring a physical and social environment that enhances their PA practice. This is a particularly relevant concern for directors and teachers during the post-pandemic period, given the developmental delays and decreases in physical activity preschool children experienced across the pandemic period.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/10/2/214kindergartenphysical activityphysical environmentsocial environmentqualitypreschoolers |
| spellingShingle | Mariana Moreira Guida Veiga Frederico Lopes Derek Hales Carlos Luz Rita Cordovil Kindergarten Affordances for Physical Activity and Preschoolers’ Motor and Social-Emotional Competence Children kindergarten physical activity physical environment social environment quality preschoolers |
| title | Kindergarten Affordances for Physical Activity and Preschoolers’ Motor and Social-Emotional Competence |
| title_full | Kindergarten Affordances for Physical Activity and Preschoolers’ Motor and Social-Emotional Competence |
| title_fullStr | Kindergarten Affordances for Physical Activity and Preschoolers’ Motor and Social-Emotional Competence |
| title_full_unstemmed | Kindergarten Affordances for Physical Activity and Preschoolers’ Motor and Social-Emotional Competence |
| title_short | Kindergarten Affordances for Physical Activity and Preschoolers’ Motor and Social-Emotional Competence |
| title_sort | kindergarten affordances for physical activity and preschoolers motor and social emotional competence |
| topic | kindergarten physical activity physical environment social environment quality preschoolers |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/10/2/214 |
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