Giuseppe Battaglia|Marianna Alesi|Garden Tabacchi|Antonio Palma|Marianna Bellafiore
The Development of Motor and Pre-literacy Skills by a Physical Education Program in Preschool Children: A Non-randomized Pilot Trial
Regione Siciliana|University of Palermo|University of Palermo|Regione Siciliana|University of Palermo|Regione Siciliana|University of Palermo
unlike european countries italian kindergartens include physical education teacher school organic personnel frequently associated lack opportunities perform physical education preschool children moreover literature hard find specific physical education program pep could improve preschool childs motor cognitive status aim study analyse effects pep quotient gross motor development qgmd preliteracy skills preschool children conducted schoolbased nonrandomised pilot trial involved 119 preschool children clustered control group cg n 29 body mass index bmi 1690316 intervention group ig n 90 bmi 1600175 participants assessed literacy readiness locomotor object control skills experimental period ig increased locomotor objectcontrol skills qgmd 2440 970 1040 response pep mean difference qgmd cg ig pre post period significantly higher ig 1130 vs 320 p00082 concern preliteracy skills analyses gain scores ancova show significant effect intervention conclusion used pep improves fundamental motor skills preschool children consistently growing research interventions based scheduled physical exercises ensure health benefits preschool children