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Childhood compared to adolescence and adulthood is characterized by high neuroplasticity represented by accelerated cognitive maturation and rapid cognitive developmental trajectories. Natural growth, biological maturation and permanent interaction with the physical and social environment fosters motor and cognitive development in children. Of note, the promotion of physical activity, physical fitness, and motor skill learning at an early age is mandatory first, as these aspects are essential for a healthy development and an efficient functioning in everyday life across the life span and second, physical activity behaviors and lifestyle habits tend to track from childhood into adulthood.
The main objective of the present thesis was to optimize and deepen the knowledge of motor and cognitive performance in young children and to develop an effective and age-appropriate exercise program feasible for the implementation in kindergarten and preschool settings. A systematic review with meta-analysis was conducted to examine the effectiveness of fundamental movement skill and exercise interventions in healthy preschool-aged children. Further, the relation between measures of physical fitness (i.e., static balance, muscle strength, power, and coordination) and attention as one domain of cognitive performance in preschool-aged children was analyzed. Subsequently, effects of a strength-dominated kindergarten-based exercise program on physical fitness components (i.e., static balance, muscle strength, power, and coordination) and cognitive performance (i.e., attention) compared to a usual kindergarten curriculum was examined.
The systematic review included trials focusing on healthy young children in kindergarten or preschool settings that applied fundamental movement skill-enhancing intervention programs of at least 4 weeks and further reported standardized motor skill outcome measures for the intervention and the control group. Children aged 4-6 years from three kindergartens participated in the cross-sectional and the longitudinal study. Product-orientated measures were conducted for the assessment of muscle strength (i.e., handgrip strength), muscle power (i.e., standing long jump), balance (i.e., timed single-leg stand), coordination (hopping on right/left leg), and attentional span (i.e., “Konzentrations-Handlungsverfahren für Vorschulkinder” [concentration-action procedure for preschoolers]).
With regards to the scientific literature, exercise and fundamental movement skill interventions are an effective method to promote overall proficiency in motor skills (i.e., object control and locomotor skills) in preschool children particularly when conducted by external experts with a duration of 4 weeks to 5 months. Moreover, significant medium associations were found between the composite score of physical fitness and attention as well as between coordination separately and attention in children aged 4-6 years. A 10-weeks strength-dominated exercise program implemented in kindergarten and preschool settings by educated and trained kindergarten teachers revealed significant improvements for the standing long jump test and the Konzentrations-Handlungsverfahren of intervention children compared to children of the control group.
The findings of the present thesis imply that fundamental movement skill and exercise interventions improve motor skills (i.e., locomotor and object control skills). Nonetheless, more high-quality research is needed. Additionally, physical fitness, particularly high performance in complex fitness components (i.e., coordination measured with the hopping on one leg test), tend to predict attention in preschool age. Furthermore, an exercise program including strength-dominated exercises, fundamental movement skills and elements of gymnastics has a beneficial effect on jumping performance with a concomitant trend toward improvements in attentional capacity in healthy preschool children. Finally, it is recommended to start early with the integration of muscular fitness (i.e., muscle strength, muscle power, muscular endurance) next to coordination, agility, balance, and fundamental movement skill exercises into regular physical activity curriculums in kindergarten settings.
Wick, K, Kriemler, S, and Granacher, U. Effects of a strength-dominated exercise program on physical fitness and cognitive performance in preschool children. J Strength Cond Res 35(4): 983-990, 2021-Childhood is characterized by high neuroplasticity that affords qualitative rather than quantitative components of physical activity to maximize the potential to sufficiently develop motor skills and foster long-term engagement in regular physical activity. This study examined the effects of an integrative strength-dominated exercise program on measures of physical fitness and cognitive performance in preschool children. Children aged 4-6 years from 3 kindergartens were randomized into an intervention (INT) group (n = 32) or a control group (n = 22). The 10-week intervention period was conducted 3 times per week (each session lasted 30 minutes) and included exercises for the promotion of muscle strength and power, coordination, and balance. Pre and post training, tests were conducted for the assessment of muscle strength (i.e., handgrip strength), muscle power (i.e., standing long jump), balance (i.e., timed single-leg stand), coordination (hopping on right/left leg), and attentional span (i.e., "Konzentrations-Handlungsverfahren fur Vorschulkinder" [concentration-action procedure for preschoolers]). Results from 2 x 2 repeated-measures analysis of covariance revealed a significant (p <= 0.05) and near significant (p = 0.051) group x time interaction for the standing long jump test and the Konzentrations-Handlungsverfahren. Post hoc tests showed significant pre-post changes for the INT (p < 0.001; d = 1.53) but not the CON (p = 0.72; d = 0.83). Our results indicate that a 10-week strength-dominated exercise program increased jump performance with a concomitant trend toward improvements in attentional capacity of preschool children. Thus, we recommend implementing this type of exercise program for preschoolers.