The effects of a developmentally appropriate music and movement program on motor performance

Abstract

Basic motor skills development is achieved through the implementation of different types of physical education programs. The purpose of this study was to investigate and to compare the effect of a developmentally appropriate music and movement program and of a developmentally appropriate physical education program on the development of jumping and dynamic balance in children ages 4-6 years. Ninety children, 42 girls and 48 boys, participated. Fifty of them were in an experimental group and followed the music and movement program, which lasted 2 months. The rest served as the control group and followed the physical education program, for the same period of time. Children's level in jumping and dynamic balance was assessed with the MOT 4-6 [Zimmer, R. & Volkamer, M. (1987). Motoriktest fuer vier-bis sechsjaehrige kinder. Manual, Belz: Weinheim]. Data were analyzed with the multivariate analysis of variance with repeated measures. The results showed that the experimental group improved significantly in both jumping and dynamic balance. It can be concluded that a developmentally appropriate music and movement program can ositively affect jumping and dynamic balance of preschool children. © 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.