DCU Research News

25% of Primary School Age Children Cannot Run Properly; Basic Movement Skills Development Stalls at Age 10

DUBLIN, Jan. 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Researchers at Dublin City University have carried out an all Ireland study of over two thousand primary school children on the island of Ireland, and have found that one in four cannot run properly; one in two cannot kick a ball properly; and less than one in every five can throw a ball.

The findings also noted that the skills development of children with regards to running, jumping, catching and kicking (movements that are categorised as fundamental movement skills (FMS)), plateau and stop progressing at the age of ten. Existing research shows that mastery of these basic skills is achievable by 8 years of age.

This milestone is considered significant as in the case of children not reaching it, it can result in young people exhibiting an aversion to engaging in sports and physical activity, particularly in their teenage years.

There was a notable difference between boys and girls in certain skills with boys displaying a greater proficiency in ball skills such as throwing and catching, while girls scored higher than boys in skills requiring control of the body such as balance and skipping. The findings are interesting in the context of the activities pursued by girls and boys, with the former often taking up gymnastics, dance and the latter taking part in rugby and soccer. Both boys and girls have a huge involvement in Gaelic Games overall.

The Moving Well-Being Well project is assessing the current situation in Ireland in relation to this and developing interventions to improve children's fitness, wellbeing, physical competence and confidence in a child-centered manner.

As the basic building blocks of more complex movements required to participate in sport and physical activity, FMS are purported to have a significant impact on physical activity participation in adolescents with increased proficiency associated with increased physical activity. The benefits of increased physical activity are well established, with substantial evidence linking it with reduced risks of cardiovascular disease, obesity, Diabetes, etc. The recent Children's Sport Participation and Physical Activity (CSPPA, 2018) study found that just 17% of Irish primary children engage in the recommended 1 hour per day of moderate to vigorous activity.