Exploring the effects and specificity of playground activities on motor skills in 5 years old children

Levels of motor competence influence amount, intensity and level of physical activity performed by children. In turn, motor competence is built up on acquisition of both gross and fine motor skills. With this study we investigated in 110 five years old children the effects on motor skills of 10 sessions of outdoor motor activities played in the “Primo Sport 0246” playground (Treviso, Italy) where equipment and their distribution are controlled. The data indicate that a (relatively limited) experience at the “Primo Sport 0246” playground positively stimulates improvements of gross motor skills but not fine motor skills. As the program in the playground was mainly focusing on training gross motor skills the results may demonstrate that increasing performance within fine motor skills may be regarded as specific