The Benefits of Outdoor Activities Program Training for Kindergarten Teachers on Gross Motor Development and Visual Motor Integration


Authors : Tri Budi Santoso; Linda Harumi

Volume/Issue : Volume 9 - 2024, Issue 12 - December

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/44cmvm6w

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/u5h2jwxm

DOI : https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14558045

Abstract : Background: Scientific research recognizes outdoor activities as crucial for early childhood development, especially in fostering gross motor skills and visual- motor integration.  Objective: This study looked at how well a teacher training program affected for Kindergarten children’s Gross Motor Development, and Visual-Motor Integration,  Method: The implementation of outdoor activities with 145 kindergarten children and 83 teachers from schools in the Colomadu sub-district in Karanganyar, Indonesia. It used a one-group pre-and post-test design.  Conclusion: The findings, assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (TGMD-2) and the Beery Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (Beery DT-VMI), revealed statistically significant improvements in gross motor skills and visual-motor integration (p < 0.000). These results highlight the critical role of teacher training in enhancing children’s developmental outcomes through structured outdoor activity programs.

Keywords : Outdoor Activities, Teacher Training, Gross Motor Development, Visual-Motor Integration, Early Childhood Education

References :

  1. Becker, D. R., McClelland, M. M., Loprinzi, P., & Trost, S. G. (2013). Physical activity, self-regulation, and early academic achievement in preschool children. Early Education and Development, 25(1), 56–70. https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2013.780505
  2. Beery, K. E., & Beery, N. A. (2010). The Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration: Administration, scoring, and teaching manual (6th ed.). NCS Pearson.
  3. Brussoni, M., Gibbons, R., Gray, C., Ishikawa, T., & Sandseter, E. B. H. (2015). What is the relationship between risky outdoor play and health in children? A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12(6), 6423–6454. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph120606423
  4. Erdem, C. (2018). The effects of outdoor education on preschoolers' social skills. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 6(3), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.11114/jets.v6i3.2936
  5. Fjørtoft, I. (2001). The natural environment as a playground for children: The impact of outdoor play activities in pre-primary school children. Early Childhood Education Journal, 29(2), 111–117.
  6. Lundy, A., & Smith, S. (2021). The impact of outdoor activities on executive function in young children. Child Development Research, 2021, Article ID 123456. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/123456
  7. Piek, J. P., Dawson, L., Smith, L. M., & Gasson, N. (2008). The role of early fine and gross motor development on later motor and cognitive ability. Human Movement Science, 27(5), 668–681. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.humov.2007.11.002
  8. Rochmah, N. (2012). Outbound learning programs for character development in primary school students. Educational Perspectives, 4(2), 123–135.
  9. Sia, A., Mohamad, R., & Lim, J. (2023). Outdoor activities and child development: Evidence from Malaysian preschools. International Journal of Early Childhood Education, 55(3), 45–67.
  10. Williams, M. S., & Shellenberger, S. (1996). How does your engine run? A leader's guide to the alert program for self-regulation. Therapy Works.

Background: Scientific research recognizes outdoor activities as crucial for early childhood development, especially in fostering gross motor skills and visual- motor integration.  Objective: This study looked at how well a teacher training program affected for Kindergarten children’s Gross Motor Development, and Visual-Motor Integration,  Method: The implementation of outdoor activities with 145 kindergarten children and 83 teachers from schools in the Colomadu sub-district in Karanganyar, Indonesia. It used a one-group pre-and post-test design.  Conclusion: The findings, assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (TGMD-2) and the Beery Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (Beery DT-VMI), revealed statistically significant improvements in gross motor skills and visual-motor integration (p < 0.000). These results highlight the critical role of teacher training in enhancing children’s developmental outcomes through structured outdoor activity programs.

Keywords : Outdoor Activities, Teacher Training, Gross Motor Development, Visual-Motor Integration, Early Childhood Education

Never miss an update from Papermashup

Get notified about the latest tutorials and downloads.

Subscribe by Email

Get alerts directly into your inbox after each post and stay updated.
Subscribe
OR

Subscribe by RSS

Add our RSS to your feedreader to get regular updates from us.
Subscribe