COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF MOTOR SKILLS AND MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PRESCHOOL CHILDREN
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF MOTOR SKILLS AND MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PRESCHOOL CHILDREN

Summary/Abstract: Child development in the preschool period is characterized by integrality, meaning that the motor, cognitive, and morphological segments of a child’s development are strongly interconnected. The aim of this study was to determine the differences in morphological characteristics and motor skills between girls and boys aged 4, 5, and 6 years, with the goal of aligning physical education with the dynamics of growth and development, as well as with sex differences. The total sample consisted of 219 preschool children, including 103 girls and 116 boys. Multivariate analysis of variance showed that statistically significant differences in anthropometric and motor characteristics exist between boys and girls at the ages of 4 and 6, while no significant differences were observed at age 5. Univariate analysis of variance indicated a statistically significant difference in 4-year-olds only in speed and agility test, in 5-year olds significant difference was observed in the standing long jump for 5-year-olds, and in 6-year-olds, significant differences were found in the speed/agility, abdominal strength and coordination/explosive leg power. The findings of this study have practical implications in preschool education and physical education since they emphasize the necessity of programs that equally stimulate all motor abilities, and the importance of individualization and adaptation of activities to mitigate sex differences and support improvements in weaker areas. Future studies should be conducted on larger populations of preschool children across multiple geographical regions in Serbia in order to obtain more valid indicators and improve the generalizability of findings.

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