Effect of functional sports on children’s spatial awareness aged 6−8 years

Abstract

Objective To examine the effect of functional sports training on the development of spatial awareness in children aged 6-8 years old, to provide a reference to improve children’s ability of spatial sense.

Methods A class of 125 children aged 6−8 years from first, second, and third grades of an elementary school in Zhengzhou City were conveniently selected by stratified random sampling, who were divided into the experimental group ( n = 62) and the control group ( n = 63) by random number tables. The experimental group received functional sports intervention for 8 weeks, 3 times a week, 20 min each time, and the control group received traditional sports game program.

Results After the intervention, the error values of depth perception, orientation perception, and space perception in the experimertal group of 6 and 7-year-old children reduced by 1.98 cm, 2.88°, and 22.00 cm (6-year-old children) and 1.61 cm, 2.34°, and 17.99 cm (7-year-old children) compared with the control group, respectively. Compared with those in the control group of 8-year-old after the intervention, and the differences were of statistical signifiance ( t = −3.07, −2.94, −3.07; −3.25, −3.29, −3.15, P<0.01). There was no significant difference in the error values of depth perception, orientation perception and space perception between the experimental group and the control group after intervention ( P>0.05). In the experimental group, the error values of depth perception, orientation perception and space perception reduced by 2.30 cm, 3.88°, 28.05 cm (6-year-old children), 2.16 cm, 2.15°, 17.45 cm (7-year-old children) and 1.16 cm, 1.81°, 9.10 cm (8-year-old children) in children aged 6-8 years after intervention, significant improvement were observed compared with before intervention ( t = 8.50, 9.04, 7.35; 7.39, 10.30, 11.05; 4.67, 4.46, 14.14, P<0.01). Compared with before the intervention, children aged 6-8 in the control group only had significant differences in space perception ( t = 4.13, 6.71, 8.93, P<0.01).

Conclusion Functional sports games can improve depth perception, orientation perception and spatial perception for children aged 6-8 years. It can be integrated into children’s daily activities to play a positive role in promoting the healthy growth of children.

Abstract

【摘要】 目的 探讨功能性体育游戏对6~8岁儿童空间感的影响, 为提髙儿童空间感能力提供参考。 方法 采用分层随 机抽样方法, 在郑州市1所小学的一至三年级选取125名6~8岁儿童作为被试, 采用随机数字表法将其分为实验组(62 名)与对照组(63名), 实验组进行8周, 每周3次, 每次20 min的功能性体育游戏干预, 对照组同步进行传统体育游戏项 目。 结果 干预后实验组6和7岁儿童相比对照组在深度知觉、方位知觉、空间知觉的误差值分别减小1.98 cm、2.88°、22.00 cm和 1.61 削、2.34°、17.99 削, 差异均有统计学意义( t 值分别为−3.07, −2.94, −3.07; −3.25, −3.29, −3.15, P值均<0.01);干预后实验组与对照组8岁儿童在深度知觉、方位知觉、空间知觉的误差值差异均无统计学意义( P值均>0.05)。实验组干预前后相比, 6, 7和8岁儿童在深度知觉、方位知觉、空间知觉的误差值分别减小2.30 cm、3.88°、28.05 cm, 2.16 cm、2.15°、17.45 cm 和 1.16 cm、1.81°、9.10 cm, 差异均有统计学意义( t 值分别为 8.50, 9.04, 7.35; 7.39, 10.30, 11.05; 4.67, 4.46, 14.14, P值均<0.01);对照组干预后与干预前相比, 6~8岁儿童仅在空间知觉方面差异均有统计学意义( t 值分 别为4.13, 6.71, 8.93, P值均<0.01)。 结论 功能性体育游戏干预可提升6~8岁儿童深度知觉、方位知觉和空间知觉能力, 因此可以将功能性体育游戏融人到儿童的日常活动中, 为促进儿童健康成长发挥积极作用。