NCT06315036: GymKids

Effects of Developmental Gymnastics on Preschoolers' Motor Skills

Completed NA Last updated 18 March 2024

What this trial tests

NA trial testing Developmental gymnastics in Motor Activity in 300 participants. Completed in 10 May 2022.

Timeline

5 September 2021

Primary endpoint
10 September 2021

10 May 2022

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	University of Novi Sad
Phase	NA
Status	Completed
Study type	INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation	randomized
Design	parallel
Masking	none
Primary purpose	treatment
Enrollment	300
Start date	5 September 2021
Primary completion	10 September 2021
Estimated completion	10 May 2022
Sites	1 location across Serbia

Drugs / interventions tested

• Developmental gymnastics

Conditions studied

• Motor Activity — all drugs for Motor Activity →
• Child Development — all drugs for Child Development →
• Exercise — all drugs for Exercise →

Sponsor

University of Novi Sad

Who can join

Adults 4 to 7, any sex, with Motor Activity or Child Development. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Sponsor's own description

Background: During childhood, physical activity (PA) is considered indispensable for developing motor skills through movement in the early stages of human development. Being active helps individuals develop fine and gross motor skills (GMS) by promoting an active lifestyle. Notably, this phase, characterized by regular PA and attaining motor competence, is associated with many health-related benefits. Early motor intervention programs have garnered attention for their positive influence on children's motor skills, as evidenced by various studies. A spectrum of more specialized methods is available alongside these general approaches, including programs designed to augment the time dedicated to general PA within school environments. Previous research has demonstrated the efficacy of incorporating experimental exercise interventions, grounded in enjoyable activities and game drills, into the curriculum, significantly improving children's basic motor skills. Many research articles have explored the impact of developmental gymnastics (DG) on children's fitness, indicating that gymnastics training can produce numerous beneficial outcomes for children's physical fitness.

Method and Materials: Three hundred preschool children were assigned to either a gender-balanced group participating in a DG exercise program (EG; n=99) or a control group (CG; n=121). While individuals in the CG followed three structured extracurricular physical activities per week in kindergarten, the EG participants received 60 minutes of the DG exercise program two days a week. The Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (TGMD-2) was used to assess GMS.

Aim: The study aimed to determine if participation in a structured DG program could improve GMS among preschool children compared to those in a group that attended extracurricular physical activities in a kindergarten.

Publications & conference data

1 peer-reviewed publication reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):

1. Effects of Developmental Gymnastics Exercise Program on Preschoolers' Motor Skills: A Randomised Controlled Trial.
   Radanović D, Marinković D, Mačak D, Milić Z, et al · · 2025 · PMID 41462731 · DOI 10.3390/children12121590