Comparative Effects of Traditional Play and Free Play in Primary School Children

NCT06943222 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: REC/RCR/AHS/24/0741
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 104
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Childhood play is crucial for the comprehensive development of children, as it fosters social and emotional skills. This study examines the relative effects of conventional games versus unstructured play on the social interaction and physical fitness of elementary school students. This study aims to explore the impact of traditional games and free play on motor fitness and social interaction among primary school children and also seeks to offer insights into how these activities can benefit physical health and social development in the school environment. A randomized clinical trial will be conducted to evaluate the comparative effects of traditional play and free play on motor fitness and social interaction in primary school children. Study will include 104 children with aged 5 to 9 and take place in Sukkur schools for a duration of 10 months. Traditional play groups and free play groups. The Social Skills Rating Scale (SSRS) will be utilized to evaluate social interaction. The statistical software SPSS version 27.00 will be used to analyze the data.

Conditions

Children

Keywords

Childhood; Motor skills; Social skills; Traditional games

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Social Skills Rating Scale (SSRS)

  Surveys measuring social skills from kindergarten through the 12th grade are conducted through the Social Skills Rating System. In the SSRS there are 3 rating forms are included: teacher, parent, and student. Problem behavior is evaluated by the teacher and parent forms, with a special emphasis on externalizing problems, internalizing problems, and hyperactivity issues. Lastly, the teacher form assesses motivation, parental support, reading and math proficiency, as well as cognitive functioning in order to determine academic competency

  6 week

Study Arms (2)

Traditional Play

EXPERIMENTAL

Traditional play groups will partake in organized conventional activities that are included in their schedule

Other: Traditional Play

Free play

NO INTERVENTION

free play groups will involve themselves in unregulated spontaneous play. The participants will be segregated into 2 distinct groups. The flamingo balance tests (FLA) will be used to assess motor fitness related to balance; the standing long jump (SLJ) test for measuring leaping distance; the plate tapping (PTT) for evaluating movement speed; the obstacle course backwards (OCB) for assessing body coordination; and the shuttle run test 4 × 5 m (SRT) for measuring speed and agility.

Interventions

Traditional Play OTHER

The intervention for the traditional play group included activities such as Shtapu and skipping rope. Both traditional play activities were scheduled 3 times per week (3 Session/week) over the 6-month period. Both activities took place outdoors and in the institutional gymnasium, depending on the prevailing weather conditions. Each session lasted 35 minutes and took place in the morning hours (8-11 a.m.). Prior to each type of activity, a specific warm-up was conducted, following methodological guidelines for preschoolers' physical education.

Traditional Play

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 5 Years - 9 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Participants must be within the age range of 5 to 9 years.
• Currently enrolled in a primary school program.
• Both male and female participants are included.
• Participants must have parental or guardian consent to participate in the study.
• Participants must be regularly attending primary school without prolonged absences

You may not qualify if:

• Musculoskeletal disorders (e.g., poliomyelitis, muscular dystrophy).
• Neurological disorders (e.g., epilepsy, developmental delay).
• Orthopedic disorders (e.g., fractures, joint disorders).
• Diabetes or other metabolic syndrome conditions.
• Chronic health conditions affecting physical activity participation.
• Engaged in organized sports or structured physical activities outside of the primary school curriculum

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Riphah International University: lead

Study Sites (1)

School of Sindh

Karachi, Sindh, 74200, Pakistan

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Social Skills

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Social Behavior; Behavior

Study Officials

• Maria Amjad, MSPT(Peads)

  Riphah International University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 17, 2025
• First Posted: April 24, 2025
• Study Start: April 17, 2025
• Primary Completion: September 17, 2025
• Study Completion: October 1, 2025
• Last Updated: December 30, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-12

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

PA (1)