Motor-Focused Exercise and Brain Development in Preschool Children

NCT07307742 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 2 other identifiers: HunanNU-2025-5322025-532
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 110
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

This study will test whether a structured motor-focused exercise program can improve both brain function and gross motor skills in preschool children. About 110 children aged 4 to 6 years will be recruited from kindergartens in Changsha, China. Classes will be randomly assigned to receive either (1) motor-focused physical education three times per week for 16 weeks, or (2) ordinary physical education of the same frequency and duration. The motor-focused program includes playful, game-based activities designed to strengthen locomotor skills (such as running and hopping) and object-control skills (such as throwing and catching). The main outcome will be changes in children's gross motor skills, measured with a standardized motor test (TGMD-3). Brain activity will also be assessed using portable electroencephalography (EEG) during rest and simple tasks related to attention and memory. Parents and teachers will complete short questionnaires about children's behavior and executive function. The results of this study may provide new insights into how physical education influences both movement skills and brain development in early childhood.

Conditions

Child Development; Motor Skills; Neurodevelopment; Brain Function; Executive Function (Cognition)

Keywords

Preschool children; Physical education; Gross motor skills; Motor development; Neurocognitive development; Early childhood education

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Gross Motor Competence (TGMD-3)

  Change in children's gross motor skills measured by the Test of Gross Motor Development-Third Edition (TGMD-3).

  Baseline (week 0) and immediately post-intervention (week 16).

Secondary Outcomes (6)

• EEG Spectral Power

  Baseline (week 0) and post-intervention (week 16).

• Event-Related Potentials (ERP)

  Baseline (week 0) and post-intervention (week 16).

• Inhibitory Control

  Baseline (week 0) and post-intervention (week 16).

• Working Memory

  Baseline (week 0) and post-intervention (week 16).

• Executive Function (Parent Report)

  Baseline (week 0) and post-intervention (week 16).

Study Arms (2)

Motor-Focused Exercise Training

EXPERIMENTAL

Children will receive structured, motor-focused physical education sessions (30-40 minutes, 3 times per week, for 16 weeks), emphasizing locomotor and object-control skills through playful, game-based activities.

Behavioral: Motor-Focused Physical Education

Ordinary Physical Education

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Children will continue with their regular kindergarten physical education curriculum (30-40 minutes, 3 times per week, for 16 weeks), focusing on rhythmic movement, free play, and group games.

Behavioral: Ordinary Physical Education

Interventions

Motor-Focused Physical Education BEHAVIORAL

Children will receive structured, motor-focused physical education sessions (30-40 minutes, 3 times per week, for 16 weeks), emphasizing locomotor and object-control skills through playful, game-based activities.

Motor-Focused Exercise Training

Ordinary Physical Education BEHAVIORAL

Children will continue with their regular kindergarten physical education curriculum (30-40 minutes, 3 times per week, for 16 weeks), focusing on rhythmic movement, free play, and group games.

Ordinary Physical Education

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 4 Years - 6 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Children aged 4 to 6 years enrolled in participating kindergartens in Changsha, China
• Physically healthy and able to safely participate in structured physical education activities
• Written informed consent provided by a parent or legal guardian

You may not qualify if:

• Diagnosed neurological, developmental, or musculoskeletal disorders that may interfere with motor performance or EEG measurement
• Currently enrolled in specialized sports or motor-training programs outside of the kindergarten curriculum
• Unable to comply with EEG assessment procedures due to behavioral or sensory intolerance

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Hunan Normal University: lead

Related Publications (6)

• Wang X, Zhou B. Motor development-focused exercise training enhances gross motor skills more effectively than ordinary physical activity in healthy preschool children: an updated meta-analysis. Front Public Health. 2024 May 21;12:1414152. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1414152. eCollection 2024.

  PMID: 38835603 RESULT

• Lyu W, Thung KH, Huynh KM, Wang L, Lin W, Ahmad S, Yap PT. Functional development of the human cerebellum from birth to age five. Nat Commun. 2025 Jul 10;16(1):6350. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-61465-y.

  PMID: 40640148 RESULT

• Hao Y, Kong L, Wang X, Yu X. The impact of structured motor learning intervention on preschool children's executive functions. Sci Rep. 2025 May 25;15(1):18167. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-01385-5.

  PMID: 40414940 RESULT

• Goodman R. Psychometric properties of the strengths and difficulties questionnaire. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2001 Nov;40(11):1337-45. doi: 10.1097/00004583-200111000-00015.

  PMID: 11699809 RESULT

• Chen J, Xiao Y, Xu B, Zhang D. The developmental trajectory of task-related frontal EEG theta/beta ratio in childhood. Dev Cogn Neurosci. 2023 Apr;60:101233. doi: 10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101233. Epub 2023 Mar 16.

  PMID: 36940533 RESULT

• Seitz HM, Cottrell BJ, Sturrock RF. A histological study of skin reactions of baboons to Schistosoma mansoni schistosomula. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 1987;81(3):385-90. doi: 10.1016/0035-9203(87)90144-1.

  PMID: 3120365 RESULT

Central Study Contacts

Bo Liu

CONTACT

+86-18856785462; dunjiadashen@gmail.com

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Outcome assessors will be masked to group allocation. Individuals conducting motor skill testing and EEG recordings will not be informed of whether children are in the intervention or control group. Video recordings of motor performance will be independently scored by two raters who are blinded to both group assignment and assessment time point. Data analysts will also remain blinded until the primary analyses are completed.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Research assistant

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 13, 2025
• First Posted: December 29, 2025
• Study Start: March 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2026
• Last Updated: December 29, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-12

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share