A123: Impact of Different PE Curricula on the Developmental Behavior and Balance Ability of Preschool Children

Early childhood development is important for future developmental behavior, physical fitness, and motor skills. The content of the physical education curriculum in kindergarten is crucial for the growth of preschool children. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of 4 different PE curriculum interventions on developmental behavior and balance ability, and the correlation between these two factors in preschool children, aiming to provide practical evidence for optimizing children's developmental behavior. Method: 94 preschool children aged 4-6 years were stratified and randomly assigned to the tennis group (TG), football group (FG), sensory integration group (SIG), and control group (CG). They received a 12-week intervention program consisting of three 30-minute sessions per week. The content of the PE curriculum varied only in the main part. The developmental behaviors of preschool children were assessed using the "Developmental Scale for Children aged 0-6 years", which evaluates five indicators: gross motor, fine motor, language, adaptability, and social behavior. Additionally, balance ability was measured using the "Balance Ability Test and Evaluation for Children Aged 3 to 6 Years" developed by Zhuang Bi and colleagues. One-way analysis of variance, Kruskal-Wallis test, paired-sample t-test, and non-parametric paired Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used to assess the developmental behavior and balance of preschool children before and after the intervention. Spearman correlation analysis was used to examine the correlations between developmental behavior scores and balance ability scores. All four different PE curriculum interventions resulted in greater improvements in all developmental behavior indicators and balance ability after intervention compared to baseline. The SIG showed greater improvements in total development quotient (DQ), gross motor DQ, fine motor DQ, and balance ability than the other three groups after intervention. No significant difference in balance ability between FG and SIG was found. There was a positive and significant correlation between adaptability DQ, social behavior DQ, and balance ability after SIG intervention. Physical education curriculum led by tennis, football, and sensory integration sports could significantly improve preschool children's developmental behavior and balance ability. The SIG training could correlate children's balance ability with their social behavior and adaptability. The sensory integration curriculum might be the optimal curriculum to promote the efficient improvement of preschool children's developmental behavior and motor ability. Therefore, it is suggested that sensory integration exercises should be given priority in the future routine physical education curriculum design, to promote the effective improvement of preschool children's developmental behavior.