Effectiveness of Fun Game-Based, Outdoor Activity, and Conventional Learning Models on Gross Motor Skills of Children Aged 5–6 Years

Gross motor skill acquisition during early childhood (ages 5–6 years) is a fundamental basis for physical abilities and readiness to face more complex movement tasks in the future. At this stage, children experience rapid improvement in locomotor abilities and object control, which requires appropriate stimulation through an active and engaging learning environment. However, many early childhood education environments in Indonesia still predominantly use conventional learning methods, which often limit children's opportunities to explore movement actively. Although alternative approaches such as Fun Game-Based Learning and Outdoor Physical Activities are increasingly recommended, empirical studies directly comparing these learning models within a single experimental framework remain limited. This research aimed to compare the effectiveness of Fun Games-Based Learning, Outdoor Physical Activities, and traditional instructional methods in improving children's gross motor skills aged 5–6 years. A quasi-experimental design with a pretest–posttest approach was used with a sample of 45 kindergarten students from the Padang State University Development School. Participants were allocated to three equal-sized groups (n = 15) using pretest score matching to ensure equivalence in baseline motor abilities. The intervention program was implemented over six weeks, consisting of 16 instructional sessions held three times per week, each lasting 60 minutes. Gross motor skill development was assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development–Second Edition (TGMD-2). Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, Bonferroni post hoc tests, and normalised gain (N-Gain) analysis. The findings demonstrated significant differences in gross motor skill improvement among the three instructional groups (p < 0.05). Children who participated in Fun Game-Based Learning and Outdoor Physical Activities exhibited markedly greater gains in gross motor skills than those exposed to conventional learning methods. The Outdoor Physical Activities group achieved the highest improvement (N-Gain = 9.25%), followed by the Fun Games group (8.92%), while the Conventional group showed minimal improvement (0.66%). These findings indicate that play-based, outdoor-oriented learning models are more effective than conventional approaches for enhancing gross motor development in early childhood education.