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In the present age, technology takes precedence over spending time moving in open spaces, and as consequence, motor and functional abilities of preschool children are declining because they spend their free time mostly in activities that do not require muscular effort. That is the reason why it is important to raise the habit of daily physical exercise in children from preschool age. Moreover, World Health Organization recommends that children from the age of five should do at least, daily, 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity, mostly aerobic, physical activity (PA), during the week and also should include vigorous-intensity aerobic activities, as well as those that strengthen muscle and bone, at least 3 days a week. An appropriate level of PA can ensure the optimal growth and development of children and preserve their health. In Croatia, there exist general kinesiology activities that are an integral part of institutional integrated learning in early and preschool education in kindergartens, and special kinesiology activities or specialized sports programs for children of preschool age are carried out in sports schools or sports clubs. Children should be encouraged to be physically active not only in kindergartens but also at home, in their spare time, in transport, and participating in different sports schools to achieve the optimal physical activity. While engaging in physical activity children of preschool age, it is recommended that they do activities that will develop their coordination, balance, speed, and precision. Research shows that preschool children involved in additional physical activities achieve better results in tests assessing their motor and functional abilities. This research aimed to establish if there are differences in the motor abilities of preschool children concerning their engagement in additional sports activities (ASA). The study was conducted on a sample of 194 examinees, of which 91 girls and 103 boys, aged 5 to 7 years from the kindergarten in Zadar, Croatia. Of the 194 examinees, 110 (69 boys and 41 girls) were active in an additional sports program while 84 (34 boys and 50 girls) didn’t do any ASA. To assess children’s balance three tests were used: “Standing on a bench on full foot on one leg with eyes closed”, “Standing on a bench on both feet sideways with eyes closed”, and “Standing on a bench on a full foot with one foot in front of the other with eyes closed”. Also, three tests were used to assess children’s coordination: “Walking on all fours”, “Running between stands” and “Step up”. To determine whether there were statistically significant differences in the motor skills of children with the regard to their involvement in ASA, the t-test for independent samples was used. The obtained results indicate that boys who attend ASA have better coordination than boys who do not follow any ASA (p |
