Parent-perceived child development in preschoolers engaging in play that includes physical activity

Abstract

Physical activity can influence cognitive, linguistic, and emotional development from an early age in a positive way, emphasizing the importance of play in the daily activities of children. The aim was to describe the association between the weekly time spent by preschoolers in games that included physical activity and their child development, comparing that development when the game was played in the company of others. Fifty Chilean preschoolers with typically normative development (51.20 ± 9.92 months) participated. Sociodemographic data were collected employing an ad-hoc questionnaire. Parents recorded the types of games their children played for one week, the time spent, and with whom they played them. Finally, the Ages and Stages Questionnaire 3rd edition and socioemotional (ASQ-3 and ASQ-SE) were applied to assess child development in different areas. Those preschoolers who spent more time playing with weekly physical activity had higher scores in the communication area that included expressive and comprehensive communication (p=0.01), emotional communication (p≤0.05), socio-individual development (p=0.001), and adaptive functioning (p≤0.05). Likewise, children who performed plays that included physical activity with nearby adults showed higher scores in ASQ-SE adaptive functioning area (p≤0.05). The frequency of active play employed by preschoolers seems to influence different areas of child development associated with social factors.