Physical Education and Sports: Studies and Research
Vol. 5 No. 1 (2026): Physical Education and Sports: Studies and Research

Enhancing locomotor skills in preschoolers through play jump rope

Nancy Trisari Schiff (Sekolah Tinggi Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan (STKIP) Pasundan)
Andy Supriady (Sekolah Tinggi Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan (STKIP) Pasundan)



Article Info

Publish Date
14 Apr 2026

Abstract

Background: Fundamental Motor Skills (FMS), particularly in the Locomotor Skills domain, are an essential prerequisite for lifelong physical participation. However, the dominance of a sedentary lifestyle threatens young children's mastery of these skills. Objectives: This study aims to test and prove the effectiveness of the jump rope play intervention program in improving locomotor skills in 5–6-year-old children. Methods: This research uses a quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design. The sample consisted of 19 males and 11 females, for a total of 30 children. Locomotor skills are measured objectively using the Locomotor subtest of the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (TGMD-2). The Jump Rope Game intervention was implemented in a structured manner over 8 weeks (3 sessions/week). The data were analyzed using the Paired-Samples T-Test. Results: The research results show a highly significant improvement in locomotor skills scores after the intervention. The average score increased from 23.30 on the pretest to 27.87 on the posttest, reflecting a 19.61% increase. The paired-samples t-test yielded a p-value of 0.000 (p<0.05), confirming that the difference between the two measurements was statistically significant. Conclusions: Jump rope games have proven to be an effective, efficient, and enjoyable intervention for significantly improving young children's locomotor skills. This research recommends integrating inexpensive, easily accessible play-based activities into the early childhood education curriculum as a practical strategy to support physical literacy and address basic movement deficits.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

pes

Publisher

Subject

Education

Description

The Physical Education and Sports: Studies and Research is an international peer-reviewed journal that publishes original research papers and reviews the fields of physical education, physical rehabilitation, and sports training. Physical Education and Sports: Studies and Research published two ...