Gross Motor Skills of Hong Kong Preschool Children

The purpose of this study was to determine the gender difference in gross motor performance of Hong Kong preschool children. The secondary purposes were to determine whether there was a relationship between body mass index and motor performance as well as to determine the influence of preschool types (large play area vs. small play area) on the motor performance of preschool children. A total of 239 children (121 boys, 118 girls) aged 3 to 6 years from two types of preschools was assessed on locomotor and object control skills of the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-2, Ulrich, 2000). Results showed that there was no gender difference in children’s gross motor skills when adjusted by the age effect. There was also no relationship between body mass index and motor performance of preschool children. When partial out age effect, children from preschools with larger play area performed better locomotor skills than those from preschools with smaller play area, however, children from preschools with larger play area had worse object control skills than those from preschools with smaller play area.