The purpose of my study was to investigate the child's gross motor movement activities as well as study of the educators planning of gross motor movement activities, and if so, how they are implemented. Methods used in the study is observational and interview. I observed children aged 3-6 years and interviewed two preschool teachers in two different kindergartens in a small municipality in northern Småland. The results showed that the teachers see positively movement in kindergarten and they work daily on children's gross motor skills most unplanned but even with a few planned activities during the week. In kindergarden there are many opportunities for children to exercise gross motor movement activities .

Title: Motor performance of pupils with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Objectives: The aim of the work was to determine the level of fine and gross motor skills of upper extremities of the pupils with diagnosis ADHD at schools specialized on these pupils and compare it with the fine and gross motor skills of upper extremities of children without this diagnosis at common elementary school. Further work objective was to determine the level of gross motor skills of lower limbs and laterality of paired organs (hand - foot) within above mentioned groups of pupils. Methods: To determine the level of fine and gross motor skills of upper extremities, gross motor skills of lower limbs, laterality of the upper and lower extremities of the pupils with and without ADHD aged 9-11 years we used these types of tests: "Spiral", "Dotting test", "Beads" (the level of fine motor skills of the upper extremities); "Pack", "Small plate tapping", "Big plate tapping" (the level of gross motor skills of upper extremities); "Tapping the leg" (the level of gross motor skills of the lower limbs); "Typing out the Rhythm" (the laterality of the lower limbs); "Bell" and "Matches" (the laterality of the upper extremities). Results: The fine motor level of dominant hand was in the case of ADHD diagnosed pupils...

The most common form of nutritional deficiency worldwide is iron deficiency, which is associated with sup optimal early brain development. Literature indicates that children with a poor nutritional status during early development of the brain showed poorer cognitive functioning, deficient growth and muscle function. The first purpose of this study was to determine if iron status plays a role in motor competency. A second purpose was to determine if iron status shows an association with motor competency, behavioural characteristics and scholastic success, while a third purpose was to determine if the consumption of different teas will improve iron intake positively and consequently will improve motor development and behaviour. A test- retest research design was used in a randomised parallel study, with one group of children drinking tea and a control group drinking 'rooibos' tea. The Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC) (Henderson & Sugden, 1992) was used to determine the DCD (Developmental co-ordination disorder) status in the group (N = 76). In this group, 45 children were classified as children with DCD. Blood samples were taken to determine the haemoglobin, ferritin and transferrin saturation levels while a 24hr recall dietary questionnaire was used to determine nutritional intakes. Descriptive statistics, t-testing, effect sizes and analysis of co-variance were used to analyse the data. With regards to the first aim of the study, the results which were analysed by means of t-testing, effect sizes and co-variance of analysis indicated that iron deficiency showed significant relationships with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). When corrected for influences other than haemoglobin on gross motor competency manual dexterity, and especially ball skills, showed significant relationships with iron deficiency. These results demonstrate the importance of proper nutrition on motor and cognitive development. With reference to the second aim of the study the assessment of children with DCD by the teachers with regard to their manual dexterity and behavioural characteristics, indicated poorer manual dexterity and more behavioural problems compared to children without DCD. The children in the DCD group was also divided into a group where the MABC-total showed improvement and their haemoglobin levels increased (n=19). This group was then compared with a group of DCD children of which the MABC total decreased and a decrease in haemoglobin was found (n=6). Although the groups were small, the results indicate that manual dexterity skills and mathematics, reading and writing was poorer in the DCD-children whose iron status decreased. No definite association between the different teas and improvement of motor development and behaviour were indicated by the results. Overall, the conclusion can be made that a relationship between iron status and Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) among 9-12 year old children exist. However, it is recommended that more studies of this nature should be done on school age children to substantiate the findings of this study. Intervention studies should also be implemented where the children with depleted iron anaemia status should receive iron supplementation. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

The most common form of nutritional deficiency worldwide is iron deficiency, which is associated with sup optimal early brain development. Literature indicates that children with a poor nutritional status during early development of the brain showed poorer cognitive functioning, deficient growth and muscle function. The first purpose of this study was to determine if iron status plays a role in motor competency. A second purpose was to determine if iron status shows an association with motor competency, behavioural characteristics and scholastic success, while a third purpose was to determine if the consumption of different teas will improve iron intake positively and consequently will improve motor development and behaviour. A test- retest research design was used in a randomised parallel study, with one group of children drinking tea and a control group drinking 'rooibos' tea. The Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC) (Henderson & Sugden, 1992) was used to determine the DCD (Developmental co-ordination disorder) status in the group (N = 76). In this group, 45 children were classified as children with DCD. Blood samples were taken to determine the haemoglobin, ferritin and transferrin saturation levels while a 24hr recall dietary questionnaire was used to determine nutritional intakes. Descriptive statistics, t-testing, effect sizes and analysis of co-variance were used to analyse the data. With regards to the first aim of the study, the results which were analysed by means of t-testing, effect sizes and co-variance of analysis indicated that iron deficiency showed significant relationships with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). When corrected for influences other than haemoglobin on gross motor competency manual dexterity, and especially ball skills, showed significant relationships with iron deficiency. These results demonstrate the importance of proper nutrition on motor and cognitive development. With reference to the second aim of the study the assessment of children with DCD by the teachers with regard to their manual dexterity and behavioural characteristics, indicated poorer manual dexterity and more behavioural problems compared to children without DCD. The children in the DCD group was also divided into a group where the MABC-total showed improvement and their haemoglobin levels increased (n=19). This group was then compared with a group of DCD children of which the MABC total decreased and a decrease in haemoglobin was found (n=6). Although the groups were small, the results indicate that manual dexterity skills and mathematics, reading and writing was poorer in the DCD-children whose iron status decreased. No definite association between the different teas and improvement of motor development and behaviour were indicated by the results. Overall, the conclusion can be made that a relationship between iron status and Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) among 9-12 year old children exist. However, it is recommended that more studies of this nature should be done on school age children to substantiate the findings of this study. Intervention studies should also be implemented where the children with depleted iron anaemia status should receive iron supplementation. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

TITLE: The physical condition of badminton players AUTHOR: Kateřina Hejdrychová DEPARTMENT: Katedra tělesné výchovy PedF UK SUPERVISOR: PaedDr. Ladislav Pokorný ABSTRACT: This diploma thesis deals with the composition of fitness training of badminton players. The first part of the thesis theoretically describes the development of individual motor skills and their application and inclusion in the training process of badminton. In the second part, an evaluation of the psychical condition of adolescent and junior national team players and badminton players is performed. The psychical condition was examined using a test battery in cooperation with the Czech Badminton Association. The results of the thesis are annotated results of individual groups of players. KEYWORDS: Badminton, psychical condition, gross motor skills, testing

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Tai Chi exercise on motor skills in older adults residing in independent living. Twenty-eight self-ambulatory older adults (age: 77 8.92; male: N = 1, female: N = 27) with no serious or restrictive health conditions, MMSE score 21, or recent surgery, completed this study. Participants engaged in one-hour biweekly Tai Chi exercise or BINGO sessions for eight weeks. Fine and gross motor skills were tested at four time-points throughout the study. Repeated measures 2x4 [2(Tai Chi exercise x BINGO) x 4(Baseline x Intraintervention x Post x Retention)] RM ANOVA was used with alpha of 0.05. Significant differences noted in fine motor function tasks (nondominant > dominant hand), and for the 6MWT, suggesting that Tai Chi exercise or BINGO may help older adults to perform activities of daily living, maintain independency, and gain a better quality of life.

The study will be based on a qualitative method with a focus on describing seven preschool teachers' different perceptions of the forest as a learning environment for all age groups in preschool. Further in this work, we want to contribute knowledge about the forest's possibilities for gross motor development, learning and influence for all children in preschool. As the curriculum for preschool (Skolverket, 2018) writes, it is the preschool teachers' responsibility that the children are stimulated and challenged in their cognitive and motor development and that the children should feel participation and influence in education. Furthermore, the curriculum states that no child in preschool should be subjected to discrimination on the basis of age. The study used semi-structured interviews as a method and is based on a phenomenographic approach. The results showed differences between the preschool teachers' perceptions in preschools with outdoor education and traditional education, where the preschool teachers in preschools with outdoor education perceived the forest as only positive with unlimited possibilities related to the age of the group of children. They perceived that everything you can do inside can also be done outside with all children, while those with traditional pedagogy highlighted some limitations in the forest linked to the age of the group of children. The conclusion of the study shows that the preschool teachers are unanimous in their opinion that the forest is an educational environment. / Studien kommer att utgå från en kvalitativ metod med fokus på att beskriva sju förskollärares olika uppfattningar om skogen som en lärmiljö för alla åldersgrupper i förskolan. Vidare i detta arbete vill vi bidra med kunskap kring skogens möjligheter för den grovmotoriska utvecklingen, lärande och inflytande för alla barn i förskolan. Som läroplanen för förskolan (Skolverket, 2018) skriver är det förskollärarnas ansvar att barnen stimuleras och utmanas i sin kognitiva och motoriska utveckling samt att barnen ska känna delaktighet och inflytande i utbildningen. Vidare skriver läroplanen att inget barn i förskolan ska bli utsatt för diskriminering på grund av ålder. Studien använde halvstrukturerade intervjuer som metod och utgår ifrån en fenomenografisk ansats.  I resultatet visade sig skillnader mellan förskollärarnas uppfattningar på förskolorna med utomhuspedagogik och traditionell pedagogik där förskollärarna på förskolorna med utomhuspedagogik uppfattade skogen som enbart positiv med obegränsade möjligheter relaterat till barngruppens ålder. De uppfattade att allt man kan göra inne även kan göras ute med alla barn medan de med traditionell pedagogik belyste en del begränsningar i skogen kopplat till barngruppens ålder. Slutsatsen i studien visar att förskollärarna är eniga i sin uppfattning om att skogen är en lärorik miljö.

Title: Developmental coordination disorder - literature review Objectives: The theoretical part talks about developmental coordination disorder, its diagnosis, investigations, etiology and division during the different ages of the child. The practical part compares the studies relating to atypical development of motor skills in children with developmental coordination disorder. In diploma thesis was often used shortcut CKP and DCD, depending on the source from which it was drawn. DCD is the English equivalent of the shortcut CKP. Methods: This diploma thesis has both descriptively - analytical character. It will be treated as a literature review. Results: On the basis of the researched literary sources, this thesis provides a comprehensive picture on the topic of developmental coordination disorder. This thesis evaluated the atypical motor skills in school and preschool age children with developmental coordination disorder from the perspective of different authors. It has been found, which diagnostic procedures are used and which difficulties are most limiting for the children. Keywords: developmental coordination disorder, fine motor skills, hand function, gross motor skills

Title: The Impact of Alcohol Consumption on Gross and Fine Motor Skills of Individuals Objectives of the thesis: The main objective of my thesis is to assess an immediate effect of alcohol on selected tasks from the area of fine and gross motor skills. First identified were the average values for selected tests in sober individuals, and then the values with an increasing level of alcohol in blood. The second objective is to differentiate whether or not are fine and gross motor skills affected upon the same alcohol level in blood. Methods: The required data were obtained on the basis of experimental measurements on 12 probands (6 women and 6 men) who were tested for fine motor skills using three non- standardized tests modified or created for the purpose of this experiment: threading beads on a string, unlocking locks and dropping coins to a moneybox. Gross motor skills were tested using stabilometric platform in a standing position with legs together and with open eyes for 30 seconds. The observed parameter in the fine motor skills test was the time, while in the stability test it was the track of COP; each fine motor skills test was performed three times in each round. In the second and in each subsequent round every proband was administered 0.3 g of alcohol per kg of weight. The total number of...

Title: The Use of Therasuit method on individuals with cerebral palsy Objectives: The main objective of the work is to observe a 4-week rehabilitation program according to the Therasuit method. Determine whether there will be changes in the area of gross motor skills and primitive reflexes, and to describe the individual course of the rehabilitation process in individual probands. Another objective is an evaluation of the therapeutic effect on the child's physical activities from the parents point of view. Methods: It is a mixed research method which contains an empirical-theoretical form of case sudies of 3 probands.The study included 2 boys and 1 girl aged 3, 4 and 7 years with a diagnosis of cerebral palsy, while in the first proband it occurs in the form of spastic diparesis, in the second one in the form of spastic hemiparesis, and in the third one in the form of spastic triparesis. The data collection methods used include input and output kinesiological analysis, qualitative observation of the rehabilitation process and a qualitative interview with a legal representative focused on the child's physical activities prior to and after rehabilitation. Results: We found that after 4-week rehabilitation according to the Therasuit method, all 3 probands improved their gross motor skills. In all 3...