View article

Differences in the initial levels of FMS development are due to many factors, including the immediate environment, structured physical education, socioeconomic status, parental influences, and climate. Thus, we hypothesize that young children (ages 4-7) will demonstrate various levels of physical activity and motor skill development that are weakly related (ie, low correlations between levels of physical activity and motor skill development). As children transition into middle childhood and adolescence, we believe the relationship between physical activity and motor skill development becomes more significant and will strengthen. During middle childhood and adolescence, higher levels of motor skill development will offer greater opportunities to engage in various physical activities, sports, and games. We expect that more highly skilled children will self-select higher levels of physical activity, while children who are …