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Comparative Analysis of Motor Skills and Morphological Characteristics of Preschool Children

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Title: Comparative Analysis of Motor Skills and Morphological Characteristics of Preschool Children
Language: English
Authors: Goran Vještica (ORCID 0009-0004-6414-1109), Aleksandar Gadžic (ORCID 0000-0002-1611-6855), Dušan Nikolic (ORCID 0009-0000-7222-0668)
Source: Research in Pedagogy. 2025 15(2):387-394.
Availability: Preschool Teacher Training College "Mihailo Palov" and Serbian Academy of Education in Belgrade. Omladinski Trg 1, Vrsac, 26300 Serbia. Tel: +381-832517; Fax: +381-832517; Web site: http://research.rs
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 8
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Preschool Education
Descriptors: Psychomotor Skills, Young Children, Physical Education, Motor Development, Child Development, Gender Differences, Age Differences, Preschool Education, Developmentally Appropriate Practices, Foreign Countries, Body Composition, Body Weight, Body Height
Geographic Terms: Serbia
ISSN: 2217-7337
2406-2006
Abstract: Child development in the preschool period is characterized by integrality, meaning that the motor, cognitive, and morphological segments of a child's development are strongly interconnected. The aim of this study was to determine the differences in morphological characteristics and motor skills between girls and boys aged 4, 5, and 6 years, with the goal of aligning physical education with the dynamics of growth and development, as well as with sex differences. The total sample consisted of 219 preschool children, including 103 girls and 116 boys. Multivariate analysis of variance showed that statistically significant differences in anthropometric and motor characteristics exist between boys and girls at the ages of 4 and 6, while no significant differences were observed at age 5. Univariate analysis of variance indicated a statistically significant difference in 4-year-olds only in speed and agility test, in 5-year olds significant difference was observed in the standing long jump for 5-year-olds, and in 6-year-olds, significant differences were found in the speed/agility, abdominal strength and coordination/explosive leg power. The findings of this study have practical implications in preschool education and physical education since they emphasize the necessity of programs that equally stimulate all motor abilities, and the importance of individualization and adaptation of activities to mitigate sex differences and support improvements in weaker areas. Future studies should be conducted on larger populations of preschool children across multiple geographical regions in Serbia in order to obtain more valid indicators and improve the generalizability of findings. [Note: The page range (386-394) shown in the citation on the PDF is incorrect. The correct page range is 387-394.]
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1498166
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
CustomLinks:
  – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=EJ1498166
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AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
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IllustrationInfo
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  Data: Comparative Analysis of Motor Skills and Morphological Characteristics of Preschool Children
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  Data: English
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Goran+Vještica%22">Goran Vještica</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0004-6414-1109">0009-0004-6414-1109</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Aleksandar+Gadžic%22">Aleksandar Gadžic</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1611-6855">0000-0002-1611-6855</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Dušan+Nikolic%22">Dušan Nikolic</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0000-7222-0668">0009-0000-7222-0668</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Research+in+Pedagogy%22"><i>Research in Pedagogy</i></searchLink>. 2025 15(2):387-394.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
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  Data: Preschool Teacher Training College "Mihailo Palov" and Serbian Academy of Education in Belgrade. Omladinski Trg 1, Vrsac, 26300 Serbia. Tel: +381-832517; Fax: +381-832517; Web site: http://research.rs
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 8
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education%22">Early Childhood Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Preschool+Education%22">Preschool Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychomotor+Skills%22">Psychomotor Skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Young+Children%22">Young Children</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Physical+Education%22">Physical Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Motor+Development%22">Motor Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+Development%22">Child Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gender+Differences%22">Gender Differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Age+Differences%22">Age Differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Preschool+Education%22">Preschool Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Developmentally+Appropriate+Practices%22">Developmentally Appropriate Practices</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Body+Composition%22">Body Composition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Body+Weight%22">Body Weight</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Body+Height%22">Body Height</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Serbia%22">Serbia</searchLink>
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 2217-7337<br />2406-2006
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Child development in the preschool period is characterized by integrality, meaning that the motor, cognitive, and morphological segments of a child's development are strongly interconnected. The aim of this study was to determine the differences in morphological characteristics and motor skills between girls and boys aged 4, 5, and 6 years, with the goal of aligning physical education with the dynamics of growth and development, as well as with sex differences. The total sample consisted of 219 preschool children, including 103 girls and 116 boys. Multivariate analysis of variance showed that statistically significant differences in anthropometric and motor characteristics exist between boys and girls at the ages of 4 and 6, while no significant differences were observed at age 5. Univariate analysis of variance indicated a statistically significant difference in 4-year-olds only in speed and agility test, in 5-year olds significant difference was observed in the standing long jump for 5-year-olds, and in 6-year-olds, significant differences were found in the speed/agility, abdominal strength and coordination/explosive leg power. The findings of this study have practical implications in preschool education and physical education since they emphasize the necessity of programs that equally stimulate all motor abilities, and the importance of individualization and adaptation of activities to mitigate sex differences and support improvements in weaker areas. Future studies should be conducted on larger populations of preschool children across multiple geographical regions in Serbia in order to obtain more valid indicators and improve the generalizability of findings. [Note: The page range (386-394) shown in the citation on the PDF is incorrect. The correct page range is 387-394.]
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  Data: As Provided
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  Data: 2026
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  Label: Accession Number
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  Data: EJ1498166
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 8
        StartPage: 387
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Psychomotor Skills
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Young Children
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Physical Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Motor Development
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Child Development
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Gender Differences
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Age Differences
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Preschool Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Developmentally Appropriate Practices
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Body Composition
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Body Weight
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Body Height
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Serbia
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    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Comparative Analysis of Motor Skills and Morphological Characteristics of Preschool Children
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            NameFull: Goran Vještica
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            NameFull: Aleksandar Gadžic
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            NameFull: Dušan Nikolic
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              Type: published
              Y: 2025
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              Value: 2406-2006
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              Value: 15
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              Value: 2
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            – TitleFull: Research in Pedagogy
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