Peer-reviewed article
The Role of Athletic Activities in Early Childhood Development: An Evidence Based Literature
Rahma Azizah Setiani, Zaki Anwar Habibi, Naufal Nur Hakim, Muhamad Fatih Azzaki, Limpad Nurrachmad ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This literature review examined 20 peer-reviewed studies published between 2018 and 2025 to understand how athletic activities support early childhood development. The analysis found that structured and game-based athletic activities improve children's muscle strength, motor coordination, balance, confidence, and social skills. Game-based learning approaches were found to be more effective than formal instruction for supporting both physical and psychological development. The review recommends integrating athletic activities into early childhood education through developmentally appropriate methods.
Key points
- Structured and game-based athletic activities enhance muscle strength, motor coordination, and balance in early childhood
- Athletic activities improve self-confidence and social skills in young children
- Game-based athletic learning is more effective than formal instructional approaches
- Review synthesized 20 peer-reviewed articles published between 2018 and 2025
- Practical recommendations provided for educators to implement game-based athletic learning strategies
Limitations
This is a literature review that synthesizes existing studies rather than presenting original research data, so it cannot provide direct evidence about effect sizes or specific outcomes for particular populations. The review does not specify the age range of 'early childhood' examined or provide detailed critical appraisal of the included studies' quality.
Abstract
This study examines the contribution of athletic activities to early childhood development through a literature review of 20 peer reviewed scientific articles published between 2018 and 2025. Articles were retrieved from reputable national and international databases including Google Scholar SINTA DOAJ and ScienceDirect and selected through a structured screening process based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach to identify key developmental outcomes. The findings indicate that structured and game based athletic activities effectively enhance muscle strength motor coordination balance self confidence and social skills in early childhood. Game based athletic learning was consistently found to be more effective than formal instructional approaches in supporting both physical and psychosocial development. This review highlights the importance of integrating athletic activities into early childhood physical education through developmentally appropriate and adaptive learning designs and provides practical recommendations for educators to implement game based athletic learning strategies.