An empirical study of the Flag Rugby game programme to promote gross motor skills and physical fitness in 5-6 year old preschool children

Introduction: To investigate the effects of flag rugby classes on the development of gross motor skills and physical fitness in 5-6 year old preschool children. Methods: Using the flag rugby sessions as an intervention, a total of 56 preschool children aged 5-6 years (57.14% girls) were randomly selected to participate in class A and class B to see the effects of the flag rugby sessions on their gross motor skills and physical fitness. Results: After 12w exercised，in the comparative analysis of subjects' gross motor and physical fitness test results.We found that the ExG differed significantly(P<0.01) in the test results of gross motor and physical fitness,and a 2(group: ExG,ConG)×2(time: 0w,12w) repeated measures ANOVA was performed and found was interacted significantly(P<0.001) in Total Locomotor Subject Score(F=38. 287, p=0.000, ES=0.415),Total Object Control Subject Score(F=164.453, p=0.000, ES=0.753),Total Gross Motor Score (F=192.409, p=0.000, ES=0.781),and found was interacted significantly (P<0. 05) in grip strength (F=5.030, p=0.029, ES=0.085),sitting forward flexion (F=6.957, p=0.011, ES=0.114),15m obstacle run (F=4.185, p=0.046, ES=0.072),balance beam walk (F=7.504, p=0.008, ES=0.122).In the comparative analysis of the results of gross motor tests and physical fitness in subjects of different sexes, the differences in Total Object Control Subject Score (F=5.200,P=0.027,ES=0. 850), grip strength (F=5.971,P=0.018,ES=0.866), sitting forward bending (F=5.854,P=0.019,ES=-0.863) and 15m obstacle run (F=4.230,P=0.045,ES=- 0.824) had significant (P<0.05) main effects of gender. Conclusion: The 12-week flag rugby game programme can comprehensively and effectively promote the development of gross motor skills and physical fitness in preschool children aged 5-6 years, and there are certain gender differences in promoting the development of children's gross motor skills and physical fitness, which is in accordance with the law and characteristics of physical and mental development of children's sports,We propose to incorporate it into the physical education curriculum for preschool children aged 5-6 years and better development of gross motor and physical fitness in children.