title: Promoting gross motor skills and physical activity in childcare: A translational randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Educator-led programs for physical activity and motor skill development show potential but few have been implemented and evaluated using a randomized controlled design. Furthermore, few educator-led programs have evaluated both gross motor skills and physical activity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate a gross motor skill and physical activity program for preschool children which was facilitated solely by childcare educators.
  
  
  METHODS
  A six-month 2-arm randomized controlled trial was implemented between April and September 2012 in four early childhood centers in Tasmania, Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Educators participated in ongoing professional development sessions and children participated in structured physical activity lessons and unstructured physical activity sessions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 150 children were recruited from four centers which were randomized to intervention or wait-list control group. Six early childhood educators from the intervention centers were trained to deliver the intervention. Gross motor skills were assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development (2nd edition) and physical activity was measured objectively using GT3X+ Actigraph accelerometers. No statistically significant differences were identified. However, small to medium effect sizes, in favor of the intervention group, were evident for four of the five gross motor skills and the total gross motor skill score and small to medium effect sizes were reported for all physical activity outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study highlights the potential of educator-led physical activity interventions and supports the need for further translational trials within the early childhood sector.
authors.affiliation: Early Start Research Institute, School of Education, Faculty of Social Sciences, Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Australia. Electronic address: rachelj@uow.edu.au.
authors.forename: Rachel A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Early Start Research Institute, School of Education, Faculty of Social Sciences, Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Australia.
authors.forename: Anthony D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Okely
authors.affiliation: Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Australia.
authors.forename: Trina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hinkley
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Applied Statistics Research Australia, University of Wollongong, Australia.
authors.forename: Marijka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Batterham
authors.affiliation: Physical Activity and Community Nutrition Unit, Population Health Services, Department of Health and Human Services Tasmania, Australia.
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Burke
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry / Q000379:methods; D002654:Child Care; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills; D010806:Physical Education and Training / Q000379:methods*; D000070777:School Teachers
keywords: Gross motor skills; Intervention; Physical activity; Preschool; Translational trial