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ICT and Children’s Leisure Time
positive correlation of motor abilities development and the level of physical
activity in preschool age (Cliff et al. 2009, 436–449; Oliver, Schofield, and Kolt
2007, 1015–1070). It has been found that the least physically active children
perform poorest on the motor skills tests (Fisher et al. 2005, 684–688).
The Impact of Physical Activity on Cognitive Development
The idea that there is a connection between motor and cognitive develop-
ment is not radically new. In 1953, Piaget suggested the importance of sen-
sorimotor experience for the development of cognitive abilities (Piaget 1953).
Bushnell and Boudreau suggested that early motor development may act as
a ‘control parameter’ for further development, in that some motor abilities
may be a prerequisite for the acquisition or practice of other developmental
functions such as perceptual or cognitive ability. This was supported by the
research which showed that the perception of object is the result of tactile
exploration of infants (Bushnell and Boudreau 1993, 1005–1021).
So far, much research was conducted with the aim of understanding the
possible correlation of motor and cognitive abilities in children and adults.
As a result of this statistical review of the literature (Sibley and Etnier 2003,
243–256), it is concluded that there is a significant positive relationship be-
tween physical activity and cognitive functioning (Piek et al. 2008, 668–681).
The development of gross motor skills during the first four years of life is the
predictor of cognitive development in early school age, especially of infor-
mation processing speed and working memory. Moreover, it has been found
that preadolescent children perform better on school test after 20 minutes of
walking prior to the test (Hillman et al. 2009). Brain regions responsible for fo-
cused attention and filtration of noisy distractions, i.e. cognitive control were
shown to be highly active in comparison to the control group (children who
did not take a walk prior to test) (Hillman et al. 2009). It is also known that reg-
ular physical exercise improves the object recognition memory (Hopkins et
al. 2012, 215, 59–68), whereas physically fit children have better language skills
that their peers (Scudder et al. 2014, 140–152). Research carried out in 2015
has shown that physically fit and active preadolescent children show greater
hippocampal and basal ganglia volume, greater white matter integrity, ele-
vated and more efficient patterns of brain activity and superior cognitive per-
formance and scholastic achievement (Erickson, Hillman, and Kramer 2015,
27–32). Long term effect of properly developed fine motor skills was also ob-
served. On the school readiness test, fine motor skills, together with attention
and general knowledge, have shown to be much stronger overall predictors
of later math, reading, and science scorer than early math and reading scores
141
positive correlation of motor abilities development and the level of physical
activity in preschool age (Cliff et al. 2009, 436–449; Oliver, Schofield, and Kolt
2007, 1015–1070). It has been found that the least physically active children
perform poorest on the motor skills tests (Fisher et al. 2005, 684–688).
The Impact of Physical Activity on Cognitive Development
The idea that there is a connection between motor and cognitive develop-
ment is not radically new. In 1953, Piaget suggested the importance of sen-
sorimotor experience for the development of cognitive abilities (Piaget 1953).
Bushnell and Boudreau suggested that early motor development may act as
a ‘control parameter’ for further development, in that some motor abilities
may be a prerequisite for the acquisition or practice of other developmental
functions such as perceptual or cognitive ability. This was supported by the
research which showed that the perception of object is the result of tactile
exploration of infants (Bushnell and Boudreau 1993, 1005–1021).
So far, much research was conducted with the aim of understanding the
possible correlation of motor and cognitive abilities in children and adults.
As a result of this statistical review of the literature (Sibley and Etnier 2003,
243–256), it is concluded that there is a significant positive relationship be-
tween physical activity and cognitive functioning (Piek et al. 2008, 668–681).
The development of gross motor skills during the first four years of life is the
predictor of cognitive development in early school age, especially of infor-
mation processing speed and working memory. Moreover, it has been found
that preadolescent children perform better on school test after 20 minutes of
walking prior to the test (Hillman et al. 2009). Brain regions responsible for fo-
cused attention and filtration of noisy distractions, i.e. cognitive control were
shown to be highly active in comparison to the control group (children who
did not take a walk prior to test) (Hillman et al. 2009). It is also known that reg-
ular physical exercise improves the object recognition memory (Hopkins et
al. 2012, 215, 59–68), whereas physically fit children have better language skills
that their peers (Scudder et al. 2014, 140–152). Research carried out in 2015
has shown that physically fit and active preadolescent children show greater
hippocampal and basal ganglia volume, greater white matter integrity, ele-
vated and more efficient patterns of brain activity and superior cognitive per-
formance and scholastic achievement (Erickson, Hillman, and Kramer 2015,
27–32). Long term effect of properly developed fine motor skills was also ob-
served. On the school readiness test, fine motor skills, together with attention
and general knowledge, have shown to be much stronger overall predictors
of later math, reading, and science scorer than early math and reading scores
141
