A four-week fundamental motor skill intervention improves motor skills in eight to 10-year-old Irish primary school children

Aim: To determine if a four-week fundamental motor skills intervention improves fundamental motor skills in Irish school children. Methods: 100 Primary School boys (n = 58) and girls (n = 42) participated in this study (Age 9 ± 1 years, equally divided into a control and intervention group. Proficiency was assessed qualitatively using the Fundamental Motor Skills Quotient (FMSQ) pre and post intervention, and between gender. Results: There was no change in the control group over time (p = 0.54; Mean change = 0.06 [−0.14 to 0.26]; Cohen’s d = 0.01 [Trivial]). In the intervention group, both the male (p ≤ 0.001; Mean diff = 0.893 [7.79 to 10.08]; Cohen’s d = 2.24 [V. Large]), and female group (p ≤ 0.001; Mean diff = 11.85 [10.45 to 13.25]; Cohen’s d = 3.54 [V. Large]) significantly improved fundamental motor skills scores. A four-week intervention is effective at improving FMSQ.