The Effect of Fine Motor Skill Activities on Kindergarten Student Attention

• Published in: Early childhood education journal Vol. 35; no. 2; pp. 103 - 109
• Main Authors: Stewart, Roger A, Rule, Audrey C, Giordano, Debra A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer 01.10.2007; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Attention Control; Class Activities; Control Groups; Experimental Groups; Females; Gender Differences; Kindergarten; Kindergarten students; Language Skills; Pretests Posttests; Psychomotor Skills; Public Schools; United States (Intermountain West)
• ISSN: 1082-3301; 1573-1707
• DOI: 10.1007/s10643-007-0169-4

This study explored the effect of fine motor skill activities on the development of attention in kindergarteners (n = 68) in five classes at a suburban public school in the Intermountain West through a pretest/posttest experimental group (n = 36) control group (n = 32) design. All children received the regular curriculum which included typical fine motor activities such as painting, coloring, writing, and play activities with small items. The treatment was a series of supplemental fine motor activities in which children used tongs, tweezers, and spoons to move small items. The assessment was the attention subtest of the Cognitive Assessment System (CAS) (Naglieri, J. A., & Das, J. P. (1997a). Cognitive assessment system. Itasca, IL: Riverside). A significant group x sex interaction with females positively responding to the treatment was found, suggesting that fine motor skill activities are effective in increasing female kindergartners' attention. Further studies exploring effective materials for males and factors such as student choice and interest are needed.