NCT06943222

Comparative Effects of Traditional Play and Free Play in Primary School Children

Comparative Effects of Traditional Play and Free Play on Motor Fitness and Social Interaction in Primary School Children

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 104 (actual)
• Sponsor: Riphah International University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 5 Years – 9 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Childhood play is crucial for the comprehensive development of children, as it fosters social and emotional skills. This study examines the relative effects of conventional games versus unstructured play on the social interaction and physical fitness of elementary school students. This study aims to explore the impact of traditional games and free play on motor fitness and social interaction among primary school children and also seeks to offer insights into how these activities can benefit physical health and social development in the school environment. A randomized clinical trial will be conducted to evaluate the comparative effects of traditional play and free play on motor fitness and social interaction in primary school children. Study will include 104 children with aged 5 to 9 and take place in Sukkur schools for a duration of 10 months. Traditional play groups and free play groups. The Social Skills Rating Scale (SSRS) will be utilized to evaluate social interaction. The statistical software SPSS version 27.00 will be used to analyze the data.

Detailed description

Childhood play is crucial for the comprehensive development of children, as it fosters social and emotional skills that equip them to face challenges throughout their lives, from infancy to adulthood. This study examines the relative effects of conventional games versus unstructured play on the social interaction and physical fitness of elementary school students. Traditional games, marked by organized rules, and free play, characterized by spontaneous, unstructured activities, are represented by different types of play that affect social behaviors and motor skills. Understanding these effects is essential, as participating in physical activities not only boosts physical health but also influences cognitive and social skills, which are important for long-term mental and physical well-being. This study aims to explore the impact of traditional games and free play on motor fitness and social interaction among primary school children and also seeks to offer insights into how these activities can benefit physical health and social development in the school environment. A randomized clinical trial will be conducted to evaluate the comparative effects of traditional play and free play on motor fitness and social interaction in primary school children. This study will include children aged 5 to 9 and take place in Sukkur schools for a duration of 10 months. Traditional play groups will partake in organized conventional activities that are included in their schedule, while free play groups will involve themselves in unregulated spontaneous play. The participants will be segregated into 2 distinct groups. The flamingo balance tests (FLA) will be used to assess motor fitness related to balance; the standing long jump (SLJ) test for measuring leaping distance; the plate tapping (PTT) for evaluating movement speed; the obstacle course backwards (OCB) for assessing body coordination; and the shuttle run test 4 × 5 m (SRT) for measuring speed and agility. The Social Skills Rating Scale (SSRS) will be utilized to evaluate social interaction. The statistical software SPSS version 27.00 will be used to analyze the data.

Conditions

• Children

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Traditional Play	The intervention for the traditional play group included activities such as Shtapu and skipping rope. Both traditional play activities were scheduled 3 times per week (3 Session/week) over the 6-month period. Both activities took place outdoors and in the institutional gymnasium, depending on the prevailing weather conditions. Each session lasted 35 minutes and took place in the morning hours (8-11 a.m.). Prior to each type of activity, a specific warm-up was conducted, following methodological guidelines for preschoolers' physical education.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-04-17
• Primary completion: 2025-09-17
• Completion: 2025-10-01
• First posted: 2025-04-24
• Last updated: 2025-12-30

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Pakistan