Experimental Study: The Impact of Traditional Team Games on Gross Motor Locomotor Skills and Social Skills of Elementary School Children

Background: In the 21st century, children often prefer modern video games, which can lead to decreased physical activity and increased screen time. This lack of physical activity can result in poor motor skills and social skills among children. Motor and social skills are crucial for the development and growth of primary school children. Locomotor gross motor skills focus on walking, running, jumping, and skipping, which help children improve movement during physical activities. Social skills help children communicate with peers, understand friends, establish cooperation, and build healthy interpersonal relationships. It is believed that traditional games can help children aged 10‑12 improve their motor and social skills. Purpose: This study aims to analyze the impact of traditional team sports on optimizing locomotor gross motor skills and social skills in children aged 10‑12 years. Design/methodology/approach: This research study utilized a quasi‑experimental research method. The traditional games used in the study were gobak sodor and bakiak team. The study focused on children aged 10‑12 years. The instruments used for assessment were the Test of Gross Motor Development‑2 (TGMD‑II) for evaluating gross motor ability and a social skills questionnaire. The data were analyzed using a t‑test at a 5% significance level. Results and Conclusion: The analysis results of the first few t‑tests showed that the t‑count value (16.102) was greater than the t‑table value (2.093), and the p‑value (0.000) was less than 0.05. This indicates that there is an effect of traditional team games on the gross motor development of children aged 10‑12 years. The results of the second t‑test analysis also indicated that the t‑count value (14.912) was greater than the t‑table value (2.093), suggesting an effect of traditional team games on both gross motor abilities and social skills of children in the same age group. In the third t‑test analysis, the t‑count value was greater than the t‑table value, indicating differences between the experimental group and the control group. This suggests an effect of traditional team games on the development of gross motor skills and social abilities of children aged 10‑12 years.