Evaluating the Impact of a Laboratory-Based Program on Children’s Coordination Skills Using the MABC-2

The aim of this study was to verify the effects of laboratory learning on children’s fundamental movement skills (FMS) through an intervention designed and implemented by specially trained generalist teachers. A total of 114 children attending 1st and 2nd grade of primary school (6.7 ± 0.8 yo) and 28 children attending preschool (4.1 ± 0.9 yo) in Naples (Italy) participated in the study. To assess FMS, the Movement ABC-2 (MABC-2) was administered. A two-way ANOVA for repeated measures was used to compare data. The laboratory was effective in improving coordination in primary school children, with a significant reduction in medium/severe movement difficulties from 23.7% to 12.4%. The results showed significant changes in the execution time of several MABC-2 tests, indicating an improvement in FMS, particularly hand-eye coordination and dynamic balance. However, the intervention was less effective in preschool children, with a limited improvement of 2.9%, highlighting that the intervention only had an impact on some specific skills. Targeted interventions can be effective in improving FMS, providing a basis for educational programs that respond to movement needs of students.