Construction of Gross Motor Development Test and Evaluation for Kindergarten Students of Guangzhou, China

Background and Aims: Kindergarten student development is crucial as it lays the foundation for lifelong learning and social skills. Proper nurturing in cognitive, emotional, and physical aspects helps children adapt, grow, and succeed in future academic and personal endeavors. This research aims to develop and validate a comprehensive evaluation scale that accurately assesses kindergarten students' gross motor skills, including stability, locomotion, and object control. Materials and Methods: A mixed-methods approach was employed, integrating both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. The Delphi method and expert focus groups were used to refine evaluation indicators. The study population comprised 21 experts in early childhood education, including 7 university administrators, 7 professionals, and 7 practical instructors, each with over 10 years of experience. A purposive sample of 19 experts participated in the final expert validation process. For field testing, a random sample of 342 kindergarten students from eight kindergartens across 11 districts in Guangzhou City was assessed. The quantitative analysis was conducted using SPSS 23.0, SUPSSAU, and Excel, ensuring statistical reliability and validity. The qualitative analysis included a thematic analysis of expert interviews and focus group discussions, providing contextual insights into the evaluation framework’s applicability. Results: The findings led to the development of a preliminary evaluation scale for assessing kindergarten students' basic motor skills. The scale comprises three dimensions and 15 test actions, with systematically assigned index weights. It demonstrates appropriate levels of difficulty, strong discriminatory power, and robust reliability and validity. A comprehensive evaluation reference standard was established, revealing no significant gender differences. Additionally, the scale enables both situational and individual diagnostics, providing a nuanced understanding of children's motor skills development. Conclusion: This study contributes to the advancement of motor skills assessment in early childhood education by establishing a scientifically validated testing tool and evaluation framework for Chinese preschoolers. These findings enrich the theoretical foundation of motor development research and offer practical implications for educators and policymakers.