The Effectiveness of a Proposed Motor Education Programme Based on Motor Storytelling for Enhancing Perceptual-Motor Abilities in Preschool Children Aged 5–6 Years: An Experimental Study

Background and Objective: Early childhood represents a critical developmental period marked by rapid physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional growth.Motor education is widely acknowledged as a cornerstone of preschool pedagogy, fostering neuromuscular integration, sensory coordination, and school readiness.Within this framework, motor storytelling has emerged as a pedagogical innovation, combining narrative, imagination, and physical movement to stimulate holistic child development.This study investigated the effectiveness of a proposed motor education programme based on motor storytelling in enhancing perceptual-motor abilities among preschool children aged 5-6 years.Methods: A quasi-experimental design was adopted with 50 preschool children randomly divided into two groups: an experimental group (n = 25) and a control group (n = 25).The experimental group participated in a structured motor storytelling programme comprising 12 sessions over one academic semester, while the control group continued with the regular preschool programme.A validated perceptual-motor scale measuring six developmental dimensions was applied at both pre-test and post-test phases.Statistical analysis was conducted to evaluate intra-group and inter-group differences.Results: Findings revealed no statistically significant differences between pre-and post-test measures for the control group.In contrast, the experimental group exhibited significant improvements in perceptual-motor abilities across all measured dimensions.Furthermore, post-test comparisons between groups demonstrated significant differences in favor of the experimental group.Conclusion: The proposed motor education programme based on storytelling proved to be effective in developing perceptual-motor abilities in preschool children, highlighting its pedagogical potential as an integrated tool for early childhood education.The study underscores the importance of movement-based storytelling in preparing children for future cognitive and academic challenges.