Effects of the Animal Fun Program on Motor Performance in Brazilian Children: A Control Trial

BackgroundEarly childhood motor interventions are essential for supporting child development, yet evidence is scarce in developing countries. This study aimed to assess the effects of the Brazilian version of the Animal Fun Program on motor performance in children aged 4 to 6 years.MethodIn this non-randomized controlled clinical trial, 100 children were assigned according to school enrollment, without random allocation, to an intervention group (<i>n</i> = 51, 26 girls) or a control group (<i>n</i> = 49, 23 girls). The intervention group participated in the Animal Fun Program for 10 weeks, while the control group followed the regular school curriculum. Motor performance was assessed pre- and post-intervention using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children - Second Edition (MABC-2).ResultsAfter 10 weeks, the intervention group showed significant improvements compared to the control group in manual dexterity (mean difference = -2.20; <i>p</i> < 0.001), aiming and catching (mean difference = -2.45; <i>p</i> < 0.001), and balance (mean difference = -2.53; <i>p</i> < 0.001).ConclusionThe Animal Fun Program is an effective intervention for improving motor performance in Brazilian children aged 4 to 6 years, highlighting its relevance as a scalable, low-cost strategy for promoting motor development in developing countries, where structured movement opportunities in schools remain limited.