Fundamental movement skills among children participating in community sport programs in a northern Canadian city: implications for equitable access and physical literacy development

Fundamental movement skills (FMS) are an important component of physical literacy and are associated with children’s physical activity participation and longer-term health. However, many children demonstrate suboptimal motor competence, and opportunities for FMS development may vary across geographic and community contexts. Evidence on FMS in northern and small-city Canadian settings remains limited, particularly among children participating in community-based sport programmes. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 166 children aged 6–12 years (66.9% boys; mean age = 8.3 ± 1.7 years) enrolled in community-based sport programmes in a northern Canadian city. FMS (run, hop, throw, kick, and balance) were directly assessed using PLAYbasic. Children completed the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C), while parents/guardians provided proxy-reported information on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, outdoor play, commute mode, parental education, and coached sport participation. Multivariable linear regression models examined factors associated with total FMS scores and kicking performance. Most children were classified in the “emerging” (70.3%) or “initial” (29.7%) FMS competence categories according to PLAYbasic scoring criteria. None were classified as competent or proficient. In the primary adjusted model, older age and participation in coached sport were independently associated with higher total FMS scores, and the model explained 47.8% of the variance (R² = 0.478; adjusted R² = 0.454). A significant age × gender interaction for kicking indicated that the estimated gender-related difference in kicking was greater at older ages. Although child-reported physical activity and parent/guardian proxy-reported MVPA were associated with FMS in bivariate analyses, neither was statistically significant in the primary adjusted model. Among children participating in community-based sport programmes, FMS competence was predominantly classified as emerging or initial. Older age and participation in coached sport were independently associated with higher FMS scores, with coached sport representing an important potentially modifiable correlate. These findings highlight the potential value of structured, developmentally appropriate opportunities for instruction and skill practice. Longitudinal and intervention studies are needed to clarify causal relationships and identify strategies to support FMS, motor competence, and broader physical literacy development in northern and small-city context.