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Abstract

Background/Objectives: Motor creativity and physical activity are essential to early childhood development, impacting physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional development. This study investigates the relationships among motor creativity, motor working memory (MSTM), screen time, and physical activity (PA) in kindergarten children, focusing on the mediating roles of cognitive functions and screen time. Methods: Data were collected from 124 Arab Israeli kindergarten children through assessments of Thinking Creatively in Action and Movement (TCAM) for motor creativity and the Hand Movement Test for MSTM. Parents reported the children’s screen time and days engaged in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Results: The results show significant positive associations between motor creativity and both MSTM and PA, underscoring the role of cognitive processes in creative motor expression. Linear regression and mediation analyses showed that MSTM significantly mediates the relationship between PA and motor creativity. Conversely, screen time negatively correlates with PA and motor creativity, serving as a significant mediator that restricts opportunities for physical and creative activities. Conclusions: This study emphasizes the bidirectional relationship between PA and motor creativity, wherein diverse physical activities stimulate creativity, and creative movements encourage active participation. The combined mediating effects of MSTM and screen time highlight the complexity of these relationships, suggesting the need for integrated interventions. The findings inform early childhood education by advocating for strategies that promote physical activity, enhance cognitive functions, and limit excessive screen time, fostering holistic development in young children.

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Title
The Impact of Physical Activity and Screen Time on Motor Creativity in Kindergarteners
Author
Ghanamah, Rafat 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 Special Education Department Sakhnin College for Teacher Education, Sakhnin 3081000, Israel; [email protected]; Institut für Mathematische Bildung, University of Education Freiburg, Kunzenweg 21, 79117 Freiburg, Germany 
Publication title
Children; Basel
Volume
12
Issue
2
First page
116
Publication year
2025
Publication date
2025
Publisher
MDPI AG
Place of publication
Basel
Country of publication
Switzerland
Publication subject
e-ISSN
22279067
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
Document type
Journal Article
Publication history
 
 
Online publication date
2025-01-22
Milestone dates
2024-11-30 (Received); 2025-01-08 (Accepted)
Publication history
 
 
   First posting date
22 Jan 2025
ProQuest document ID
3170869325
Document URL
https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/impact-physical-activity-screen-time-on-motor/docview/3170869325/se-2?accountid=208611
Copyright
© 2025 by the author. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.
Last updated
2025-06-10
Database
2 databases
  • Coronavirus Research Database
  • ProQuest One Academic