Adapted Sports-Based Games With Cooperative and Competitive Approaches on Social and Motor Skills in Early Primary School Students

Play is crucial in acquiring and enhancing life skills (e.g., teamwork, collaboration, leadership, decision-making, responsibility, commitment, empathy). During childhood and adolescence, free play is essential for comprehensive development. As individuals mature, play evolves, gaining purpose and direction. Motor games include activities that promote large and small movements, balance, coordination, and strength, while sensory play stimulates the senses. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of play, applied through adapted sports (AS), with a focus on cooperative (CE) and competitive (CPE) approaches in strengthening the social (SS) and motor skills (MS) of primary school children in the first cycle of primary school (7.61 ± 0.33 years). This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a descriptive scope. An 8-session program was implemented, during which motor and sensory games based on AS were developed for elementary school students. The interventions were distributed into two groups: one that received a CE and another that received a CPE. The TGMD-2 test was used to assess motor skills, and the Social Interaction Skills Questionnaire (CHIS) was utilized. The CE group was more effective than the CPE group in motor skills (Δ = 11.48 in favor of CE over CPE) and social skills (Δ = 11.15 in favor of CE over CPE). Students who participated in cooperative approach group demonstrated an improvement in motor skills (pre = 15.04 ± 4.46; post = 19.88 ± 3.64; p=<0.001; Δ = 39.21) and social skills (pre = 231.44 ± 35.69; post = 252.84 ± 27.73; p=<0.001; Δ = 10.13), whereas the competitive approach group showed improvement only in motor skills (pre = 14.08 ± 3.99; post = 17.28 ± 3.42; p=<0.001; Δ = 27.73). The implementation of an AS program showed differentiated effects depending on the applied approach. CE activities favored the development of SS and MS, while CPE activities improved motor skills in students. This suggests the importance of combining both approaches to promote holistic development in students.