Acquisition of aquatic motor skills in children 3 to 11 years

Abstract

There is some controversy about the acquisition of aquatic motor skills in children. This leads to the need to specify the appropriate age to begin learning. The aim of the study was to evaluate the acquisition of aquatic motor skills of propulsion, breathing and floating in children depending on age. 337 children aged between 3 and 11 years were evaluated through a test designed ad hoc. Innovation is presented in the acquisition of aquatic motor skills depending on age. Most of the variables showed a significant association with age. Only “Vertical static flotation” (p=0,06), “Ventral propulsion with alternate arms” (p=0,23), “Ventral propulsion with alternate legs” (p=0,71), “Ventral propulsion with alternate arms and legs” (p=0,07) and “Dorsal propulsion with alternate legs” (p=0,08) variables did not show an association with age. The results indicate the need to follow a proportional evolution in teaching methodology based on age, with particular interest in propulsion skills, which require a simultaneous coordinative component. In conclusion, the acquisition of aquatic motor skills in children 3 to 11 years is a driving evolution according to age