Early Childhood Educ J (2011) 39:323333
DOI 10.1007/s10643-011-0473-x
Preschool Movement Education in Turkey: Perceptions
of Preschool Administrators and Parents
Serap Sevimli-Celik Sadettin Kirazci
Mustafa Levent Ince
Published online: 28 June 2011
Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011
Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the
perceptions of preschool administrators and parents about
preschool movement education and movement practices in
preschools. Participants were 8 preschool administrators
and 21 parents from 8 randomly selected private preschools
in one of the municipalities in Ankara, Turkey. Semi-
structured interviews, field visits, and observations were
conducted, and written documents were collected. The
findings indicate that preschool administrators and parents
have limited content knowledge in movement education.
Movement education practices were not aligned with
physical-education goals for these schools. Childrens
participation in organized sport activities is valued more as
an extracurricular activity by administrators and parents.
Limited indoor/outdoor spaces for movement activities
seem to be among the limiting factors for movement edu-
cation practices. To conclude, there is an immediate need
to improve preschool administrators and parents knowl-
edge of movement education and to enhance preschool
facilities to ensure quality movement education.
Keywords Preschool
Movement education

Preschool administrators
Parents
This study was conducted in Cankaya, Ankara, Turkey.
S. Sevimli-Celik (&)
S. Kirazci
M. L. Ince
Physical Education and Sports, Middle East Technical
University, ODTU Beden Egitimi Bolumu Egitim Fakultesi 404,
06531 Ankara, Turkey
e-mail: serapsevimli@gmail.com
S. Kirazci
e-mail: skirazci@metu.edu.tr
M. L. Ince
e-mail: mince@metu.edu.tr
Introduction
The preschool years support young childrens development
in cognitive, social-emotional, and physical domains.
According to Gabbard (2000), these early years have been
recognized as the critical time in which building blocks for
all future development are shaped. Thus, it is necessary to
support childrens development in all domains (National
Association for the Education of Young Children 2009).
However, the physical development of young children is
usually ignored when it comes time to develop preschool
curriculum (Ignico 1994; Stork and Sanders 2008).
Children are born to be physically active and naturally are
ready to discover different ways of moving. Movement edu-
cation is most successful when it taps into this natural aptitude,
so movement activities that are success-oriented, child-cen-
tered, and non-competitive are the best support for physi-
cal development (Pica 2004; Valentini and Rudisill 2004;
Robinson and Goodway 2009). These activities for teaching in
preschool are usually referred to as movement education.
Preschool is the ideal time to work on the development of
fundamental movement skills (FMS). FMS are locomotor
(e.g., walking, running, jumping), non-locomotor (e.g.,
turning, twisting) and manipulative (e.g., throwing, catch-
ing, dribbling)all of which are skills basic to the physical
domain. These skills must be mastered before learning more
complex and specialized sport skills, which involve the
combinations of fundamental movement skills in games,
sport, and dance activities (Gallahue and Ozmun 1998; Clark
and Metcalfe 2002; Robinson and Goodway 2009; Haywood
and Getchell 2009; Goodway et al. 2009; Robinson 2011).
Research evidence has also indicated that movement
education can help children in several different ways, all of
which increase the exigency of preschool movement edu-
cation. First, as noted above, it helps develop balanced
123
324
fundamental movement abilities (Zachopoulou et al. 2006;
Stodden et al. 2008; Dowda et al. 2009). Second, move-
ment education is linked to better academic performance
(Mahar et al. 2006; Sattelmair and Ratey 2009). Third,
movement education supports self-concept, self-discipline,
psychological well-being, moral judgment, and problem
solving (Theodorakou and Zervas 2003; Harrison and
Naraya 2003; Ekeland et al. 2005; Trost et al. 2008).
In addition, mastery of movement skills at an early age
increases the possibility of childrens future physical
activity participation as they grow up (Stodden et al. 2008;
Haga 2008; Robinson and Goodway 2009). The positive
link between mastery of movement skills and physical
activity participation level is also helpful in fighting obesity,
which has become the number-one health-promotion pri-
ority of many nations (Center for Disease Control 2009;
Turkish National Burden of Disease 2004).
Moreover, beyond adding movement education to the
preschool curriculum, educators should consider altering
school environments, when possible, for the sake of
movement education. It is essential to arrange environments
so that children are encouraged to be physically active and
are challenged to discover different ways of moving. Recent
research indicates preschool as a great potential venue for
physical activity promotion. According to Dowda et al.
(2009), children spent fewer minutes per hour in sedentary
activity and more minutes per hour in moderate/vigorous
physical activity in preschools that had higher quality
scores, less fixed playground equipment, more portable
playground equipment, lower use of electronic media, and
larger playgrounds. These findings are supported by other
studies that report that children in centers with supportive
environments achieved more moderate-to-vigorous physi-
cal activity, spent less time in sedentary activities, and had
higher mean physical activity levels compared to centres
with less supportive environments (Bower et al. 2008).
In addition to the positive effects of supportive envi-
ronments on childrens physical activity levels, recent
research has also demonstrated the influence of school
administrators and parents perceptions. Temple and
Naylor (2010) surveyed childcare providers perceptions
about physical activity. Participants in the study reported
their physical activity levels as moderate or high. They
found a positive relationship between the total minutes of
physical activity provided for children and care providers
physical activity levels. This finding is consistent with
previous research (Brady et al. 2008), which has demon-
strated the value given to physical activities by parents and
practitioners. Both groups of participants mentioned
physical benefits and childrens enjoyment during partici-
pation of these activities.
As indicated in the literature, several factors affect
physical activity levels among children. Rodriguez (2005)
123
Early Childhood Educ J (2011) 39:323333
grouped the factors that influence the quality of movement
education in preschool under three main categories: atti-
tudes of teachers toward movement education; role of the
administrators, parents, and preschool curriculum; and
teachers perceived behavioral control, confidence about
teaching movement, and possession or lack of knowledge.
According to Rodriguez, within these categories, the
influence of administrators and parents had a direct impact
on the preschool teachers educational practices. Admin-
istrators and parents attitudes and beliefs have a signifi-
cant impact on the opportunities provided for children to
participate in physical activity.
School administrators perceptions of the value of
movement education can influence their support for their
teachers. Marvin et al. (2003) reported that teacher percep-
tion of positive administrative support had an influential
effect on the quality of early childhood education (ECE).
Similarly, parents perceptions provide an accountability
system over the students, school administrators, and teach-
ers, and thereby influence the school policies and practices
(Pellegrini and Smith 1998; Deborah 2006). Accordingly,
school administrators and parents perceptions of move-
ment education should not be neglected in educational
evaluation studies. Studies of elementary school adminis-
trators and parents perceptions have revealed that move-
ment activities were ranked low with respect to other
core subjects such as science, mathematics, and language
(Deborah 2006). Math, science, language, and social studies
are main foci for schools; therefore, administrators give their
priority to reach the aims forced by testing in these areas
(Bennett 2002). Lack of physical development in preschools
may reflect similar beliefs and practices.
Although studies of how school administrators and
parents view movement education have been conducted in
a number of countries, none have been on the Turkish
preschool educational context, which is what the present
study aimed to analyze. In Turkey, ECE is optional and
includes the education of children up to 7 years of age.
Efforts have commenced to make ECE widespread
throughout Turkey. However, more emphasis is given to
the cognitive and social-emotional domains as in the other
parts of the world. Similarly, to date, most of the studies on
preschool education in Turkey have investigated cognitive
and social development. Only a very limited number of
studies have examined physical development.
Turkey, as a developing country and European Union
membership candidate, with a population over 70 million
people, has recently experienced educational reform at
every level. Educational priority given to ECE has been
increasing and civil society institutions actively support
this reform process (Mother Child Education Program
2006). Studying the administrators and parents percep-
tions on preschool movement education within Turkish
Early Childhood Educ J (2011) 39:323333
context is critical for enlightening and re-shaping the cur-
ricula for better education of preschoolers. It could also
provide important knowledge to preschool movement-
education stakeholders in other countries seeking to make
cross-cultural comparisons.
Therefore, our specific research questions are: (1) what
are the school administrators perceptions concerning pre-
school movement education? (2) what are the parents
perceptions concerning preschool movement education?
and (3) what are the movement education practices for
young children in preschools?
Method
A qualitative research design was chosen to conduct the
study. Data generation relied on semi-structured inter-
views, written document analysis, and researcher field
notes during site visits.
Setting and Sampling
The study setting was Cankaya, a major district of Ankara
with a population of 769,000 people. This district had 6
public and 45 private preschools at the study date. After
listing all private schools in the district, 8 of the 45 private
preschools were selected randomly and the administrators
of these schools were invited to join the study. All 8 pre-
schools agreed to participate. From each school, 3 children
and their parents were randomly selected and invited to
participate in the study via a letter indicating the purpose
and procedures of the study. Twenty-four of the parents
(one of the parents of each child) agreed to be a participant
but later 3 of them withdrew from the study.
Preschools that participated in this study are all-day
private preschools, and they have more opportunity to
include extracurricular activities and movement education
than public schools. These private schools use an integra-
tive and spiral developmental program for 3672 months-
old children, prepared by the Turkish Ministry of National
Education (MONE). Within the program, there are objec-
tives and achievements that the child has to achieve
throughout the school year. Child-centeredness is the main
principle of the program. In the curriculum, activities are
listed with their explanations and teachers are asked to
enrich the educational environment by preparing develop-
mentally appropriate activities.
Researchers
The first author is an ECE specialist with a Masters degree
in Physical Education and Sports. The co-authors are
experts in the Physical Education and Sports field, and they
325
are specialists in motor learning and curriculum
development.
Participants
The majority of the school administrators and parents who
participated were women. Only one of the administrators
and two of the parents were male. Seven of the adminis-
trators and 19 of the parents were female. The mean ages of
the administrators and parents were 44.8 (SD = 11.5) and
33.8 (SD = 4.7) years, respectively. The administrators
held undergraduate degrees in psychology (n = 3), child
development (n = 3), and business management (n = 2).
Procedures
Prior to the study, approval from the local research ethics
committee was obtained. To obtain information from
administrators and parents, two sets of interview questions
were developed. After preparing the initial interview
questions, to ensure the content validity, the questions were
checked by three experts in early childhood education and
physical education. Then, the questions were tested in a
pilot study. The pilot study was performed with 4 preschool
administrators (mean age 50.2 5.7 years) and 12 parents
(mean age 34.1 4.3 years). According to the outcomes
of the pilot study, the initial interview questions were
re-evaluated and re-designed.
Interviews
All interviews were conducted by the first author. The
interview sessions were semi-structured, commencing with
a series of open-ended questions (see appendix) that were
designed to stimulate discussion about preschool move-
ment education. Questions were asked of school adminis-
trators and parents individually. Interview sessions lasted
between 30 and 60 min. All of the administrators and 11
of the parents interviews were conducted in an available
room at the preschools. Ten of the parents interviews were
conducted at their work places. All interviews were audio
recorded and transcribed completely.
The main interview topics for the preschool adminis-
trators included: (1) the role of movement education in
parents choice of preschools, (2) the perceived value of
movement activities and outcome expectations from pre-
school movement education, (3) the planned movement
and physical activities at preschools, and (4) their personal
physical activity background and perceived knowledge
level on movement education. The main interview topic
areas for the parents were: (1) the role of movement edu-
cation practices in their choice of a preschool for their
child, (2) the perceived value of movement activities
123
326
compared to other disciplines and outcome expectations
from preschool movement education, (3) the planned
movement and physical activity practices at preschools and
out of preschool by their children, and (4) their own per-
sonal physical activity background and perceived knowl-
edge level on movement education.
Written Documents and Field Notes
Written documents were collected to examine the role of
movement education in the preschool curriculum, the
planned movement activities, and the time devoted to those
activities. Preschool philosophy statements, as well as
yearly and weekly lesson plans, were obtained from the
administrators of each preschool. Each preschool was vis-
ited one or two times for field observations of the move-
ment activity facilities. In addition, field notes describing
the quality and quantity of facilities were taken.
Data Analysis
Data analysis involved an initial general review of all
information. Then, each transcript, any field notes written
during or soon after the interviews and field visits, any
reflective notes, and memos produced about the data were
evaluated. Next, data were reduced via meaning conden-
sation of longer passages and de-contextualized via cate-
gorization through the development of cluster codes that
were used to sort the data. Finally, the data were inter-
pretively re-contextualized into emergent themes as sug-
gested by Patton (1990) and Denzin and Lincoln (1994). To
ensure authenticity of the coding, all interviews were coded
by the lead author and the two other researchers who had
experience in qualitative research. All the coders agreed
with one another on the coded themes.
Throughout the data-analysis process, triangulation was
used by comparing the administrators answers with the
parents answers and both with the school curriculum
content. Member checking with 15 participants was
employed to ensure the internal validity. Administrators and
parents were given a copy of their transcribed interview and
asked to comment, edit, and extend it if necessary.
Results
Preschool Administrator Responses
To find out the importance of movement education activ-
ities for parents choice of preschool, preschool adminis-
trators were asked about the factors influencing preschool
choice. The analysis of administrators responses revealed
123
Early Childhood Educ J (2011) 39:323333
such themes as educational content of the preschool (75%;
n = 6), transparency (62%; n = 5), collaboration of pre-
school staff (19%; n = 4), and educational reputation of
the preschool (24%; n = 5). Within the educational content
of the preschool theme, administrators drew attention to the
application of project-based curriculum in their preschools.
One of them stated:
Parents who know what the project-based curriculum
is and its benefits on children choose our preschool.
We give children freedom to choose their own
interests, which makes their learning enjoyable.
The second main interview topic area was about pre-
school administrators perceived value of movement
activities and outcome expectations from movement edu-
cation. Different from parents responses, administrators
generally mentioned the benefits of those activities in terms
of supporting childrens cognition. Some excerpts from the
verbatim comments follow:
Preschool years are important for brain development
of children. Therefore, as educators we are respon-
sible to support this area as young as they are. In our
preschool we use movement as a vehicle for learning.
Through movement activities, we are teaching math
to our students. They can jump and count at the same
time.
Some of our parents want us to focus on their chil-
drens cognitive development only. They dont give
any value to the activities other than math and science.
As a school, we also believe the importance of play,
movement, dance, and music. Therefore, we are using
these activities to promote cognitive development.
Swimming is great way to teach kids numbers and we
are using it while we are practicing leg strokes at the
pool. We are counting and stroking at the same time
and ask them how many they counted.
In relation to being asked about the perceived value of
movement activities, preschool administrators were asked
to rank the study subjects in order according to their
importance (1 is very important and 9 is not important).
Five (62%) administrators ranked movement activities at
higher levels (1 and 2), because they saw those activities as
facilitators for cognitive development. Three (14%)
administrators rated the movement activities at lower levels
(6 and 7) and gave their first priorities to language, math,
and science lessons. As with some of the parents, admin-
istrators had the idea that movement occurs naturally,
whereas subjects like math are not naturally learned and
need teacher instruction. One of their excerpts clearly
stressed the importance of teaching math and Turkish:
Early Childhood Educ J (2011) 39:323333
For me, the most important subjects to teach are math
and Turkish. Sports are also necessary for health but
first math and Turkish. If you want to establish a
strong educational background for your children, you
should start from very early ages.
Administrators were also asked to describe what
movement education means. Locomotor skills (n = 15,
each administrator nominated to say more than one
description) were the common answers given by all
administrators. Unlike parents, administrators generally
focused on defining movement education in terms of such
fundamental skills as running, jumping, climbing, crawl-
ing, and hopping. They also described it as dance (25%;
n = 2), taekwondo (12%; n = 1) and yoga (12%; n = 1).
The third main interview topic area aimed to understand
the planned movement activities and the time devoted to
those activities in preschools. Therefore, administrators
were first asked what kinds of movement activities they
offer to encourage children to engage in physical activities.
They provided a wide variety of specialized movement
activities such as rhythmic gymnastics (62%; n = 5), ballet
(62%; n = 5), horse riding (50%; n = 4), yoga (50%;
n = 4), swimming (37%; n = 3), tennis (12%; n = 1), and
ice-skating (12%; n = 1). Time allocated to these activities
was specified as between 30 and 60 min. Some of the
administrators explained their reasons for offering such
activities as:
Some of our parents want to send their children to
ballet or yoga lessons, and they all have different
demands. As a school we offer them lots of activities
so they can choose whatever they want.
We offer yoga and gymnastics lessons and we do not
take extra money for these lessons. Also, we have
30-min gymnastics lessons and free play activities
every day.
Administrators also indicated running (37%; n = 3),
jumping (25%; n = 2) and catching (12%; n = 1) as
activities implemented in their schools. However, they
could not give a specific time devoted to those activities.
To cross-check the administrators responses, the
researcher looked into the schools yearly and weekly
curricula to search the hours devoted to the fundamental
movement activities. It was found that there was not spe-
cific time dedicated to these activities, and most of the
activities were defined as free play. It was also found in
their curricula that activities which served as movement did
not encourage participation by all children (i.e., only a few
children were active at any given time and the rest simply
watched). The activities were also elimination- and com-
petition-based in their nature.
327
Administrators personal physical activity backgrounds
and perceived knowledge levels of movement education
was the fourth main interview area. Four (50%) of the
preschool administrators were exercising regularly. They
reported participation in swimming, walking, and yoga.
The other four (50%) were not participating regularly in
any such activity. In relation to their knowledge, six of the
administrators rated their current knowledge level as
enough and two of them as minimal. Administrators
who rated their knowledge as enough commonly men-
tioned the impact of physical education classes in their
college education. Some of them stated that reading well-
known books about the subject and observing specialized
physical education teachers were also useful to get ideas
about movement education.
Lastly, administrators were asked about what they
would like to improve in their school settings for better
movement education practices. Having both indoor and
outdoor spaces (87%; n = 7) was the main theme that
emerged from the responses. Some of their excerpts clearly
stated:
I would like to have a large indoor space for move-
ment and free play. I would like to have a gymnastics
room or separate corners in the classes that are
always ready and can be used for movement activi-
ties. Otherwise it is really difficult to move from one
place to another to play.
Bigger indoor spaces! Id like to have rooms for
ballet, yoga, and tennis only. Id like to have variety
of mats, balls, pillows and mirrors for gymnastics
lesson. Id like to have them all in separate rooms so
while one group is practicing or performing ballet,
another group can play tennis.
We dont have an outdoor area to play. Children can-
not release their energy throughout the day. Therefore,
Id like to have a outdoor play area in my school.
Administrators (62%; n = 5) emphasized teaching
swimming to preschoolers, and most of them wanted to
have a swimming pool at their centers. One of the
administrators was complaining about not having gym-
nastics lessons every day and she wanted to increase the
time for gymnastics lessons. Having a theatre room,
handball field, and winter garden were the other demands
mentioned by the administrators. They would have liked to
offer different kinds of play materials (e.g., monkey bars,
see saws, sand and water, crawl tubes) in their playgrounds.
Although they had plenty of balls, bicycles, hula hoops,
ribbons, traffic cones, and ropes, administrators were
complaining about not being able to use them because of
storage problems. Preschools participating in this study
123
328 Early Childhood Educ J (2011) 39:323333

were located in duplex or triplex buildings that caused a I want my child to learn social rules like being
major space barrier. They did not have enough space for patient, kind, and respectful to othershe is a single
storing equipment in a fixed place, so the equipment was childphysical activities are the best way to do all
carried from one place to another, which further decreased this. It helps children to learn those rules.
the likelihood of using it. According to administrators,
I always see physical activity as influential on chil-
teachers feel overwhelmed by having to carry the equip-
drens life. It is important for cognitive and physical
ment during physical education activities, so they prefer
development, as well as for releasing the childs
not to use them.
energy.
Parent Responses It has an effect on the cognitive development.
They can learn math concepts through movement
The first main interview topic area in this study was to find activities.
out the priority parents assigned to movement education
In responding to the ranking of the school subjects (1 is
activities when making preschool choices. The analysis of
very important and 9 is not important), 14 parents gave
their responses revealed the following themes: recom-
movement activities higher rankings (9 parents ranked
mendation from other parents (43%; n = 9), competence
them as 1 and 5 parents as 2). Those parents reasons to
of the preschool staff (33%; n = 7), educational reputation
rank movement activities at higher levels stemmed from
of the preschool (28%; n = 6), physical condition of the
social-emotional, physical, and cognitive benefits, as
preschool (28%; n = 6), location or proximity of the pre-
mentioned before. On the other hand, parents who gave
school to home or workplace (19%; n = 4), and others
movement activities lower rankings (33%; n = 7) stated
(24%; n = 5). Parents commonly emphasized that their
that schools should have given their priority to subjects
choice of preschool was influenced by the opinion of others
such as math, science, and Turkish. One of the parents
who had experienced those preschools before. Their choice
explained her reason clearly:
of preschool was also influenced by the competence of the
school staff to cater to their childrens needs. Another They can always run and jump around the classroom
influence on parent choice of preschool was the educational or at home but they cannot learn math or science
reputation of the school. They expressed the sentiment that somewhere else other than school. Therefore, my
good education starts with selecting a sound school. priority will always be given to the subjects like math
Therefore, parents chose schools that had solid, respectable and science.
academic curricula. Within this theme, they also empha-
Parents were also asked to define what movement edu-
sized that the opportunity to take some art, music, gym-
cation is for preschool children. They mostly described it in
nastics, or computer lessons with a specialized teacher was
the context of locomotor skills (95%; n = 20), play (43%;
a significant factor when they were choosing a preschool.
n = 9), drama (33%; n = 7), and dance (24%; n = 5). In
Having enough space and resources, being nearby, trans-
other words, parents highlighted the activities like running,
parently run, clean, and secure were the other important
jumping, and hopping as a promotion for gross motor
factors for preschools in these parents choices.
development. Other parents also defined movement edu-
The second main interview topic area was about parents
cation as play. According to them, while children are
perceptions of the value of movement activities and out-
playing, they are moving around the class and this keeps
come expectations from preschool movement education.
them active. Since movement education involves creative
The following themes emerged from their responses:
bodily expressions and performances, parents also defined
physical and health benefits (90%; n = 19), social-emo-
it as drama and dance.
tional benefits (62%; n = 13), energy release (24%;
The third main topic area for parents was about the
n = 5), and cognitive benefits (10%; n = 2). They claimed
planned movement activity practices at preschools or out of
movement activities as important facilitators for develop-
preschool. Many parents were aware of what was hap-
ing flexibility of the body; learning colors, shapes, and
pening at their childs preschool in relation to the move-
numbers; participating in group activities; waiting in turns;
ment activities. Specialized movement activities (n = 34,
learning how to share; taking responsibility; and enhancing
each parent nominated more than one activity), physical
communication, self-expression, and personality skills.
education (33%; n = 7), dance (28%; n = 6), drama (24%;
Some of their excerpts are presented below:
n = 5) and locomotor activities (19%; n = 4) were the
Movement is very important for physical develop- main themes that emerged from their responses. Parents
ment. It helps them to improve their flexibility and commonly focused on the aspect of specialized movement
prevent childhood obesity. activities such as ballet (48%; n = 10), horse riding (28%;

123
Early Childhood Educ J (2011) 39:323333
n = 6), yoga (28%; n = 6), swimming (24%; n = 5),
gymnastics (14%; n = 3), taekwondo (14%; n = 3) and
ice-skating (5%; n = 1). Seven (33%) parents mentioned
physical education lessons that were planned for pre-
schoolers. When they were asked to explain what their
children were doing at their physical education lessons,
they were unsure about the content of the lessons but
explained that they knew of such lessons from the
descriptions of their children or from the notice pinned on
the notice board by the preschool.
Parents were also asked about the teacher who was
responsible for movement activities and the time devoted
those activities. All of the parents participated in this study
mentioned that there were specialized, part-time teachers,
responsible for each specialized lesson such as ballet,
swimming, tennis, taekwondo, yoga, modern dance, and
ice-skating. In regard to parents responses, those activities
were practiced from 30 min to 1 h once a week.
Parents personal physical-activity backgrounds and
perceived knowledge levels of movement education was
the fourth main interview area. Eleven (52%) of the
parents exercised regularly. Walking, swimming, general
fitness, running, cycling, skiing, and table tennis were the
preferred physical activities by parents. They were also
supportive of their childrens physical activity participa-
tion apart from school. Their children were taking horse
riding (24%; n = 5), swimming (19%; n = 4) and ballet
(10%; n = 2) lessons. Other parents (48%; n = 10)
reported sedentary lifestyles because of their busy
schedules.
Related to their perceived knowledge level of movement
education, 12 (57%) parents rated their current knowledge
and understanding as non-existent, 4 (19%) of them rated it
as minimal, and 5 (24%) of them rated it as adequate.
Parents who rated their knowledge as adequate made
statements such as:
I exercise regularly and know the importance of it for
me and my child as well. I am trying to read
resources about it, so I see myself knowledgeable
about the topic.
My knowledge is pretty good. I usually talk with my
sons swimming coach about his physical develop-
ment. He always explains his progress and guides us
what to do about his training.
At the end of the interview, parents were also asked if
they had any requests for their preschools relating to
movement-education practices. Eleven (52%) parents said
they would like to see more time (2 or 3 times a week)
devoted to specialized activitiesespecially swimming,
ballet, and horse riding. Ten (48%) parents stated their
concerns about schools not having enough space for
329
Table 1 Summary of the Findings
Perceptions of school administrators:
Movement education opportunities in the preschool have limited
influence on parents school choice
Movement education is not at the core of preschool curriculum
Movement education is important in supporting childrens
cognition and fundamental movement skills
Most administrators perceive their own movement education
content area knowledge level as good
Indoor and outdoor activity areas need improvement in their
preschool
Perceptions of parents:
Movement education opportunities in the preschool have limited
influence on their school choice
Movement education is fundamental to development of physical
and social-emotional characteristics, as well as health of
preschool children
Most of the parents are focusing on the sport-specific skill
development for their children
Most of the parents perceive their own movement education
content area knowledge level as poor
Movement education practices and opportunities in the preschool:
Indoor and outdoor activity areas are very limited, and school
infrastructures are not suitable for movement activities
Time allocated to movement education varies between 30 and
60 min per week, and mainly it consists of sport-specific
activities being taught by specialized teachers
movement activities. According to them, preschools
had limited spaces that were not safe enough to move or
play.
As a result, the study results show that movement edu-
cation opportunities in the preschool have limited influence
on parents school choice. Although movement education
has physical, cognitive, and social-emotional benefits, it is
not at the core of preschool curriculum. Time allocated to
movement education varies between 30 and 60 min per
week, and mainly it consists of sport-specific activities
being taught by specialized teachers. Table 1 shows the
summary of the findings.
Discussion
The findings of this study give voice to the perceptions of
two important stakeholderspreschool administrators and
parentsregarding preschool movement education. We
heard both groups with respect to the role of movement
education practices in preschool choice, the perceived
value of movement activities and outcome expectations,
the planned movement activities at preschools, and the
perceived knowledge level of movement education. Both
123
330
groups responses indicated that movement-education
practices did not have any effect on school choice. Instead,
educational reputation of the preschool, physical condi-
tions, curriculum content, proximity, and transparency
were the influential factors when selecting a preschool.
Moreover, the impact of significant others outside the
family had an influence on preschool choice which was
similar with the findings of Nobles (2007) study.
Parents and preschool administrators spoke about the
value given to movement-education activities. A majority
of the parents felt that participation in those activities
would support their childrens physical, social-emotional,
and cognitive development. The result of a study con-
ducted by Nonis (2005) hinted at similar inferences, as
parents were found to be keen on their childrens sport
participation to promote fit, active, and healthy lifestyles.
Development of childrens self-esteem, confidence, and
self-discipline were some additional outcomes of move-
ment education found in both this and Noniss (2005)
study. However, preschool administrators who partici-
pated in this study generally focused on the aspect of
cognitive benefits of movement education activities,
because of the concerns about academic pressure. They
also ranked math, science and Turkish higher in com-
parison to other areas such as art, music, and move-
ment. This finding was consistent with previous research
(Pellegrini and Smith 1998; Deborah 2006) suggesting
that school administrators are positively predisposed
toward math and science and not focusing on movement,
music or arts.
Preschools that participated in this study had a tendency
to include organized sports rather than focusing on the
development of basic fundamental movement skills. Obeng
(2010) stated that organized sports with significant physical
demands are inappropriate for preschoolers and recom-
mended supporting fundamental movement skills that are
not naturally developed but require instruction to be
learned during the early years. According to Active Start
Guidelines developed by the National Association for Sport
and Physical Education (2009), 60 min of structured
movement activities for preschoolers in a day are needed
for refinement of fundamental movement skills. Pre-
schoolers also need another 60 min of unstructured play to
be able to practice their physical skills. However, docu-
ment analysis and field notes indicated that the preschools
that participated in this study did not allocate enough time
for fundamental movement skills. Instead, they reserved
most of their time for math, science, language, and orga-
nized sport skills.
With respect to their perceived knowledge level of
movement education, a majority of the parents rated their
knowledge as non-existent. On the other side, most of the
123
Early Childhood Educ J (2011) 39:323333
administrators felt their knowledge was adequate and
confident about teaching those activities. Consistent with
this finding, two recent studies by Obeng (2010) and
Temple and Naylor (2010) also found that care providers
confidence in their ability to promote physical activities
was defined as one of the predisposing factors for
movement activities. However, that one has enough
knowledge or confidence on the topic does not imply that
one can offer quality preschool movement activities. The
content of the knowledge is crucial, as both groups of
participants in this study did not realize the importance
and necessity of fundamental movement skills in the early
years. Regular opportunities for professional development,
specifically regarding fundamental movement skills,
would be beneficial for both groups of participants,
especially for school administrators. Preschools that par-
ticipated in this study offered a variety of organized
sport activities, but the quality and benefits for the chil-
dren of such activities should be evaluated in terms of
developmental appropriateness. Workshops, seminars, or
trainings might provide a well-balanced approach between
theories and practice that could help preschools to both
understand and implement movement activities in class-
room settings.
Furthermore, field notes and participants responses
indicate that the preschools that participated in this study
do not have enough indoor/outdoor spaces and suitable
infrastructure for movement activities. Similar findings
were found in Cashmore and Jones (2008) study, in which
school staff were interviewed through focus groups. The
participants were reluctant to implement movement activ-
ities in their preschools, especially during the outdoor time.
However, they mentioned inadequate outdoor space as a
barrier to implementing movement activities. To effec-
tively address preschoolers fundamental movement skills,
it is necessary to have enough time and space to allow them
to be physically active. Therefore, there is an immediate
need to improve the preschool physical facilities to ensure
quality movement education.
In addition to the content knowledge and space, another
influential factor on childrens levels of physical activity is
whether they have adults as role models. Other studies
found parental influence on childrens physical activity.
According to Zecevic et al. (2010), children who received
greater parental support for physical activity were 6 times
more likely to be active. Similarly, school staff play a
significant role in encouraging children to go outside and
engage in physically active play (Brady et al. 2008; Huang
et al. 2010). Therefore, parents and school administrators
should be encouraged to serve as positive role models by
actively participating in school and community sport
activities.
Early Childhood Educ J (2011) 39:323333
This study is a broad look at the perceptions of school
administrators and parents about preschool movement
education. Future research may focus on the views of
classroom teachers and specialized physical-education
teachers as well. Moreover, the only preschools that par-
ticipated in this study were private preschools, so further
research might focus on public preschools to see the dif-
ferences and similarities in movement-education practices
in both settings. Lastly, re-application of this study with a
wider sample should also be considered.
To conclude, the preschools that participated in this
study provide a variety of physical activity opportunities,
but the quality and benefits of such activities for the chil-
dren should be investigated in terms of developmental
appropriateness. Most of the practices aimed to support
childrens physical development were sport-specific skills
such as ballet, swimming, horseback riding, ice-skating,
and tennis. It would be beneficial to inform parents and
Table 2 Interview questions for school administrators and parents
School administrators
What are the factors that influence parents in choosing your
school?
Please order the following subjects according to importance
in preschoolers education. (A school subject list given.)
Why did you rate movement education at this order?
Write five words or phrases that describe physical activity
for preschoolers.
What do you think about the role of movement education
in preschoolers education?
How do you rate your movement education content area
knowledge level? (Poor, fair, good, very good, excellent)
Why?
What type of movement education activities are offered
to the students in your school and why?
Who is planning the movement education practices in your
school?
What is the weekly length of time devoted to movement
education in your school?
Which of the following movement education equipments
are present in your school? (A list is given.)
If you have a chance to improve the movement education
setting in your school, what would be your priorities?
Do you participate in regular physical activity? If yes, what
type of activities?
331
school administrators about the importance of movement
education in terms of the development of basic funda-
mental movement skills. Moreover, preschool children
should accumulate at least 60 min daily of structured
movement activities and 60 min of unstructured movement
activities. They should be active as much as possible, so
schools should arrange their movement-activity opportu-
nities to achieve this goal. Finally, preschool children need
enough space and equipment to practice their movement
skills. Therefore, the schools that participated in this study
need improvement in their indoor and outdoor spaces to
allow and encourage movement-skill acquisition in a
playful, enjoyable, and safe manner.
Appendix
See Table 2.
Parents
Why did you prefer this preschool for your children?
Please order the following preschool subjects according to their
importance. (A school subject list given.)
Why did you rate movement activities at this order?
Write five words or phrases that describe physical activity
for your child.
What do you think about the role of movement education
for your child?
As a result of preschool movement education, what
competencies/skills do you expect to see in your child?
What do you know about physical activity (movement
education) practices in your childs school?
How do you rate your current level of knowledge and
understanding about physical activity for preschoolers?
(Poor, fair, good, very good, excellent)
How many hours does your child spend in movement activities
weekly in school?
Does your child participate in physical activities out of school?
If yes, what type of activities?
As a parent, do you have any requests for the school in terms
of your childs physical development?
Do you participate in regular physical activity? If yes, what
type of activities?
123
332
References
Bennett, A. (2002). Critical issue: Guiding principlesaddressing
accountability challenges. Oak Brook, IL: North Central
Regional Educational Laboratory.
Bower, J. K., Hales, D. P., Tate, D. F., Rubin, D. A., Benjamin, S. E.,
& Ward, D. S. (2008). The childcare environment and childrens
physical activity. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 34,
2329.
Brady, L., Gibb, J., Henshall, A., & Lewis, J. (2008). Play and
exercise in early years: Physically active play in early
childhood provision. London: Department for Culture, Media,
and Sport.
Cashmore, A., & Jones, S. (2008). Growing up active: A study into
physical activity in long day care centres. Journal of Research in
Childhood Education, 23, 179.
Center for Disease Control. (2009). Obesity prevalence among low-
income, preschool-aged childrenUnited States. Morbidity and
Mortality Weekly Report, 58, 769773.
Clark, J. E., & Metcalfe, J. S. (2002). The mountain of motor
development: A metaphor. Motor Development: Research and
Review, 2, 6295.
Deborah, S. (2006). Parents perceptions of their childs 5th grade
physical education program. Physical Educator, 63, 3037.
Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (1994). Handbook of qualitative
research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Dowda, M., Brown, W. H., McIver, K. L., Pfeiffer, K. A., ONeill,
J. R., Addy, C. L., et al. (2009). Policies and characteristics of
the preschool environment and physical activity of young
children. Paediatrics, 123, 261266.
Ekeland, E., Heian, F., & Hagen, K. B. (2005). Can exercise improve
self-esteem in children and young people? Journal of Sports
Medicine, 39, 792798.
Gabbard, C. (2000). Lifelong motor development. Champaign, IL:
Human Kinetics.
Gallahue, D., & Ozmun, J. (1998). Understanding motor develop-
ment: Infants, children, adolescents, and adults. New York, NY:
McGraw-Hill.
Goodway, J. D., Wall, S., & Getchell, N. (2009). Promoting an active
start for young children: Developing competent and confident
early movers. Strategies, 23, 3032.
Haga, M. (2008). The relationship between physical fitness and motor
competence in children. Child: Care, Health and Development,
34, 329334.
Harrison, P., & Naraya, G. (2003). Differences in behaviour,
psychological factors, and environmental factors associated with
participation in school sports and other activities in adolescence.
Journal of School Health, 73, 113120.
Haywood, K. M., & Getchell, N. (2009). Life span motor develop-
ment. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Huang, J. S., Sallis, J., & Patrick, K. (2010). The role of primary care
in promoting childrens physical activity. Journal of Sports
Medicine, 43, 1921.
Ignico, A. (1994). Early childhood physical education: Providing the
foundation. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and
Dance, 65, 2830.
Mahar, M. T., Murphy, S. K., Rowe, D. A., Golden, J., Shields, A. T.,
& Raedeke, T. D. (2006). Effects of a classroom-based program
on physical activity and on-task behavior. Medicine and Science
in Sports and Exercise, 38, 20862094.
Marvin, C., LaCost, B., Grady, M., & Mooney, P. (2003). Admin-
istrative support and challenges in Nebraska public school early
childhood programs: Preliminary study. Topics in Early Child-
hood Special Education, 23, 217228.
123
Early Childhood Educ J (2011) 39:323333
Mother Child Education Program. (2006). 7 cok gec! Erken cocukluk
egitiminin onemi uzerine dus unceler ve oneriler. Retrieved from
http://www.acev.org/arastirma/arastirmalar.asp.
National Association for Sport and Physical Education. (2009). Active
start: A statement of physical activity guidelines for children
from birth to five years. Sewickley, PA: AAHPERD Publications
Center.
National Association for the Education of Young Children. (2009).
Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood pro-
grams serving children from birth through age 8. Retrieved from
http://www.naeyc.org/DAP.
Noble, K. (2007). Parents choice of early childhood education
and care services. Australian Journal of Early Childhood, 32,
5157.
Nonis, P. K. (2005). Kindergarten teachers views about the
importance of preschoolers participation in sports in Singapore.
Early Child Development and Care, 175, 719742.
Obeng, C. S. (2010). Physical activity lessons in preschools. Journal
of Research in Childhood Education, 24, 5059.
Patton, Q. M. (1990). Qualitative evaluation and research methods.
London: Sage.
Pellegrini, A. D., & Smith, P. K. (1998). Physical activity play: The
nature and function of a neglected aspect of play. Child
Development, 69, 577598.
Pica, R. (2004). Experiences in movement: Birth to age eight. Clifton
Park, NY: Thomson/Delmar Learning.
Robinson, L. E. (2011). The relationship between perceived physical
competence and fundamental motor skills in preschool children.
Child: Care, Health and Development, 37 doi: 10.1111/j.1365-
2214.2010.01187.
Robinson, L. E., & Goodway, J. D. (2009). Instructional climates in
preschool children who are at-riskPart I: Object control skill
development. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 80,
533542.
Rodriguez, E. M. (2005). Preschool physical education: A case study
of the factors that influence movement instruction to preschool
children. PhD dissertation, Florida State University.
Sattelmair, J., & Ratey, J. J. (2009). Physically active play and
cognition: An academic matter? American Journal of Play, 1,
365374.
Stodden, D., Goodway, J. D., Langendorfer, S. J., Roberton, M. A.,
Rudisill, M. E., Garcia, C., et al. (2008). A developmental
perspective on the role of motor skill development in physical
activity: An emergent concept. Quest, 60, 290306.
Stork, S., & Sanders, S. W. (2008). Physical education in early
education. The Elementary School Journal, 108, 197206.
Temple, V., & Naylor, P. J. (2010). Exploring family child care as a
context for physical activity. Physical & Health Education
Academic Journal, 2, 116.
Theodorakou, K., & Zervas, Y. (2003). The effects of the creative
movement teaching method and the traditional teaching method
on elementary school childrens self-esteem. Sport, Education
and Society, 8, 91104.
Trost, S. G., Fees, B., & Dzewaltowski, D. (2008). Feasibility and
efficacy of a move and learn physical activity curriculum in
preschool children. Journal of Physical Activity Health, 5, 88103.
Turkish National Burden of Disease. (2004). National burden of
disease and cost effectiveness: Project Report. Ankara, Turkey:
Ministry of Health Refik Saydam Hygiene Centre Presidency
School of Public Health.
Valentini, N. C., & Rudisill, M. E. (2004). Motivational climate,
motor skills development, and perceived competence: Two
studies of developmentally delayed kindergarten children. Jour-
nal of Teaching in Physical Education, 23, 216234.
Early Childhood Educ J (2011) 39:323333 333

Zachopoulou, E., Trevlas, E., & Konstadinidou, E. (2006). The design Zezevic, C. A., Tremblay, L., Lovsin, T., & Michel, L. (2010).
and implementation of a physical education program to promote Parental influence on young childrens physical activity. Inter-
childrens creativity in the early years. International Journal of national Journal of Pediatrics. doi:10.1155/2010/468526.
Early Years Education, 14, 279294.

123