Gender differences in motor coordination development in children aged 6 to 11 years

This study aims to analyse the development of motor coordination at school, establishing the diversities according to the different motor skills (locomotion and objects control), age, gender and the use of hands or feet in the tests. A sample of 2,649 boys and girls aged 6 to 11 years was used. Motor coordination was assessed using the 3JS test. The results show a progressive improvement of the coordination throughout the stage, highlighting that differences between boys and girls (Z = -6,49, p < 0,01) are bigger in objects control coordination (effect size up to 0,262) and less marked in locomotion. Furthermore, the boys performed better than the girls, especially when controlling objects with their foot, mainly aged 10 to 11 years. We can conclude that age and gender may condition motor coordination on school-age children.