The effect of gamified physical activities on static and dynamic balance performance in children aged 9-11

In this study, primary school students aged 9-11 were engaged in gamified physical activities for eight weeks, three times a week, to observe the development of their static and dynamic balance. The study involved 36 students, divided into an experimental group of 18 and a control group of 18. The experimental group participated in gamified physical activities and regular physical education classes, while the control group only attended regular physical education classes. Measurements of anthropometric data and balance (static and dynamic) were taken before and after the exercise period. Statistical analysis was performed using Mac Excel and SPSS Descriptive statistics, such as percentage, mean, and standard deviation, were used for a detailed evaluation of the data. Tests like Shapiro-Wilk and Kolmogorov-Smirnov, as well as skewness and kurtosis values, were examined. The study followed guidelines by George and Mallery (2010), for skewness and kurtosis values between -2 and +2, confirming a normal distribution. Paired Samples t-Tests and Independent Samples t-Tests were used to determine the differences between pre-test and post-test measurements of the experimental and control groups. According to the study results, although there were positive changes in static balance, they were not statistically significant. In terms of dynamic balance, significant changes were observed in many parameters for both the experimental and control groups. In conclusion, it was determined that gamified physical activities have a particularly positive impact on dynamic balance.