The effect of physical education and sports practices enriched with traditional children's games on children's physical fitness parameters and social skill levels

The aim of this research is to examine the effects of physical education and sports practices enriched with traditional children's games on children's physical fitness parameters and social skill levels. The study was conducted with a total of 40 children in the 11–12 age group, divided into experimental and control groups. For the experimental group, handball-based physical education practices supported by traditional children's games were implemented for eight weeks, while the control group continued with the standard handball-based physical education curriculum. A quasi-experimental method was used in the research; physical fitness levels were measured through various motor skill tests, while social skills were assessed using a standardized evaluation scale. The data obtained were analyzed with the SPSS 25.0 program, and both parametric and non-parametric tests were applied to evaluate differences between groups. The results revealed that education enriched with traditional children's games had significant and positive effects on both physical fitness and social skill development in children. These findings indicate that traditional games are not only a cultural heritage but also effective tools that can be utilized in educational processes. Incorporating such games more frequently into educational programs may contribute to the holistic development of children.