The Effectiveness of Using a Play-Based Learning Strategy in Developing Motor Skills among Kindergarten Children: A Perspective of Physical Education Teachers in Azizia Municipality

Abstract

The current study aimed to identify the degree of effectiveness of using the play-based learning strategy in developing motor skills (gross and fine) among kindergarten children, and to identify the most prominent obstacles to its implementation from the teachers' perspective. To achieve this, the descriptive-analytical method was used, and a questionnaire was administered to a purposive sample of (48) female kindergarten teachers in the Azizia municipality. The study results showed that the teachers' assessment of the effectiveness of the play-based learning strategy in developing gross and fine motor skills was "high," with an arithmetic mean of (2.68) and (2.76), respectively. The results also revealed that the most significant obstacles facing teachers are structural, represented by "the large number of children in the classroom" and "the limited available space."

It was concluded that teachers possess a high awareness of the importance of play-based learning, but they face real material and organizational challenges that limit their ability for optimal implementation. Accordingly, the study recommended the necessity of addressing these structural challenges by reducing student density and equipping kindergartens with appropriate spaces and tools.