Educational maturity and motor and somatic development of kindergarten and early school age children

The proper physical development of a child is the last criterion for achieving educational maturity. It is often underestimated; however, it is very significant in school activities, since a healthy, physically fit, and properly nourished child will be less exhausted by sitting at a desk, walking to school, or performing various tasks which may often seem challenging. The purpose of the paper is to evaluate the school maturity of kindergarten age and early school age children and their somatic and motor development in the context of their commencing school education. While verifying these general rules, studies on a group of 628 girls and boys aged 6 and 7 years were conducted in the city of Opole. The test prepared for this survey consisted of 7 fitness tests and body height, weight, and fat measurements. The results obtained have been subjected to statistical analysis. An analysis of the morphological measurement results and fitness tests demonstrate that both the six-year-old girls and boys did not attain the same level of physical school maturity as their 7 years old schoolmates. This level of maturity would enable them to withstand the educational requirements of the primary school curriculum.