The Application of Traditional Games to Develop Social and Gross Motor Skills in 6-7 Year-old Children

Social skills embracing cooperation, interaction and independence are fundamental skills that determine children's accomplishments at school as well as in their interpersonal relationships. Gross motor skills are also required to support children's physical activities during playtime. This action research aims to improve the social and gross motor skills in early childhood through the application of traditional games. Traditional games which have cultural value are educational as they cultivate social and kinesthetic intelligences. This classroom action research was implemented in three cycles. Each cycle focused on social skills and gross motor skills. The instruments used to collect data were interviews, checklists and observations. The results showed that the application of traditional games improved children's social skills and gross motor skills as they provide fun and stimulating activities.