Author(s): HU, X., REN, X., Institution: COLLEGE OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH SCIENCE, Country: CHINA, Abstract-ID: 1033

Introduction
As a major component of physical health, physical fitness is considered an important indicator of child growth and development. Pre-school is the period of particularly rapid growth and physical development of children, which is characterized by intensive development the child’s organism and dramatic changes in the functional system of activity, thereby promoting their motor ability. The objective of the present study was to investigate the status of physical fitness in children aged 3-6 years in economically developed provinces of China, in an attempt to explore the basic patterns.
Methods
A total of 800 preschoolers in four age groups of 3-6 years were recruited with 200 in each group. The inclusion of each physical fitness indicator was based on the Chinese Handbook of National Physical Fitness Measurement Standards (children’s section). The outcomes of sit and reach, standing long jump, tennis ball throw, 10 m out-and-backs, beam walking, and two-foot hop were computed and statistically analyzed by a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA).
Results
No significant differences were observed for sit and reach between the three age groups of 3, 4 and 5 years, but they were significantly different from the 6-year-old group (p < 0.0001), with the outcomes improved by approximately 3 cm. There were significant differences (p < 0.0001) between the groups for standing long jump, tennis ball throw, 10 m out-and-backs, beam walking, and two-foot hop. Improvement in the standing long jump decreased, with the mean values of 19 cm, 18 cm, 13 cm from ages 4 to 6. Improvement in the tennis ball throw was the greatest in age 5, with the mean values of 1.6 m compared to age 4. The greatest gains were made in the 10 m out-and-backs and two-foot hop in age 4, with the mean reduction of 2 s compared to age 3. The improvement in beam walking was essentially the same for each age group, with a mean reduction of 2.5 s.
Discussion
The findings revealed that the overall level of physical fitness of preschool children continues to gradually improve with age. The development of flexibility is significantly lower than that of other physical fitness indicators, while the development of balance and strength is relatively faster. The motor cognition of preschoolers aged 3-6 years is in the state of enlightenment, and the motor cognition of different age groups determines the level of physical fitness development. Physical activity performed in the preschool years might be directly related to the development of physical fitness. Flexibility is a key area of concern for school-age children and requires targeted practice. Therefore, the guiding role of preschool education should be fully utilized to set up an appropriate amount of intriguing physical activity to stimulate their interest in exercise according to the pattern of physical development at different ages.