Medical X-Press – Staff Writer
“You throw like a girl” is a sexist taunt that can instantly sour a kid on athletics and other healthy activities. But many children—mainly girls—simply aren’t taught or don’t learn the basic motor skills like throwing, running, jumping or dribbling, say University of Michigan researchers. To change this, Leah Robinson, associate professor at the U-M School of Kinesiology, and colleagues developed a movement curriculum to increase physical activity and motor skills competence in preschoolers by letting them choose among activities. A recent feasibility study suggests that it works. (more)