Motor skills development in elementary school students through physical education: a systematic review

Abstract

Motor skills development in elementary school (SD) students constitutes a fundamental pillar in physical education, playing a critical role in children's holistic growth encompassing physical, cognitive, and psychosocial domains. This systematic review examines the development of gross and fine motor skills in elementary school children aged 6–12 years through physical education interventions, game-based learning, and structured movement activities. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across databases including ERIC, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar, covering publications from 2020 to 2025. A total of 40 peer-reviewed studies were included based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Findings reveal that structured physical education programs significantly improve locomotor, manipulative, and balance motor skills in elementary school students. Playful, game-integrated approaches and teacher-guided movement activities demonstrate the highest efficacy, particularly among lower-grade students (Grades 1–3). Contextual factors such as teaching methodology, physical environment, frequency of sessions, and individual differences moderate outcomes. These results underscore the importance of allocating sufficient time for physical education, employing trained educators, and designing inclusive, activity-rich curricula in Indonesian elementary schools. This review provides evidence-based recommendations for curriculum developers, physical education practitioners, and policy makers.