Meeting the Standards of Physical Fitness and Its Relationship to Visuomotor Integration: A Study of Chinese Young Children

Research Findings: The present study aims to investigate the relationship between physical fitness and visuomotor integration in young children. A total of 242 three- to six-year-old preschoolers were randomly selected from a preschool in Shenzhen, China and their visuomotor integration and physical fitness were evaluated using the Beery Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual Motor Integration (VMI) and the preschool physical fitness test, respectively. Descriptive and standard-based analysis, t-test, analysis of variances (ANOVAs), correlation analysis, and mediation analysis were conducted using SPSS. Results showed that children with different ages had significant differences in their standing long jump and visuomotor integration ability (F = 7.56, p < .001; F = 34.36, p < .001) while gender difference was found in children's throwing (t = 4.18, p < .001). Furthermore, children's visuomotor integration significantly correlated with their 20 m fast run and throwing (r = .31 and .19, p < .01). Finally, children's performance in 20 m fast run and standing long partially mediated the relationship between age and visuomotor integration. Practice or Policy: The findigs highlighted the importance of strengthening young children's physical fitness and its relationship to their visuomotor integration. Implications for theory and practice are also included.