Profile of Manipulative Movement Abilities in Children Aged 4–5 Years at Ummi An-Nisa Early Childhood Education Centre

Abstract

Manipulative motor skills are part of early childhood gross motor development related to a child's ability to move and control objects using eye-hand coordination. This skill is important because it often appears in everyday play activities, such as throwing and catching a ball. This study aims to determine the description of manipulative motor skills in 4–5-year-old children at Ummi An-Nisa Early Childhood Education Centre. This study used a descriptive quantitative approach with 12 children aged 4–5 years as research subjects. Data were collected through observation using a manipulative movement ability test instrument that included indicators of body position, movement coordination, object control, and balance in throwing and catching a ball. The data obtained were then analysed descriptively to determine the children's ability level for each indicator. The results showed that most children had moderate to good manipulative movement skills. However, the children's abilities still varied across each indicator. Ball catching skills showed better results than throwing skills, especially in terms of movement coordination and object control. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the manipulative motor skills of 4-5-year-old children at PAUD Ummi An-Nisa have developed quite well, but still need to be improved through motor learning activities that are appropriate to the characteristics and developmental stages of children.