The evolution of motor creativity during primary education

Abstract

A number of researchers have verified the possibility of enhancing motor creativity through specific physical education programmes. Nevertheless, little is known about the developmental pattern or the most critical stages in the acquisition of motor creativity. The broad objective of this study was to determine whether significant changes in motor creativity occur during primary education, and if so, when. A total of 84 Spanish girls and boys were evaluated using tests taken or adapted from the Thinking Creatively in Action and Movement tasks and Bertsch' Tests of Motor Creativity. In general, the results show that motor creativity – especially fluency and flexibility - increase with progression through school, though different aspects of creativity show different trends. In particular, motor fluency increased especially rapidly between ages 6 and 9 years, and the symbolic transformation of objects and movements between ages 8 and 11 years.