The Parental Influence on a Child's Motor Skill Development
Key findings: 60-second read
- Parents have a significant long-term influence on their child's motor skills for active play - parenting factors at age 5 predicted motor competence for active play at age 9.5, even after accounting for the child's earlier skill level.
- Parental facilitation was the strongest predictor - engaging in active play with the child, encouraging outdoor play, and providing opportunities for physical activity had the biggest impact on later motor competence.
- Parental attitude also mattered - parents who believed in the importance of physical activity and modelled active behaviours had children with better active play skills.
- Parental efficacy (confidence) was significant alone but less important when combined with facilitation - feeling confident to support active play predicted outcomes, but its effect was explained by actual facilitative behaviours.
- Boys and children from higher socioeconomic backgrounds had higher active play motor competence scores - these factors were controlled for in the analysis.
Physical activity declines in middle childhood. By the time children reach their teenage years, many have already developed habits of inactivity that can persist throughout life. One known barrier to adequate physical activity in children is low motor competence - the ability to perform a wide variety of movement skills with proficiency.
But where does motor competence come from? And what can parents do to help their children develop the skills they need to enjoy active play?
A longitudinal study published in the Journal of Sports Sciences (Hänisch et al., 2025) followed 199 parent-child pairs from age 5 to age 9.5 to answer these exact questions. The researchers examined whether three specific parenting factors - efficacy (confidence), facilitation (behaviours), and attitude (beliefs) - predicted the development of children's motor competence for active play.
The findings offer practical insights for parents, physiotherapists, and anyone working with children.
"This is the first study to examine the longitudinal effects of parental influences on developing children's motor competence for active play. The findings highlight the importance of targeting parents in promoting children's development of motor competence."
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What is active play?
Before diving into the findings, it is worth defining what researchers mean by "active play." Truelove and colleagues defined it as "a form of gross motor or whole-body movement in which young children expend energy in a freely chosen, enjoyable and unstructured way."
Think of climbing trees, riding a scooter, kicking a ball around the backyard, swimming at the beach, or skateboarding. These are not organised sports with coaches and set drills. They are spontaneous, self-directed activities where children move because they want to, not because they have to.
High levels of active play in childhood have long-term benefits. Research shows that low preferences for active play in childhood are associated with physical inactivity and low cardiorespiratory fitness in adolescence. Yet, despite its importance, we know surprisingly little about how children develop the motor skills needed to engage in active play.
Study design and participants
The researchers used data from the Melbourne Infant Feeding, Activity and Nutrition Trial (InFANT) Program, a longitudinal cohort study. The current analysis included 199 parent-child pairs with data collected at two time points:
- Time point 1 (child age 5): Parents self-reported on their parenting efficacy, facilitation, and attitude towards their child's physical activity. Researchers also assessed the child's actual motor competence using the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-2).
- Time point 2 (child age 9.5): Parents proxy-reported their child's motor competence for active play using six specific play skills (board paddle, climbing a rope, cycling, skating/blading, scooter riding, swimming).
The analysis controlled for several potential confounding variables, including child sex, socioeconomic position, and the child's actual motor competence at age 5. This means the researchers were able to see whether parenting factors predicted later motor competence above and beyond the child's earlier skill level.
Sample characteristics: 199 parent-child pairs | Mean child age at follow-up: 9.5 years | Parental education: approximately half tertiary educated | Socioeconomic position: distributed across low, medium and high quintiles
The three parenting constructs: efficacy, facilitation and attitude
The study examined three distinct but related parenting factors:
Parental efficacy (α = 0.76): A parent's confidence in their ability to support their child's physical activity. Example items included: getting the child to do active play when they want to watch TV, providing the child with a range of active play options, and playing with the child.
Parental facilitation (α = 0.74): The actual behaviours parents engage in to promote physical activity. Example items included: engaging in active play with the child, taking the child for a ride on their scooter or bike, encouraging the child to do something active, and encouraging the child to go outside to play.
Parental attitude (α = 0.58): A parent's beliefs about physical activity and its importance. Example items included: whether a child is more likely to enjoy sports or active play if they see parents doing so, whether children need help and encouragement to be active, and whether the toys and games parents give their child will affect future skill development.
The internal consistency for attitude was relatively low (α = 0.58), meaning the authors caution that results involving this construct should be interpreted with care.
Key findings: what predicted motor competence for active play?
All three parenting constructs measured at child age 5 significantly predicted parent-reported motor competence for active play at age 9.5 when analysed separately.
| Predictor | Standardised beta (β) | p-value | Variance explained (R²adj) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parental efficacy | 0.25 | p < 0.01 | 10.2% |
| Parental facilitation | 0.29 | p < 0.001 | 14.0% |
| Parental attitude | 0.25 | p < 0.001 | 10.6% |
In the separate models, parental facilitation had the strongest effect (β = 0.29) and explained the most variance (14.0%). Parental efficacy and attitude each had moderate effects (β = 0.25) and explained around 10% of the variance.
The researchers also found that being a boy, having a higher socioeconomic position, and having a higher actual motor competence score at age 5 were significant predictors of higher active play motor competence at age 9.5. These factors were controlled for in all analyses.
"Parental efficacy, facilitation and attitude towards physical activity, when the children were 5 years old, each served as significant predictors of the parent-reported active play-related motor competence scores when the children were aged 9.5 years, over and above the influence of earlier actual motor competence."
Why facilitation matters most
When all three parenting constructs were entered into a single multivariate model (to see which one had the strongest unique effect), a clear pattern emerged:
- Parental facilitation (β = 0.20, p < 0.01): Remained a significant predictor and dominated the model
- Parental attitude (β = 0.17, p = 0.03): Still had a significant effect
- Parental efficacy (β = 0.13, p = 0.15): Was no longer a significant predictor
The multivariate model explained 17.2% of the variance in children's motor competence for active play.
What does this mean? Parental confidence (efficacy) matters, but its effect appears to work through actual behaviours (facilitation). A parent can feel very confident, but if they do not translate that confidence into actions - playing with their child, providing opportunities, encouraging outdoor activity - the benefits may not materialise. On the other hand, parents who actively facilitate active play have children with better motor skills, regardless of whether they feel particularly confident.
Key insight: "Parental facilitation had the strongest relationship with the active play-related motor competence score when compared to parental attitude and efficacy. Interventions aiming to promote active play, motor competence and physical activity in children should, therefore, consider parents as an important target group, with a focus on effective facilitation of physically active lifestyles in unstructured activity contexts."
Practical implications
This study offers actionable insights for parents and health professionals:
1. Do things with your child, not just for them. The strongest predictor of later motor competence was parental facilitation - actively playing with your child, taking them out on their bike or scooter, encouraging outdoor play. Children learn movement skills through practice and repetition. Parents who provide opportunities and participate alongside their children are giving them the repetition they need.
2. Your beliefs matter, but your actions matter more. Parents who believe physical activity is important and model active behaviours have children with better motor skills. However, the multivariate analysis suggests that belief without action is less effective than action itself. Walking the walk is more important than talking the talk.
3. Start early. The parenting factors measured at age 5 predicted outcomes at age 9.5. The preschool and early primary school years appear to be a critical window for establishing both the skills and the habits of active play.
4. Do not underestimate the power of unstructured play. The skills measured in this study were not organised sports skills like catching or throwing (though those are also important). They were play-based skills like riding a bike, scooting, swimming, and climbing. These are activities children can do without coaches, schedules, or equipment beyond basic toys. They are the foundation of a physically active life.
5. For physiotherapists working with children: This study suggests that interventions targeting motor competence should consider the family environment. Asking about parental facilitation behaviours - whether parents play actively with their children, provide opportunities for outdoor play, and encourage active pursuits - may identify modifiable factors that support or hinder progress.
Study limitations
Several limitations should be considered when interpreting these findings:
- Parent-proxy report of child's motor competence: The outcome measure was based on parents' perceptions of their child's skills, not objective assessment. While previous research shows moderate-to-high associations between parent reports and actual skills, other studies have found parent reports may not be valid indicators of fundamental movement skills.
- Low internal consistency for attitude scale: The attitude construct had a Cronbach's alpha of only 0.58, which is below the conventional threshold of 0.70 for acceptable reliability. The authors caution that results involving this construct should be interpreted with care.
- Attrition: The sample size decreased from 542 at baseline to 199 at follow-up, which may introduce selection bias if families who remained in the study differed systematically from those who dropped out.
- Generalisability: The sample was drawn from Melbourne, Australia, and findings may not generalise to other cultural or geographic contexts.
- No direct measure of physical activity: The study measured motor competence, not actual physical activity levels. While motor competence and physical activity are related, they are distinct constructs.
Conclusions from the study
This is the first longitudinal study to examine how parental influences predict children's development of motor competence for active play. The findings demonstrate that parents have a significant and lasting influence on their children's movement skills, even after accounting for the child's earlier ability level.
Parental facilitation - actively playing with children, providing opportunities, and encouraging outdoor activity - emerged as the strongest predictor. While parental confidence and attitudes also matter, their effects appear to operate largely through actual facilitative behaviours.
The authors conclude: "Interventions aiming to promote active play, motor competence and physical activity in children should, therefore, consider parents as an important target group. While it appears to be especially important to support parents' facilitative behaviours of a physically active lifestyle and attitude towards physical activity, their efficacy is an important factor to consider additionally, especially when aiming to promote active play in children."
For parents, the message is encouraging. You do not need to be a sports coach or an expert in child development. You simply need to play with your child, provide opportunities for active play, and encourage outdoor activity. These simple actions, done consistently over time, appear to make a meaningful difference in your child's motor development.
One key insight from this research
"Parental facilitation - actively playing with your child, taking them out on their bike or scooter, and encouraging outdoor play - was the strongest predictor of children's motor competence for active play measured 4.5 years later. This effect remained significant even after accounting for the child's earlier skill level, suggesting parents can make a real difference in their child's movement development."
Frequently asked questions
What age is most important for developing motor competence for active play?
This study measured parenting factors when children were age 5 and outcomes at age 9.5. The findings suggest that the preschool and early primary school years (around ages 4-6) are an important window for establishing both the skills and the habits of active play. However, motor development is a lifelong process, and it is never too late to encourage physical activity. The key is providing consistent opportunities and encouragement over time.
What if my child is not naturally coordinated or struggles with physical activities?
This study suggests that parental facilitation is particularly important for children who may need extra support. Children with lower motor competence at age 5 were more likely to have lower active play skills at age 9.5, but parental facilitation helped. The message is not that every child will become an elite athlete, but that parents can help their child develop the skills they need to enjoy active play and maintain physical activity throughout life. Start where your child is, celebrate small improvements, and focus on fun rather than performance.
How much active play should my child be doing?
This study did not examine specific dose-response relationships (how much active play leads to how much improvement). However, general physical activity guidelines recommend that children aged 5-17 years accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily. Active play can and should be a major contributor to this total. The quality of active play - enjoyment, variety, skill development - likely matters as much as the quantity.
Does this apply to organised sports as well as active play?
The study specifically examined active play - unstructured, freely chosen activities like bike riding, scooting, swimming, and climbing. However, the principles likely apply to organised sports as well. Parental encouragement, provision of opportunities, and active participation probably benefit motor skill development in both structured and unstructured contexts. That said, the researchers note that organised settings might be more effective for developing specific fundamental movement skills like throwing and catching, while active play may be more important for developing the broad range of skills used in everyday life.
What about safety concerns - should I let my child take risks during active play?
This is an important consideration. Previous research cited in the study found that parents' safety concerns can limit children's access to play spaces, equipment, and games, negatively influencing participation in active play. However, other research shows that if parents show a supportive attitude to active play (even when it involves some risk), children are more likely to participate. The key is balancing safety with opportunity. Age-appropriate risk-taking is an important part of child development. Parents can look for ways to provide challenging but safe environments for active play, rather than eliminating all risk.
As a physiotherapist who works with both children and adults, I see the long-term consequences of low motor competence. Adults who never learned to ride a bike, swim confidently, or feel comfortable on a scooter often struggle to find physical activities they enjoy. They miss out on the social, health, and wellbeing benefits of an active lifestyle.
This study offers hope. The skills needed for active play are not fixed at birth. They develop through practice, encouragement, and opportunity. And parents play a central role in providing those things.
If you are a parent, you do not need to be an expert. You do not need expensive equipment or a perfect backyard. You just need to be present, to play, to encourage, and to provide opportunities. Take your child to the park. Go for a bike ride together. Kick a ball around the backyard. Swim at the beach. These simple actions, done consistently over years, add up to something meaningful.
If you are concerned about your child's motor development, or if your child is avoiding physical activity because they find it difficult or frustrating, a physiotherapist can help. We can assess your child's motor skills, identify specific areas of difficulty, and provide a home program of activities to build confidence and competence.
I see patients in Port Macquarie and via telehealth. If you would like to discuss your child's development, or if you are an adult who wishes you had learned these skills earlier, I am here to help.
- Grant
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Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes and does not replace individualised medical or developmental advice. Always consult a qualified health professional for your specific situation. This blog post summarises a published research study (Hänisch R, Carl J, Hesketh KD, Barnett LM. Parental influence on children's motor competence for active play: A longitudinal analysis. J Sports Sci. 2025;43(1):82-89); the original source should be consulted for full methodological details. Individual responses and developmental trajectories vary.
