Research on Open-Ended Physical Games and Kids’ Attention and Social-Emotional Skills

Studies show that exercise helps kids focus and develop social-emotional skills, like understanding themselves and others. However, researchers wanted to know if open-ended physical games — games with flexible rules and creative movement — are better than structured, rule-based games for these skills.

This study, published in Frontiers in Psychology, compared two groups of kids: one played open-ended games, and the other played structured games. Both groups learned basic movement skills, but researchers measured their attention and social-emotional growth to see which type of game had better results.

The results showed that kids who played open-ended games improved more in attention, self-awareness, understanding others, teamwork, and managing group activities. They also got better at running, jumping, throwing, and balancing (locomotor skills) compared to the kids in structured games.

These findings are important because they show that open-ended play helps children grow in more ways than just physical skills. It improves their ability to focus, work together, and solve problems creatively.

Understanding the Research

The study was done in a school in Xuzhou, China, with first-grade students (7-8 years old). A total of 70 children joined at first, but after removing those who missed classes or gave unclear answers, 62 students remained. They were split into two groups:

• Experimental group: 31 kids (played open-ended games)
  
• Control group: 31 kids (played structured games)

All parents gave permission, and the study was approved by a research ethics committee. The program lasted 12 weeks, with three 40-minute sessions per week. Each class had:

• 10 minutes of warm-up and cool-down
  
• 30 minutes practicing movement skills

The experimental group played open-ended games (like obstacle courses, chasing games, and team activities), which required thinking, teamwork, and flexibility.

Meanwhile, the control group played structured games (like balance beam challenges and fixed dribbling drills), with clear rules and little variation.

Researchers measured three key areas:

• Attention skills
  
• Social-emotional skills
  
• Movement skills

These were the main findings:

• Before the study, both groups had similar attention levels.
• Afterward, the experimental group improved in attention distribution (how well someone can divide and manage their attention across different tasks or stimuli)
• The experimental group improved in running, jumping, and ball-handling. Overall, they had better movement skills after the study.
• Better movement skills were linked to better attention and focus.

Practical Strategies for Parents and Caregivers

This study shows that open-ended games improve kids’ focus, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. The good news is that you don’t need special equipment or structured sports programs. Simple adjustments to how kids play create a difference.

Encourage free play outdoors

Organized sports are great for discipline and teamwork, but kids also need unstructured play. Let them explore nature, climb trees, or run freely.

To get started, set aside time for free play in a safe outdoor space. Make sure the play area is safe by checking for hazards like sharp objects, unstable surfaces, or traffic. Supervise from a distance to allow independence while being ready to step in if needed. Also, join in when you can!

Let your child invent their own games

Give children a ball, some cones, or random household objects like a laundry basket. Challenge them to create a game with their own rules. They might create a game where they have to dribble the ball around the cones before tossing it into the basket to score points.

They can add challenges like using only one hand or hopping on one foot!

Try movement-based storytelling

Tell a story where kids act out the actions — pretend to be animals, superheroes, or characters on an adventure. Movement-based storytelling helps kids stay active and work together.

For example, if the story is about exploring a jungle, they can pretend to swing from vines or sneak past animals. You can do movement-based storytelling at home or school, and it works for both groups and individual play.

The researchers suggest that future studies should include more kids from different backgrounds, last longer, and have more participants.

Want to encourage social-emotional growth? Check out our Character Education Posters and Social Skills Worksheets. These are perfect for classrooms, homeschool settings, therapy sessions.