The Effectiveness of Traditional Games Intervention Program in the Improvement of Form One School-Age Children's Motor Skills Related Performance Components

IntroductionPhysical capability is central to cognitive improvement during early adolescence. Montessori (1967) expressed that, for figuring out how to achieve its maximum capacity, it must be straightforwardly associated with physical development for the child. Motor skills are a crucial segment of development for all children. Gallahue (1993) explained that movement is at the extremely focus of adolescents' lives. It is an essential feature of all parts of their advancement, either in the motor, cognitive, or affective domains of human behaviour. It is, therefore, relevant to say that to deny youngsters the chance to receive the numerous rewards of standard, vivacious physical action is to deny them the chance to encounter the delight of productive development, the well-being impacts of development, and a lifetime as confident as well as competent movers. However, Piaget (1950) reported that from the primary days of life, children start utilising their bodies to find out about their general surroundings. At that age, they need physical activity to build strength, coordination, and confidence which will consequently lead them to lay the groundwork for a healthy lifestyle through gaining more control over how active they are. This can be achieved easily when the children are engaged in physical activities that are both stimulating and joyful.Traditional games, also known as traditional sports, are hereditary heritage and played very often after harvest season usually by farmers (Addy Putra, Shahrul, Nor Ziratul & Amirul, 2014; Ekunsanmi, 2012; Tatira, 2014). Traditional games were inherited from the older generation and passed on to the young generation through oral, sound or demonstrations. Traditional games have a racial and cultural value (Civarello, 2006) and were an integral part of the recreational activity (Addy Putra et al., 2014; Mohd. Salleh, 2005) perform for pleasure intent and serenity of mind (Ekunsanmi, 2012; Sahay, 2013). Among the various types of traditional games played by the older generation in Malaysian perspective, were sepak bulu ayam, burung masuk sarang, gasing, marbles, petik mata, congkak, kite, batu seremban, buat rumah batu, galah panjang, tok harimau and tor duduk (Aziz & Wan Ramli, 1994; Shafiee, 2008). These traditional games are played at no cost for buying any material because most of the materials can be obtained from the surroundings or recycled. For example, the batu seremban game uses only stones. In fact, among the traditional games, no materials are needed at all such as Tok Harimau, Tor Duduk and Tor Nusut (Aziz & Wan Ramli, 1994). Although, a number of studies have been carried out and have proven that traditional games provide various benefits such as enhancing coarse and delicate motor skills (Akbari, Abdoli, Shafizadehkenari, Khalaji, Hajihosseini, & Ziaee, 2009; Borhannudin, Saidon, Kok & Bahaman, 2013) as well as improving cardiovascular health (Rauber, Boullosa, Carvalho, Moraes, Sousa, Simoes, & Campbell, 2014), yet it is becoming more and more unpopular and less practiced by the younger generation these days. The reason partly, for the decreasing popularity of traditional games among the younger generation nowadays is the rapid industrial development, where the young people are more interested in watching television, playing electronic games i.e. video and computers, at home regardless of considering the time wasted (Akbari et al., 2009; Ekunsanmi, 2012). Traditional games formerly were very popular and played in the evening by a wide range of ages (Ekunsanmi, 2012; Sahay, 2013) Nowadays; the younger generation more interested in indulging in a variety of high-tech toys like video games and computers as well as their habit of watching television more than the desire to play in sports (Addy Putra et al., 2014; Akbari et al., 2009; Ekunsanmi, 2012). A study conducted by Ekunsanmi (2012), reported that out of the 77% who used to play the traditional Yoruba game of Arin, only 18% are still practising it. …