Keywords
Elementary school students
Gross motor skills
Physical education
Traditional games
How to Cite
Abstract
Background: Gross motor skills are a fundamental aspect of elementary school children’s development, as they support physical activity, health, and overall growth. The increasing tendency toward sedentary lifestyles among children highlights the need for learning approaches that actively stimulate movement while remaining engaging and meaningful. Traditional games, such as Bentengan, offer culturally relevant opportunities to promote physical activity in educational settings.
Aims: This study aimed to examine the effect of traditional Bentengan games on the gross motor skills of third-grade elementary school students.
Methods: This study employed a quantitative pre-experimental design using a one-group pretest–posttest approach. The participants were fifteen third-grade students from SD Muhammadiyah Purwodadi. Gross motor skills were assessed using a performance-based non-test instrument covering strength, speed, power, endurance, agility, balance, flexibility, and coordination. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, normality testing, and hypothesis testing using SPSS software.
Result: The findings revealed a significant improvement in students’ gross motor skills after participating in Bentengan games. The mean pretest score was 73.46, while the mean posttest score increased to 83.86, indicating an average gain of 10.4 points. Statistical analysis confirmed that this improvement was significant.
Conclusion: The study concludes that traditional Bentengan games are effective in enhancing elementary school students’ gross motor skills. Through activities such as running, chasing, defending, and strategic coordination, Bentengan games stimulate large muscle movements in a natural and enjoyable manner. These findings support the integration of traditional games as culturally responsive learning media in elementary school physical education.
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