Moving with the times: Innovation in gaming to improve children’s movement skills

Dr. Jamie McGann

*Originally published in BERA following publication of the Article 'Hop. Skip.Jump.Games' in British Journal of Educational Technology

Modern children are increasingly sedentary, spending an average of six hours a day in front of a screen (Barnett et al., 2018). This shift has a profound impact on their movement capabilities. In fact, one recent study of more than 2,000 Irish children found that one in four could not run properly, half could not kick a ball properly, and even fewer could jump properly (Behan et al., 2019). Poor proficiency in these core skills—known as fundamental movement skills (FMS)—can create negative perceptions around physical ability, leading to decreased participation in physical activity or sport over a lifetime (Peers et al., 2020).

Transforming the Problem

For older generations, street games like hopscotch or leapfrog meant hopping, skipping, and jumping were common parts of daily play. Today, “play” often involves screen-based activities—swiping through social media or tapping on a smartphone game. While many call for less screen time and more real-life physical activity, a purely restrictive approach can be challenging. Societal and environmental factors (such as a lack of safe play spaces) and constant digital innovations make it difficult to fully detach children from technology.

An alternative approach is to reimagine how children engage with technology—designing movement-based interactive experiences that are both fun and capable of improving motor skills.

“An alternative approach is to reimagine the way children interact with technology and consider design of movement-based interactive experiences that are both fun and capable of supporting improved movement skill outcomes.”

From Traditional Street Games to Gamified Play

In our work, including the “Hop.Skip.Jump.Games” research (McGann, Issartel, Hederman, & Conlan, 2019a), we explored how technology could support improvements in locomotor skills like hopping, skipping, and jumping. Instead of using handheld controllers, children controlled the on-screen action through full-body movements tracked by a 3D sensor system. Over an eight-week period, five- and six-year-olds playing these educational games saw a 98% improvement in overall locomotor skill performance—all while having fun through interactive, movement-focused challenges.

A Framework for Success

A core element of this approach is our design framework, PaCMAn (Principles and Conditions for Motor Skill Acquisition) (McGann, Issartel, Hederman, & Conlan, 2019b). PaCMAn marries ingredients crucial for motor skill development with fundamental principles of game design.

Introducing MoveAhead

Building on these insights, MoveAhead offers an innovative way to gamify and assess children’s movement skills. Its motion-tracking software runs on any device with a camera, instantly capturing and analyzing kids’ movements in real time. Instead of passively interacting with screens, children are encouraged to hop, skip, jump, and run to progress in fun, game-like challenges. As they play, MoveAhead simultaneously assesses their skills—providing immediate feedback and personalizing difficulty levels based on each child’s abilities. This ensures every user gets the right challenge to keep them engaged and continuously developing.

Implications for Educators, Parents, and Children

Interactive Technology

When underpinned by research, technology can enhance movement skills rather than detract from them.
Personalised Play

By understanding each child’s baseline skill level, we can tailor the game’s challenge to keep them engaged and growing at their own pace.
Positive Health Outcomes

Encouraging movement through gamified play can counteract sedentary behavior, potentially reducing obesity risk and improving mental well-being.