The Importance of Motor Games in the Neural Development of Five-year-old Children

Abstract

Neural development in early childhood represents a decisive pedagogical opportunity that requires systematic didactic interventions aimed at enhancing children's cognitive, emotional, linguistic and motor skills. In this context, the present research had the purpose of proposing a methodological strategy based on motor games to support the neural development of 5-year-old children of the “Fray Álvaro Valladares” Fiscomisional Educational Unit, in the province of Pastaza, Ecuador, during the 2024-2025 school year. A mixed approach was used, with an explanatory level and a pre-experimental design with pre-test and post-test, which allowed a comprehensive understanding of the conditions of the population studied. The initial diagnosis revealed limitations in key aspects of neural development, especially in language, attention and emotional self-regulation, associated with contextual factors and deficiencies in timely stimulation. Based on these findings, a strategy was designed consisting of organized phases that integrate playful dynamics oriented to the functional stimulation of the infant brain. The strategy was conceived from a pedagogical perspective coherent with the needs of the group and with the evolutionary stage corresponding to this stage of development. After its implementation, substantive advances were observed in the dimensions evaluated, with better performance in tasks involving motor coordination, verbal comprehension, attentional permanence, emotional regulation and logical thinking. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposal and its viability as a replicable pedagogical resource in other similar educational contexts, where play can act as a privileged vehicle for strengthening children's neural development.