Assessing Relationships Between Physical Development and Other Indicators of School Readiness Among Preschool Students

Purpose: Physical development is an integral part of a child's overall development. Evidence suggests that physical development and physical activity are positively correlated with positive academic outcomes in elementary and secondary school students. However, research on physical development among preschool-age children lags behind. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to assess the relationships between physical development and other aspects of development related to school readiness among 3- to 5-year-old children. Method: Teacher ratings of physical, cognitive, language, social-emotional, and literacy development were collected for 172 preschool students. Group differences were assessed using analysis of variance, and relationships among development scales were examined with Pearson correlations. Results: Pearson correlations indicate ratings of physical development are significantly and positively correlated with ratings on the other four development scales. Discussion/Conclusion: Findings support the importance of physical development as an aspect of school readiness. Practical implications and future research are discussed.