Fundamental motor skills (FMS) are the cornerstone of a child’s motor development, but concerns remain on the current level of FMS competencies, and intervention is required. This evaluation investigated if a targeted Early Years FMS intervention, delivered by a specialist physical education (PE) provider, improved the FMS of 4–5-year-old children across multiple sites. Methods: The Early Years FMS intervention ran for 18 weeks, 1 h/week, using a standardised programme of activities to develop FMS competencies across 219 children from 15 schools in the Midlands, UK. An adapted assessment was employed as a measure of FMS, assessing locomotor, object control, and stability skills at weeks 1, 9, and 18. The FMS were each rated as green = competent, amber = working towards, or red = not meeting the standards of the skill. A description of key programme implementation characteristics was described. Findings: Statistically significant increases in FMS competencies were achieved for 80% of participants at 18 weeks. Key implementation characteristics for the intervention included consistent staffing, a standardised programme, and a variety of pedagogical approaches delivered by specialist PE staff. Conclusion: This evaluation provided important insights into the effectiveness and implementation of the Early Years FMS intervention to improve FMS competencies in children aged 4–5 years.

Early childhood education (ECE) settings play a crucial role in promoting physical and social development among children aged 3–7 years. This systematic review sought to examine the associations between characteristics of ECE outdoor environments, social interactions, physical activity, and motor competence. The secondary aim examines previously applied methods to capture children’s behaviour in the context of their social and physical environment. Methods: This review used the PRISMA framework and study quality was assessed using the mixed-methods appraisal tool (MMAT). Keyword searches were conducted in seven databases. Studies were eligible if children were aged 3–7 years in ECE; physical activity, social interactions and/or motor competence were measured; location and/or social context were measured. Results were synthesised using an effect direct plot, a table of associations, and narrative synthesis. Results: Twenty-three studies from eight countries met the inclusion criteria. Intervention and controlled cross-sectional studies (n = 9) favoured high-quality outdoor environments rich in affordances, portable play equipment, and natural features to increase children’s physical activity, social interactions, and cooperative play. Cross-sectional and descriptive studies (n = 14) positively associated open grassy space, portable and fixed equipment, wheeled toys, and paths with physical activity (p < 0.05). Based on limited evidence, playground size and active games in small groups were associated with greater MC. Conclusions: The findings highlight the benefit of creating diverse affordance rich outdoor environments in early childhood settings to promote physical and social development. Limitations include variability in study designs and protocols for conducting systematic observations, thus emphasising the need for standardised approaches to future research.

Purpose: To determine whether there are bilateral and interdigit differences in the maximal force production of experienced climbers and whether these differences are mediated by ability level or preferred style of climbing. Methods: Thirty-six male climbers (age 30 [9.4] y) took part in a single-session trial to test their maximal force production on both hands. The tests included a one-arm maximal isometric finger flexor strength test (MIFS) and a one-arm individual MIFS. Bilateral differences were analyzed by strongest hand (defined as the hand that produced the highest MIFS value) and dominance (defined as the writing hand). Results: A pairwise t test found that MIFS was significantly greater for the strongest hand (mean difference = 4.1%, 95% CI, −0.052 to 0.029, P < .001), with handedness explaining 89% of the variation. A 2-way mixed-model analysis of variance determined that there were no interactions between preferred style (bouldering or sport climbing) and MIFS or between ability level (advanced or elite) and MIFS. Conclusions: Climbers have significant finger flexor strength bilateral asymmetries between their strongest and weakest hand. Moreover, when dominance is controlled, this difference in strength is present, with the dominant hand producing more force. Neither preferred style of climbing nor the ability level of the climbers could explain these asymmetries. As such, practitioners should consider regularly monitoring unilateral strength, aiming to minimize the likelihood of large bilateral asymmetry occurring.

Residential trips can be of benefits to students for multiple reasons, promoting varied learning outcomes and supporting the development of applied and interpersonal skills. This chapter explores how field trips can be embedded within wider learning experience and contextualised to individual career aims and associated personal and professional development. As authors, we also consider our role as educators in supporting students not only while on a field trip but with regard to their reflections and aforementioned development. In our experience, field trips provide a valuable opportunity for collaborative learning between staff and students and provide us as educators with a platform to challenge students in a constructive and meaningful way. This challenge extends beyond the practical elements associated with field trips in outdoor activity domains and encourages ‘bigger picture’ thinking in students by asking them to translate this learning to who they are and what they want to achieve in life.

This chapter explores the integration of experiential learning and collaborative research projects in the teaching of research methods within Sport and Exercise Sciences (SES) disciplines. Traditional approaches often present research as a rigid, step-by-step process, which can lead to disengagement and a lack of meaningful application. In contrast, this chapter advocates for co-constructive learning, where students and educators engage as partners in the research process, fostering a deeper conceptual understanding of methodology and inquiry. Through a live, mixed-methods research project, students were actively involved in developing research questions, designing methodologies, collecting data, and conducting analyses. This hands-on engagement enhanced students’ confidence, problem-solving skills, and ability to connect theoretical knowledge with practical applications. It cultivated critical thinking, independent inquiry, and research resilience, key attributes for future academic and professional success. The chapter reflects on the benefits, challenges, and scalability of this approach, offering practical recommendations for educators seeking to implement inquiry-driven, collaborative learning experiences in research methods education. By adopting structured but flexible experiential strategies, educators can better prepare students for independent research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and real-world problem-solving in SES and beyond.

Growing concern surrounding declining outdoor play, physical activity and children’s engagement with natural environments has led to increased interest in nature-based early childhood education (EC...