The Effect of Practicing Traditional Games on Developing Some Coordinative Abilities in Children an Experimental Study on Children of Southeastern Algeria

The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of a structured recreational program based on traditional games on developing coordinative abilities in children aged 6–10 from southeastern Algeria. Using a pre/post-test experimental design, 70 children were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group took part in a traditional sports program, while the control group underwent conventional physical education practices. Analysis demonstrated statistically significant improvements on all tested abilities - balance walking (F(1) = 79.842, p < 0.001), reaction speed (F(1) = 204.479, p < 0.001), motor coordination (F(1) = 77.560 p < 0.001), agility (F(1) = 37.114, p < 0.001) in the experimental group with large effect sizes for all variables assessed. ANCOVA suggested a significant group superiority for the experimental group. The results advocate for the inclusion of traditional games in primary school physical education curricula as an evidence-based approach to development.