An Exploration of Understanding Teaching Motor Skills Related to Self-Care Skills among Typical Preschool Children: Parents’ and Teachers’ Perspectives

Abstract

Introduction

Self-care skills are integral to how children manage their daily lives without help. Without good motor skills, the children have difficulty achieving independence in self-care.

Objectives

This study aimed to explore the understanding on teaching of motor skills related to self-care skills, factors inhibit teaching self-care and interest to have module as guidance to preschool children from the parent’s and teachers’ perspectives.

Method

This was a qualitative study approach that recruited eight participants, which included both parents and teachers. Parents and teachers involved in providing care to preschool children aged four to five years were selected for this study. The data were collected and recorded through semi-structured interviews individually. All the transcribed data were analysed by using thematic analysis.

Results

Findings indicated five themes that appeared as follows: ”Limited amount of knowledge”, ”Time constraints”, “Needs guidance”, ”Child’s factors”, and ”Non-standardised guidance”.

Conclusion

Parents show limited understanding of children’s needs and development. Parents and teachers lack awareness role of motor skills that could support self-care independence. Development motor skills module to support self-care skills as guidance is recommended, and further study could be considered to explore more on development of motor skill module to promote early self-care independent.

KEYWORDS:

• Self-care skills
• motor skills
• occupational therapist
• children
• teachers
• parents

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.