CIAPSE Congress: Holistic approaches to childhood development. Book of abstracts

Through movement, children actively engage with their physical and social environments, gaining essential experiences and learning to evaluate their abilities. During early school age, they develop motor and social-emotional competencies, along with their self-perception in social settings, such as in sports clubs, family interactions, and peer relationships (e.g. through movement games During free time or on the playground) and Physical Education.

The successful development of these competencies is crucial for participating in sports and leisure activities, fostering a physically active lifestyle, and promoting both physical and mental health. So far, motor competencies have largely been studied in isolation within their respective scientific fields, leaving a significant research gap in understanding how these competencies interact with and impact children’s social-emotional, cognitive and academic competencies, as well as their overall well-being.

The CIAPSE (Congrès International sur l’activité physique et le sport chez l’enfant) congress 2025 aims to broaden the field of motor development research to get a more holistic view of childhood development, incorporating socio-emotional, cognitive and academic competencies.