Exergames for children with motor skills problems

Abstract

Physical therapy helps children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) generalize motor functions executing different physical exercises through practice, repetition, and guidance. Children find task-repetition boring and guidance could not be provided outside the therapy-room in real life situations. Exergames are good in supporting motor therapeutic interventions as children find them engaging, but little has been said if the practicing of motor skills through exergaming enables skills generalization. The goal of this project is to investigate the impact of using exergames to help children with motor skills problems improve motor coordination and achieve motor skills generalization in real life situations. To date I have completed a contextual study to uncover the type of exercises children with DCD conduct during physical therapy, and inform the design of Froggy Bobby --an exergame supporting the motor skills generalization of children with DCD.