Changes in Fine Motor Performance of 5–6-Year-Old Children across Four Cooking Class Menus

Abstrak

Cooking class studies in early childhood typically report total scores, and the link between specific cooking menus and movement demands is rarely mapped explicitly. This study analyzed changes in fine motor performance scores among children aged 5–6 years after four cooking class sessions (doughnuts, cucumber ice drink, fruit skewers, and banana rolls) mapped to movement demands and observation indicators. A one-group pretest–posttest pre-experimental design was applied to 20 purposively selected children from one kindergarten in Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia. Data were collected with a 20-item structured observation sheet, which also contains several non-motor behaviors, and analyzed with a paired-samples t test. The pretest used modeling clay, whereas the posttest used real food materials. The mean score rose from 31.65 to 73.85, all children improved, p < .001, dz = 13.44. These findings indicate an increase in observed performance scores, not causal evidence that cooking classes improve fine motor development, because there was no comparison group, the measurement media differed, and the scores included non-motor behaviors. Pedagogically, varied manipulative activities may offer practice opportunities for hand–finger coordination.

Kata kunci

• Early Childhood
• cooking class
• fine motor skills
• observed performance
• pre-experimental design