Visual-motor integration requires effective coordination of a person's visual system and motor system. The development of visual-motor integration plays an important role during the early childhood years, as related deficiencies can negatively impact a child's academic, social, and emotional functioning. This study examined the effect of a school gardening program on preschool children's development of visual-motor integration.
Two groups of preschool children (age 2-6) participated in the study. One group (the treatment group) participated in a gardening program; the other group (the control group) did not. Children in both groups attended schools having no active garden onsite in the past year. Control group schools were matched as closely as possible to the treatment group schools based on school atmosphere, student demographics, teaching methodologies, age of children served, and interest in a garden program. During the research project – which extended over a six-month period – children in the treatment group were involved at least every other week in basic gardening activities, such as watering, planting, harvesting, and pulling weeds. Efforts were made to plant both seeds and transplants – mostly for annual vegetable crops, but also for flowers. A short form of the Beery-Buktenica visual-motor integration instrument was administered individually to all of the participating children before and after the six-month period. Eighty-one children completed both the before and after assessments.
Pre- to posttest changes in scores for the treatment group showed an average improvement of 1.75; control group scores decreased on average by 2.27 points. While these results show no significant differences between the treatment and control groups' change in visual–motor integration scores from pre- to posttests, the decreased scores for the control group indicates that visual–motor integration for children in this group did not maintain consistent ability levels. Another notable finding relates to gender. When just the male students were considered, significant differences were found. Scores for males in the treatment group improved; scores for males in the control group decreased.
This research suggests that male preschoolers may respond especially well to gardening programs in developing visual-motor integration. The research also suggests that school garden programs in early childhood settings can be an interesting way to promote visual-motor integration in young children, and thus better preparing them for academic and personal success in later years.
Research Partner