This study aimed to empirically examine how childcare providers can support children’s motor skills during stilts play, using the OPTIMAL theory as a theoretical framework. Specifically, the study focused on a 5-year-old girl (Child A) who had begun to actively engage in stilts play, and her homeroom childcare provider (Teacher B). We had discussions with Teacher B regarding the key concepts of the OPTIMAL theory before implementing motor skills support in alignment with the theory. The results showed that the introduction of External Focus facilitated the automatization of movements. In addition, support that encouraged autonomous challenge contributed to increased motivation and deeper engagement in play for Child A. These findings suggest that the application of the OPTIMAL theory may be effective in promoting motor learning and the development of play in young children.
However, caution is required when generalizing the findings, as the study focused on a single child and a specific activity involving stilts. Moreover, since stilts play has the advantage of producing outcomes that are visually easy to assess, the applicability of this approach to other types of physical play remains an area for future investigation.
