It also found that fundamental movement skills such as running, jumping, catching and kicking plateau and stop progressing when children reach the age of 10. One of the authors of the DCU report, Stephen Behan, who is assistant professor at the school of health and human performance, says fundamental movement skills in Ireland are “quite low. We know that there is a decline, and that they’re getting worse.”Children who have better proficiency in fundamental movement skills go on to be more active in their teenage years, he explains. Kids are great mimickers'As grim as the statistics around children’s fundamental movement skills appear, Behan believes knowledge is power. We know interventions to improve fundamental movement skills work.”Mullally says she believes screens have played an instrumental role in this.

Source: The Irish Times January 31, 2026 07:32 UTC