University of Zagreb

Faculty of Kinesiology

Laboratory for Motor Development

LABORATORY HEAD: Assist. prof. Sanja Šalaj

ASSOCIATES: Assist. prof. Katarina Ohnjec, Mateja Deranja, mag. cin., Ana Tihi, mag. cin, Maja Vukelja, mag. cin., Daniela Gudelj Šimunović, mag. cin., Mia Masnjak, prof. psych., Vanja Lakovnik, prof. edu. reh.

The laboratory is currently conducting more research focused on children's motor skills, children's physical activity and interventions aimed at improving children's knowledge and abilities, increasing children's physical activity and improving health and reducing the risk of obesity.

LABORATORY ACTIVITIES:

• Research on children's motor competencies and the factors on which they depend

• Research on the impact of different exercise programs on children's motor skills

• measurement and analysis of the overall development of children, graphomotor skills, motor knowledge and motor and functional abilities of children aged 3-18

• individual recommendations based on measured motor status

• organization of workshops on the development and movement of children

EQUIPMENT:

• Test of Gross Motor Development - 2nd edition (battery of tests of locomotor and manipulative motor skills of children aged 3-10)

• Bruininks Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency - 2nd edition (battery of tests to assess fine and gross motor skills and motor abilities of children up to 21 years)

• Omron pedometers

• Parents' Evaluation of Developmental Status (questionnaire on the overall development of children)

• Ages and Stages Questionnaire - 3rd Edition (questionnaire on the overall development and level of motor skills of children aged 0-6)

• Ages and Stages Socio-emotional Development Questionnaire - 2nd Edition (questionnaire on socio-emotional development of children 0-6 years)

PROJECTS:

• 2015-2018: Croatian Science Foundation: Motor skills of preschool children (UIP-2014-09-5428)

• 2015-2018: Reiffeisen Bank: How and how much do preschool children exercise?

• 2014-2017: Croatian Medical Association: PETICA - a game to health

• 2017: Croatian Institute of Public Health within the National Program "Living Healthy" activity "Volunteers in the Park"

• 2018-2019: Differences in motor skills and abilities between selected and unselected groups of children in sports games