Aquatic Exposure and Motor Proficiency in Children: A Systematic Review
Description
Aquatic environments provide distinctive physical and sensory conditions that may support children’s motor development. This systematic review synthesised evidence on the relationship between aquatic exposure and motor proficiency in children. It examined the characteristics of existing studies, reported motor outcomes, patterns of aquatic programme implementation, and gaps in the literature. The review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Searches were conducted in Scopus, Web of Science, and ERA for studies published between 2022 and 2026 using terms related to aquatic exposure, children, and motor proficiency. Of the 136 records initially identified, 23 studies were included in the qualitative synthesis following screening and eligibility assessment. The reviewed studies covered structured swimming instruction, aquatic therapy, infant water stimulation, school-based aquatic education, and aquatic assessment. Overall, the studies reported favourable outcomes in gross motor development, particularly balance, coordination, locomotor performance, postural control, and overall motor competence. Some evidence also indicated the potential transfer of aquatic learning to land-based motor performance. However, object-control skills received limited attention, and substantial variation was observed in study populations, programme duration, participation frequency, research design, and outcome measures. The evidence was predominantly based on structured, short-term programmes, whereas natural and informal aquatic exposure and direct comparisons between urban and rural environments remained underexplored. Future research should employ more consistent intervention reporting, validated motor assessments, and longitudinal or comparative designs to clarify the long-term and context-specific contribution of aquatic exposure to children’s motor development.