Physical Benefits

Skill-play, based on physical activity, has both broad and complex physiological and psychological benefits for students. Amongst extensive physiological effects are coordination, ambidexterity, physical fitness, balance, rhythm, reflexes and psychomotor skills. On the other hand lie subtle but significant psychological effects, particularly left and right brain activity (bilaterality) and selective increases in the brain’s grey matter. Skill-play practice requires and maintains a level of fitness and agility pertaining to the development of apparatus skill.

The repetitive motions of throwing, catching, moving and lifting build and tone muscles whilst providing a cardio-vascular and pulmonary workout. Skill-play is an alternative to conventional sport involving low-impact aerobics, “rhythmically and energetically exercising the big muscles close to the head and the heart, pumping blood to the brain”. It rapidly develops ambidexterity, which is directly advantageous for physical activities, particularly other sports. Continued interaction with skill-play apparatus enhances balance, timing and reflexes, particularly brain controlled coordination (psychomotor skills), resulting in improvements in general physical awareness. Psychomotor skills involving gross and fine motor coordination are honed through the practice of skilled juggling apparatus.

This development of the brain in skill-play results in many psychological benefits for students, and is enhanced by bilateral activity – developing both sides of the brain, actualising creative and analytical potential. Author Dave Finnigan elucidates that bilaterality is inherent in skill-play: While they're learning to juggle, they're using the left side of the brain; when they're juggling, they're using the right side. After they've been juggling for a while, both sides of the brain are active. By engaging both hemispheres, skill-play appeals to multiple intelligences, left and right, analytical and creative. Another psychological benefit of skill-play is the effect on neuroplasticity, that is, shaping of the brain.

This relationship was explored in a recent study published in Nature (2004), in which individuals taught to juggle “showed a transient and selective structural change in brain areas used for processing and storage of complex visual motion” when compared to their own earlier brain scans and that of a control group. Interpersonal Benefits A less quantifiable but no less significant area of benefit is that of social consideration. Skill-play has much to offer as an inclusive and non-discriminate group activity. The integration of skill-play into school life creates a safe, pro-social physical activity for students, developing trust, respect and group stability. Put simply, there are no losers in skill-play education. Skill-play education is an inclusive alternative to typical competitive physical education and a positive model for cooperative learning. Competition is available through skill-play, directly and indirectly, through the use of skills in other sports, as well as through competition with others and one’s own past achievements. Overall, however, skill-play is extremely cooperative, creating a place for development of interpersonal skills.

As students learn new skills, they become able to teach skill-play to each other. Thus, students develop communication and cooperative roles in group activities. This gives interpersonal learners a way to excel. Other learning types – such as musical, spatial, and kinesthetic – are also provided for by skill-play education. Skill-play activities, by being accessible to students of any age, gender, background, physical skill, fitness, experience or ability, create “a great medium for kids to learn how to accept differences.”

It provides an equal playing field and a suitable educational activity to students with disabilities, behavioural problems and students not interested in team sports. Unmotivated students are reported to have learnt new skills, gained confidence and learnt to work as part of a team through the practice of skilled juggling apparatus. Additionally, skill-play activities have been linked to improvements in learning disorders such as ADHD and Dyslexia.