A quarter of Irish primary school kids cannot run properly, one in two can’t kick a ball properly and less than one in five can’t throw a ball.

The research by DCU Dublin City University of over 2000 primary school kids between 5 and 12 looked at skills development of children and their skills around, running, jumping, catching and kicking. 

These are known as fundamental movement skills, they should be achieved by the age of 8. If kids don’t master these basic skills they could be turned off sports in teenage years, feeling self conscious and become unhealthy in adulthood leading to obesity.

Boys had good throwing and catching skills and girls were better at balancing and skipping. Overall boys and girls were very involved in GAA.

Henry McKean has been out meeting the experts behind the ‘Moving Well - Being Well Project.’