Contexts that Enable Motor Creativity in Free-Form Movement Games

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the environmental, social, and individual contexts that enable motor creativity in free-form movement games, using participant-generated mapping to capture lived experiences. A qualitative research design was employed, drawing on semi-structured interviews with 21 participants from Pakistan who had direct experience in free-form movement games. Participants were recruited using purposive sampling and data collection continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. All interviews, lasting 45–60 minutes, were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed thematically with the aid of NVivo 14 software. Coding followed an iterative process of open, axial, and selective coding to identify themes and subthemes that reflected participant perceptions of motor creativity. Strategies such as peer debriefing and maintaining an audit trail were used to ensure the trustworthiness of findings. Three overarching categories emerged from the analysis. Environmental enablers included flexible play spaces, availability of simple resources, safety and comfort, natural environments, spatial freedom, and sensory stimuli. Social and cultural contexts encompassed peer collaboration, cultural play traditions, family and community support, inclusive gender norms, coaching and facilitation styles, and social safety. Individual psychological and behavioral factors involved intrinsic motivation, risk-taking and experimentation, emotional expression, cognitive flexibility, self-efficacy, flow and absorption, and embodied awareness. Participant quotations illustrated how these elements interact to create conditions where novel motor actions and improvisations naturally arise. The findings highlight that motor creativity in free-form movement games is enabled by a dynamic interplay of environment, culture, and individual psychology. Recognizing and fostering these enabling contexts can inform the design of educational, recreational, and community programs that aim to promote creativity, inclusion, and well-being through movement-based play.