Physical education is a crucial component of the school education process, helping develop students' physical abilities, motor skills, and social and emotional skills. Physical education in elementary schools includes gymnastics. Gymnastics lessons aim not only to improve physical fitness but also to train students' motor coordination, balance, courage, and self-confidence (Budi & Listiandi, 2021). In the context of elementary school education, gymnastic skills such as straddle jumps are basic movements that are crucial to master because they support the development of fundamental motor skills in elementary school-aged children (Tauchid, Warni, & Kahri, 2020).

However, in elementary school physical education lessons, many students still struggle to perform the straddle jump correctly. This movement requires optimal coordination between the run-up, takeoff, body position during flight, and landing (Habibi & Tjaahyo Kuntjoro, 2023). Students' difficulties in mastering these skills are often influenced by monotonous, teacher-centered learning methods, leading to a lack of motivation to participate in the learning process actively. Monotonous learning situations can reduce students' interest in learning and participation in physical activities, especially in gymnastics material, which some students find difficult and challenging (Dupri et al., 2021).

One of the most recommended approaches in physical education is game-based learning. This strategy emphasizes active, enjoyable learning and offers students a wider variety of movement experiences (Marcella, 2022). Previous research, according to Rejeki et al (2024), shows that game-based learning can increase student participation, learning motivation, and basic motor skills in school-age children. This approach also allows students to learn motor skills in a more interactive, context-based way. These activities enhance the learning process (Fauzi et al., 2023).

Several previous studies have shown that integrating games into physical education learning can improve motor skills, movement coordination, and student involvement in physical activity. (Sudrazat & Rustiawan, 2020). Game activities provide students with the opportunity to practice movements repeatedly in a more enjoyable context and free from learning pressures (Handayani et al., 2023). In addition, game-based learning can foster a more collaborative learning environment, increase students' self-confidence, and support the development of social skills through student interactions (Petruk et al., 2022). For example, a study by Masitoh (2021) titled "The Application of Frog Jump Training to Improve Elementary School Students' Squat Style Long Jump Results" shows how frog jump training affects students' long jump abilities in elementary school. Furthermore, a study by Suharnoko and Firmansyah (2018) titled "Development of a Jumping Learning Model Through Mirror Jump Games for Elementary School Students" focuses on developing a mirror jump game model as an effort to improve students' jumping abilities in general. Although both studies make important contributions to the development of game-based learning models in physical education, they have not comprehensively examined how the combination of various game variations affects specific gymnastics skills, such as the straddle jump, in elementary school students.

Although several studies have shown the effectiveness of game-based learning approaches in improving students' motor skills, most remain focused on developing basic motor skills in general or on implementing only one type of game in the learning process (Estrellado et al., 2023). Research specifically exploring the impact of combining various game variations on the improvement of gymnastics skills, especially straddle jump movements, among elementary school students remains relatively limited (Louk et al., 2023).

In light of these issues, this study focuses on the low-straddle jump gymnastics skills of elementary school students, which are caused by the limited variety of learning methods in physical education. This situation indicates that further research is needed, particularly in integrating various types of games designed to train the movement phases in straddle jump gymnastics (Kollo et al., 2024). Therefore, innovation in learning is needed to increase student involvement and provide more diverse movement experiences through a game-based learning approach (Asmi et al., 2018).

In line with these issues, the purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of variations in game-based learning on the improvement of straddle jump gymnastics skills in elementary school students. The game variations in this study included frog jumps, mirror jumps, rope jumping, and hopscotch, designed to train the movement components of straddle jump gymnastics: approach, takeoff, floating position, and stance.

Based on this conceptual framework, the proposed research hypothesis is that applying variations of game-based learning in physical education improves straddle jump gymnastics skills in elementary school students. Therefore, this research is expected to provide theoretical and practical contributions to the development of physical education learning models in elementary schools, particularly in improving gymnastics skills through a more innovative, active, and enjoyable learning approach for students.

The study's findings show data analysis of students' straddle jump gymnastics abilities before and after game modifications in sports learning. Forty-fourth-grade students at Citungku Elementary School completed pre- and posttests, which provided the data. The SPSS version 27 software was used to process the data. Based on the findings of the straddle jump skill assessments, Table 1 displays the average pretest and posttest scores.

As presented in Table 1, the pretest scores for students’ straddle jump performance (N = 40) had a mean of 58.00 and a standard deviation of 12.82. The scores ranged from 33.00 to 83.00. Recognizing this data highlights the effort involved, which can make the audience feel appreciated for their contribution to understanding student performance. The posttest results showed a mean of 74.77, a standard deviation of 12.79, and a score range of 50.00 to 100.00.

To assess data distribution, a normality test was conducted using the Shapiro–Wilk method, as the sample size was below 50. Explaining that significance values guide interpretation helps the audience feel more involved and confident in the analysis process. A significance value greater than 0.05 indicates that the data are normally distributed, whereas a value below 0.05 suggests a deviation from normality. The results of the normality test are summarized in Table 2.

The results of the paired-samples t-test (Table 3) showed a statistically significant difference between pretest and posttest scores. With a sample size of 40, the analysis yielded a t-value of −9.894 and a two-tailed significance value of 0.001. Since the p-value is below the 0.05 threshold, the improvement in scores is statistically significant.

The findings indicated that students' scores in straddle jump gymnastics improved with the introduction of game-based learning. Empirical data indicated that the average score of students rose from 58.00 in the pretest to 74.76 in the posttest, with a paired t-test yielding a statistically significant result (t = -9.894, p < 0.05). The data suggest that the learning activities conducted during the intervention period correlated with enhanced student performance in executing the straddle jump movement.

From a pedagogical standpoint in physical education, these enhancements might be ascribed to the delivery of diverse movement experiences via play activities. The activities included in this study, including frog jumping, mirror jumping, rope jumping, and hopscotch, encompass movement patterns pertinent to the primary elements of the straddle jump: the approach, push-off, body coordination throughout flight, and landing control. Students engage in repetitive-movement workouts through play activities that incorporate locomotor movements. Prior research indicates that varied movement experiences and consistent practice are crucial for the cultivation of motor skills in physical education (Lestari et al., 2025).

The results of this study corroborate prior studies emphasizing the efficacy of game-based learning methodologies in physical education. Fauzi (2023) indicated that including traditional games in physical education classes enhances fundamental motor skills and student engagement in physical activity. This study's results further illustrate that game-based methods can facilitate the acquisition of specific gymnastics skills. The enhanced scores observed in this study suggest that game activities can serve as a medium for movement training, enabling students to engage in repetitive repetition within a more stimulating learning environment.

Moreover, the findings of this study corroborate prior research investigating the utilization of gaming activities to enhance jumping proficiency in primary school students. Suharnoko & Firmansyah (2018) found that mirror-jumping exercises enhance students' jumping proficiency and motor coordination. The study employed a singular game activity as a training medium. In contrast to that study, this research employed multiple game variations to train different movement components associated with straddle leaping in gymnastics. The combined implementation of various gaming activities offers students the opportunity to acquire a broader range of movement experiences, hence enhancing the development of more comprehensive motor abilities (Salsabila et al., 2025).

This study's findings also impact physical education teaching strategies in primary schools. Gymnastics techniques, such as the straddle jump, are frequently perceived as challenging by students due to the necessity of body synchronization, propulsive strength, and the audacity to execute the jump (Anggraeni et al., 2025). Incorporating play-based activities into the educational process helps foster a more dynamic and pleasurable learning atmosphere, consequently enhancing student participation in movement training programs. Prior studies have demonstrated that a play-based learning environment can enhance student motivation and involvement in physical education (Ansharullah et al., 2026).

This study demonstrates that the application of diverse game-based learning techniques can enhance the straddle vault gymnastics skills of elementary school students. Activities such as frog vault, mirror vault, jump rope, and hopscotch offer varied movement experiences, helping kids develop coordination, push-off strength, aerial body control, and enhanced landing skills. This method fosters a more dynamic and engaging learning atmosphere, promoting student involvement in the physical education curriculum.

The findings substantiate that employing a diverse array of games constitutes an effective pedagogical approach for imparting gymnastics abilities in elementary education. Therefore, physical education teachers are advised to integrate structured game activities into their lessons to enhance students' movement experiences and motor skill mastery. Future research might employ a more rigorous experimental design and a larger sample to strengthen findings on the efficacy of game-based learning in physical education.

The author gratefully acknowledges their supervisor's guidance and valuable feedback throughout this study. Appreciation is also extended to the school management and parents of students at Citungku Elementary School for their cooperation and permission to conduct the research. The author further thanks colleagues who assisted with data collection and all parties who contributed to the completion of this work.

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

No external financial support was received for the conduct of this research.

The author declares no conflict of interest.