The Future Meets the Past: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Metaleisure and Retro Leisure Activities in Children’s Physical Fitness

The study aimed to compare the effects of metaleisure and retro leisure on physical fitness in children. During an eight-week training, 87 healthy children aged 8–11 were randomized into three groups: metaleisure group (MG), retro leisure group (RG), and control group (CG). Physical performance was evaluated using five standardized field-based tests: 20-meter sprint, vertical jump, handgrip strength, T-agility test, and overhead ball throw. The RG showed statistically significant improvements in all physical performance measures, including the 20-metre sprint, vertical jump, T-agility, and overhead ball throw (all p < 0.001). The MG demonstrated significant improvements in grip strength (p = 0.031) and T-agility (p = 0.001). The CG exhibited significant declines in vertical jump (p = 0.002), grip strength (p = 0.002), and ball throw (p = 0.008). Traditional games were more effective than the single-user VR-based exergaming program in improving agility and muscular strength in children. Future studies are needed to examine the long-term effects of metaleisure and retro leisure activities.