Stimulating Early Childhood Symbolic Thinking Skills Through Educational Number Games

Abstract

Symbolic thinking is an important aspect of early childhood cognitive development, related to the ability to understand symbols, including numbers. However, in practice, many children still experience difficulties in recognizing and using number symbols optimally. This study aims to determine how to stimulate early childhood symbolic thinking through educational number games. This study used a qualitative approach with a case study method. Data were obtained through observation, interviews, and documentation of children aged 5–6 years. The results showed that educational number games can improve children's symbolic thinking skills through several aspects, namely: recognition of number symbols, understanding the relationship between numbers and quantities, symbol classification skills, symbolic representation skills, and increasing children's interest in learning. Thus, educational number games can be an effective strategy in developing early childhood symbolic thinking skills.