Stimulation of Children's Cognitive Abilities Through Educational Games Based on Problem Solving Activities
Keywords:
Problem Solving, Cognitive Development, Early Childhood, Educational Games.Abstract
Cognitive development in early childhood is a crucial aspect that must be stimulated from an early age to help children think critically, logically, and adaptively in facing various challenges. One effective method to enhance cognitive abilities is through educational games based on problem-solving activities. Hasan and Husein stated that educational and traditional games can improve children's abilities in strategic thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving. This study aims to explore the role of educational games in stimulating the cognitive development of early childhood learners at PAUD Ummul Habibah. The research used a qualitative approach with observation and interview techniques. The results show that games such as puzzles, number boards, letter boards, and building blocks can improve concentration, symbol recognition, and logical thinking skills. Educational games based on problem-solving activities can be an enjoyable and effective approach in early childhood learning.
References
Cynthia, A., & Munisa, M. (2025). Analysis of the impact of YouTube and TikTok addiction on early childhood: A literature review. Cheerful: Journal of Early Childhood Education Study Program, 14(2), 382–394. https://doi.org/10.31000/ceria.v14i2.14392
Diamond, A. (2020). Executive functions. Annual Review of Psychology, 71, 143–168.
Doebel, S. (2020). Rethinking executive function and its development. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 15(4), 942–956.
Fatima, N., Hill, A. C., Dover, A. R., & Faisal, M. (2025). Cognitive stimulation interventions for the prevention and management of delirium: A narrative review. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 16.
Gültepe, N., Koçoğlu, S., & Yıldırım, B. (2025). Effects of mood and cognitive stimulation on creativity: The role of task type. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 45, 101275. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2025.101275
Hasan, M., & Husein, A. (2024). Traditional games as a means of cognitive stimulation and early childhood problem solving. Indonesian Journal of Early Childhood Education, 9(1), 44–55.
Lubis, S. I. A., Parapat, A., & Tumiran. (2022). The role of educational games in early childhood learning at PAUD Ummul Habibah Kelambir V Medan. NUSANTARA: Journal of Social Sciences, 9(9), 2562–2574. https://jurnal.um-tapsel.ac.id/index.php/nusantara/article/view/8083
Miller, P. H. (2020). Theories of developmental psychology (6th ed.). Worth Publishers.
Munisa, M., Parapat, A., Nofianti, R., & Pratiwi, E. (2023). Improving children's language skills through storytelling activities at Kindergarten Negeri Pembina I Medan. Journal of Human and Education, 3(2), 75–79. https://jahe.or.id/index.php/jahe/index
Novitasari, Y., & Prastyo, D. (2020). The analysis of cognitive ability in solving mathematical problems is reviewed from the learning style of students. Journal of Mathematics Education, 1.
Pahrul, Y., & Amalia, R. (2021). A method of playing in a circle to develop early childhood cognitive abilities. Journal of Obsession: Journal of Early Childhood Education, 5(2), 1464–1471.
Parapat, A., Lubis, S. I. A., & Tumiran. (2021). The role of educational games in early childhood learning at PAUD Ummul Habibah Kelambir V Medan. Proceedings of the 2021 Halal National Seminar, Panca Budi Development University, 153–156.
Taniguchi, T., Ishiguro, H., Kawai, T., & Okanohara, D. (2025). Beyond dual-process theories: Quad-process model for social and embodied cognition. Cognitive Systems Research, 85, 100054. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogsys.2025.100054
Whildan, A. (2021). Early childhood cognitive development in the perspective of educational psychology. Scientific Journal of Basic Education, 6(1), 34–47.
Widya, R., Rozana, S., Ependi, R., & Yanti, N. (2025). Analysis of the effectiveness of loose parts as an interactive literacy learning medium for early childhood. ESCAF 4th 2025, 2962–7710 (p-ISSN), 3021–8594 (e-ISSN).
Yohana, S., Mtenga, S., & Msuya, J. (2024). Implementation of cognitive stimulation therapy for dementia in low-resource settings: A Tanzanian case study. International Psychogeriatrics, 36(1), 25–33.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Silvia Tri Swara, Munisa; Rita Nofianti
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
International Conference On Islamic Community Studies, Education and Science, its website, and the articles published therein are licensed under a 
