An Investigation Of The Effect Of Puzzles On Preschoolers’ Developmental Areas

  • Neriman Aral Ankara University and Afyon Kocatepe University
  • Figen Gürsoy Ankara University and Afyon Kocatepe University
  • Münevver Can-Yaşar Ankara University and Afyon Kocatepe University
Keywords: Preschool Education, Developmental Areas (Cognitive, Language, Psychomotor, Social And Emotional Development), Puzzle.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of puzzles on preschoolers’ developmental areas. Two classes were chosen randomly among all the classes at an elementary school: one class (with 14 children) as the control group and one as the experimental group (again with 14 children). The data was collected by means of a ‘Demographic Information Form’ and a ‘Preschool Developmental Evaluation Form’ that measures children´s developmental characteristics. Since the children’s scores in ‘Preschool Developmental Evaluation Form’ did not show normal distribution, Mann-Whitney U Test was used to analyze the data. We could not find any significant difference between the pretest and posttest mean scores in both groups. However, the experimental group’s post-test mean scores were found to be higher than mean posttest scores of children in the control group. These results suggest that puzzles as instructional materials can be effective in supporting children’s developmental areas.

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Published
2012-04-10
Section
Articles