Pengembangan Kemampuan Berpikir Kritis Anak Usia Dini melalui APE “Kotak Ajaib” Berbasis Eksplorasi
Kata Kunci:
berpikir kritis, alat permainan edukatif, anak usia dini, eksplorasiAbstrak
Kemampuan berpikir kritis merupakan salah satu kompetensi penting yang perlu dikembangkan sejak usia dini untuk mendukung perkembangan kognitif dan kemampuan pemecahan masalah anak. Namun, ketersediaan media pembelajaran yang inovatif di lembaga pendidikan anak usia dini masih relatif terbatas. Kegiatan pengabdian kepada masyarakat ini bertujuan untuk meningkatkan kemampuan berpikir kritis anak usia dini melalui penggunaan Alat Permainan Edukatif (APE) “Kotak Ajaib” berbasis eksplorasi di RA Angkasa Jaya Surakarta. Kegiatan melibatkan 24 anak usia 4-5 tahun dan dilaksanakan melalui tahapan observasi, persiapan, implementasi, serta evaluasi. APE “Kotak Ajaib” memuat berbagai aktivitas edukatif seperti menyusun huruf, mengenal bentuk geometri, membedakan perilaku baik dan buruk, kegiatan berhitung, serta latihan motorik halus. Hasil kegiatan menunjukkan bahwa anak menjadi lebih aktif, fokus, percaya diri, serta mampu menyelesaikan permasalahan sederhana secara mandiri. Guru juga memberikan tanggapan positif terhadap penggunaan media karena dinilai efektif membantu proses pembelajaran. Dengan demikian, APE “Kotak Ajaib” berbasis eksplorasi dapat menjadi media pembelajaran inovatif yang efektif dalam menstimulasi kemampuan berpikir kritis dan mendukung berbagai aspek perkembangan anak usia dini.
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