The Impact of Play with Unstructured Materials on the Cognitive Development of Preschool Children
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55707/ds-po.v41i2.226Keywords:
play, unstructured materials, preschool children, cognitive development, educator, kindergartenAbstract
The paper conceptualises play in early childhood as a central mechanism of cognitive development, whose effects are contingent on the type of materials, the child’s age and prior knowledge, the quality of social interactions, and the characteristics of the learning environment. Materials are not merely a passive backdrop, but act as pedagogical stimuli that shape the type, duration, and depth of engagement. Particular significance is attached to unstructured loose parts play materials, which, through non-prescriptive use, encourage planning, hypothesis testing, and strategy adjustment, thereby fostering the development of executive functions, cognitive flexibility, spatial-linguistic competences, and persistence in problem solving. Their impact is maximised when embedded within the pedagogical learning environment of the “third educator” and supported by guided play, which links children’s curiosity with curricular objectives through open-ended questioning, modelling, and the gradual withdrawal of adult scaffolding. Play simultaneously enhances intrinsic motivation, sustaining long-term engagement and facilitating knowledge transfer. Moreover, unstructured materials enable developmentally appropriate differentiation without stigmatisation, as the same set supports multiple levels of difficulty while maintaining opportunities for collaborative learning.
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