Ranie Damayanti
Mohamad Syarif Sumantri
Yuliani Nurani- 1Department of Early Childhood Education, Jakarta State University, East Jakarta, Indonesia
- 2Department of Elementary Teacher Education, Jakarta State University, East Jakarta, Indonesia
The COVID-19 pandemic worldwide has had significant repercussions for early childhood education. In this article, we begin by discussing the impact of a world health pandemic on education and the challenges of conducting a literature review following the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, we examine the challenges of conducting a literature review on building resilience in young children in the digital era. The four sections categorize the resilience literature into the following themes: (1) defining resilience in young children, (2) powerful play for resilience in young children beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, (3) creative play building resilience in young children, and (4) digital puzzles for resilience: the case of early childhood classrooms in Indonesia. Each of the four themes is presented with a narrative whose content is current, followed by a literary consensus. The article ends with changes to build resilience in young children using creative play through digital puzzles. Digital puzzles as media for creative play support young children in developing skills that will make them happier and more resilient in overcoming daily hardships. Young children can become individuals who successfully face daily hardships creatively to reconstruct themselves after experiencing bad conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on young children’s resilience and the benefits of play
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the mental health of children worldwide. Research has shown that young people are experiencing increased fear, sleep disturbances, poor appetite, inattention, and separation disorders (Beal, 2021). To adjust to the changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, they should possess the psychological skill of resilience, which allows for new habits. The promotion of resilience is now a crucial aspect of early childhood education. However, studies examining resilience within early childhood education remain scarce (Furu et al., 2023). The COVID-19 pandemic has also driven the early childhood education system to the brink of collapse and mobilized leading early childhood organizations to protect early childhood education programs (National Association for the Education of Young Children, 2020; Zero to Three, 2020).
Studies on resilience state that play develops resilience in young children (Garrett, 2014; Nicholson and Kurtz, 2023). Dyrfjoro and Hreidarsdottir point out that play impacts children’s well-being (Dyrfjoro and Hreidarsdottir, 2022). From a developmental perspective, play functions by developing various skill sets that optimize young children’s development and manage stress. Some previous research has shown that when developmentally appropriate, they can build executive function and a more prosocial brain through play. Both play functions can improve psychomotor, language, cognitive, social–emotional, and self-regulation skills, allowing young children to respond to and overcome challenges (Nijhof et al., 2018; Yogman et al., 2018). All at once, the abovementioned evidence suggests that play is a highly effective context for young children to develop all the foundations of resilience.
Issues with conducting a literature review on resilience in young children beyond the COVID-19 pandemic
This article reports a literature study on resilience in young children, with search methods used to identify and evaluate relevant literature based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) model by Moher et al. (2009). Moher’s model consists of four systematic review stages: identification, screening, eligibility, and inclusion. The Google online database was employed to identify literature because of its extensive multidisciplinary coverage and reach. The search used the following terms in various combinations: resilience, early childhood education, creative play, digital puzzles, and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. The search was not limited to the year of publication of the literature found. We identified additional literature through government or educational organization websites. Second, there came the screening of literature on relevant topics with a focus on international and national indexes. This included quantitative, qualitative, and research and development: policy documents from global organizations, literature reviews conducted by professionals representing various fields, and resources prepared by leading professional associations. Third, we assessed the eligibility of the literature from the screening stage. Fourth, we included four themes synthesized from the literature review. Each theme highlighted crucial issues in the published scientific literature. These themes were (1) defining resilience in young children, (2) powerful play for resilience in young children beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, (3) creative play building resilience in young children, and (4) digital puzzles for resilience: the case of early childhood classrooms in Indonesia.
What is the definition of resilience in young children?
The concept of resilience is not new. However, precisely defining it remains a challenge. Numerous variations in definitions of resilience exist in the literature, and these definitions have evolved. The most common definitions predominantly have two parts. The first component is exposure to risk/adversity that commonly threatens favorable outcomes, and the second component is that the individual exposed to said risk/adversity responds relatively well (Masten and Reed, 2002). The table shows examples from some of the most prominent authors found during the literature review. Based on the findings of several definitions of resilience in young children gathered by Schafer (2022), we carried out further searches from different literature (see Table 1).
Table 1. Definitions of resilience in the literature.
One of the most crucial implications of the definitions outlined above is the idea that the resilience of a developing child has both physiological and psychological ramifications. Young children’s capacity to adapt to challenges depends on their relationships and systems outside the individual through processes involved in recovering from adversity. In this context, resilience is the ability to adapt to, withstand, or recover from stressors, challenges, or trauma resulting from a combination of both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Researchers have stated that resilience is not a static process but a set of capabilities that can grow and develop (Svendsen et al., 2020; Forkey et al., 2021). If resilience is a dynamic process of positive adaptation despite significant adversity, then resilience is not a fixed ability or characteristic. Resilience includes skills that can be modeled, taught, practiced, strengthened, and learned. Through a give-and-take relationship that is safe, stable, and in a state of constant growth and development, young children will be able to achieve resilience. It occurs through play, exploration, and exposure to various routine activities and resources as skill-building exercises (Masten, 2001; Utami et al., 2021).
Powerful play for resilience in young children beyond the COVID-19 pandemic
Play is an easy, natural, and universal practice for building resilience. Play comes naturally to all children and is a seemingly simple and enjoyable phenomenon (Masten, 2001; IICBA, 2019; Yoleri, 2020; Gidado and Tosin, 2022). As Parker et al. (2022) posit, learning through play is a powerful, measurable, and successful approach to ensure young children develop in a balanced way, particularly during times of crisis. Moreover, play can develop holistic skills and young children’s resilience to thrive in a changing world (Right to Play UNESCO, 2018; Nicholson and Kurtz, 2023).
Play can support the development of resilience in young children because playing provides opportunities for them to develop various life skills for respite from stressful circumstances (Pearson et al., 2017). Folostina et al. (2015) investigated the impact of play on children’s resilience at risk, and the results revealed an increase in self-confidence and a reduction in disruptive behaviors. In addition, play can mitigate the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), building young children’s resilience and flexibility when facing uncertainty due to massive societal disturbances such as the COVID-19 pandemic (Guirguis and Longley, 2021; Herndon and Waggoner, 2021; McKenzie, 2021). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), ACEs are traumatic events outside the realm of typical developmental experiences that occur during early childhood. ACEs include various traumatic events such as sexual and emotional violence (Hartati et al., 2020), parental neglect, financial hardships, household dysfunction, and loss of family members (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020).
Edith Grotberg, Senior Scientist and Developmental Psychologist at the Civitan International Research Center at the University of Alabama, stated that young children need to build resilience to overcome various adversities in life. They cannot accomplish it alone. They require adults who promote resilience (Grotberg, 1995). As a result, we need appropriate types of play for young children to foster resilience, particularly to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Creative play building resilience in young children
Play can take numerous different shapes: communication play, deep play, dramatic play, exploratory play, fantasy and imaginative play, locomotor play, mastery play, object play, recapitulative play, role play, rough and tumble play, social play, socio-dramatic play, symbolic play, and creative play (Hughes, 2006). Experts have identified numerous types of playing that offer distinct benefits to children. Plenty of play types indicate a range of behaviors and how they may influence physical, mental, and emotional development. Creative play is one of the most apparent in staffed play areas. It is more than offering young children access to resources and is not creating something based on templates or instructions. Playfulness, open-mindedness, and thinking “outside the box” indicate a desirable and highly esteemed state where they naturally get involved.
As the name suggests, creative play is an activity that involves children’s creativity while playing (Wardhani and Kusumaningtyas, 2022). It is widely recognized that play and creativity are essential elements as integrated domains that impact early childhood learning and development (Avgitidou, 2016; Tee et al., 2017; Marsh et al., 2018). Woods et al. (1999) emphasized creativity in child-centered teaching. Creativity is closely related to problem-solving, curiosity, the ability to adapt to the environment, physical motor and mental health, and communication (May, 2011; Catalano, 2018; Bazhydai and Westermann, 2020; Fernández-Díaz et al., 2021; Runco, 2021; Fairclough, 2022). Therefore, creativity has a crucial relationship with resilience (Metzl and Morrell, 2008; Zutshi et al., 2021; Glover, 2022; De Lorenzo et al., 2023). Here, we classify and analyze literature about creative play and creativity in building resilience in young children (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Learning outcomes through creative play for resilience in young children.
Numerous strategic media options can build resilience in early childhood education. In this article, digital puzzles are a game tool to build resilience for young children, particularly beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. Zhang et al. (2023) revealed that there is literature documenting the surge in young children’s use of digital media during the COVID-19 pandemic: digital puzzles are an appropriate play medium because they are digital based and have become familiar.
Why are digital puzzles essential?
Play is never absent in human life, particularly among children. The activity of playing requires a game. According to a report by Whitebread et al. (2012) on the value of children’s play, young children are highly motivated to make sense of their world when enjoying games. There are two types of games: digital games and non-digital games. Digital games refer to playing on computers, mobile or portable devices, or gaming, whereas non-digital games may involve physical interaction and tools.
Amidst the rapid technological advancements following COVID-19, various online tools foster resilience in young children, such as online board games, Ultaco games, and digital puzzles (Alexander et al., 2019; Fadlillah and Setyowahyudi, 2021; Maresch and Kampman, 2022; Wang et al., 2023). Our study outlines a new puzzle to promote resilience in the digital domain. As preschool teachers and parents utilize digital technology to enhance young children’s learning capabilities (Iasha et al., 2018; Enochsson and Ribaeus, 2021; Sonnenschein et al., 2023), playing with the aid of digital technology is a significant part of early childhood education (Ethridge et al., 2022; Nurani et al., 2022). Innovation through play is essential in early childhood education (Fragkiadaki et al., 2021). Unexpectedly, the COVID-19 pandemic moved the learning process from face-to-face instruction to distance learning via technology utilization (Alvarez, 2020; Cardullo et al., 2021). This move caused substantial shock in early childhood education as children were unprepared for online education and its challenges (Munawaroh and Nurmalasari, 2021). Karta et al. (2022) discuss symptoms of depression in early childhood. They state that remote learning, family circumstances, and mental resilience influenced resilience in young children. This fact caused confusion among teachers and parents to provide the best stimulation for young children (Muhdi and Yuliejantiningsih, 2020; Choudhury et al., 2022).
At the global level, several leading studies in creativity and developmental science have produced designs for play models based on digital technology to foster young children’s curiosity, confidence, and resilience in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic (Ernst and Burcak, 2019; Teichert et al., 2021; Burke et al., 2023). At the height of the pandemic, digital technology strengthened the skills young children need through play (Tonkin, 2019; Kauffmann et al., 2020; Lourenço et al., 2021). In this paper, ‘digital technology’ refers to physical devices (i.e., computers, tablets, and phones) and the software they run (i.e., games and apps). Digital puzzles are a new strategy in play that encourages social interaction and creative processes to solve problems, originality, and open-mindedness of young children (Tonéis, 2011; Eagle, 2012). It can be a valuable form of creative play for young children who are in vulnerable situations and may not have access to opportunities for face-to-face play due to the COVID-19 pandemic (Jennings, 2017).
For a long time, early childhood education has used puzzles as a learning medium (May, 2011; Syukur et al., 2020; Winarsunu et al., 2022). Puzzle games are popular and well-liked by young children due to their engaging nature. When puzzles first came into being, they were made primarily of wooden blocks that fit together (Van Delft and Botermans, 1995) and wooden bricks (May, 2011). Van Delft and Botermans argue that almost all living things tested their resilience with puzzles. For instance, in a classic experiment, they tested chimpanzees and were found to be efficient puzzle solvers after several confusing experiments (Van Delft and Botermans, 1995). The current use of puzzles is similar to that introduced by Martin Gardner. He popularized recreational mathematics to appreciate the subject and highlighted the numerous links between mathematics, puzzles, and magic to enhance problem-solving skills (Morgan, 2008). LaBonte (2016) revealed the connection of Sudoku puzzles in a simple mathematics game with a magic square. According to him, Sudoku puzzles are an enjoyable way to fill the time. Their orderliness and organized nature make them particularly attractive. Sudoku can be a mental challenge and a satisfying accomplishment when completed. Learning how to solve puzzles is a great approach to stimulate creativity and to lay the foundation for young children to become effective problem solvers in real-life situations (Tudor-Hart, 1955; Costa, 2017). Engaging in puzzle-solving activities can offer various advantages. It can increase motivation, enhance the comprehension of concepts, promote creativity, and expand problem-solving capability and ability to engage and solve miscellaneous challenges from various perspectives (Jelle, 2017).
Beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, the educational process has changed and moved on to be adapted, requiring young children to overcome new learning challenges. Occasionally, it causes them anxiety issues and often gives rise to a conflict of emotions. Motor interactions and the sociocultural context of young children define the type of motor play suited (Gil-Madrona et al., 2020). Puzzles, one of the favorite motor games in early childhood education, can build fine motor and emotional skills when caregivers use time with puzzles wisely (May, 2011). Here, puzzles impact a child’s physical skills, allowing them to develop fine motor skills through the coordination of small muscles. Young children with strong fine motor skills tend to find it easier to write, draw, and learn to play instruments. When a child completes a puzzle, they acquire many skills without realizing it. Puzzles enable a child to develop problem-solving skills on how to place a piece in the correct space, cognitive skills through visual–spatial awareness, fine motor skills to learn how to grasp and pick up pieces in the proper order, and social skills by completing puzzles with peers (Aussie Childcare Network Team, 2022).
Digital puzzles for resilience: the case of early childhood classrooms in Indonesia
In Indonesia, research and development of digital puzzles for children are increasingly being carried out, particularly before and after the COVID-19 pandemic (Kristianti et al., 2018; Maududi et al., 2018; Widyatmoko, 2019; Wathoni et al., 2021; Rizkiyah et al., 2022; Asmawati, 2023; Ramlah Abadi et al., 2023). Based on several of this research, we focused on research and development of digital puzzles to develop resilience in the context of early childhood education. Therefore, we only discuss research by Kristianti, Wathoni, and Asmawati.
Kristianti et al. (2018) conducted research and development of digital puzzles to understand learning behavior in young children. This research aimed to develop conditions for educational games so that emotional changes occur in young children after playing puzzles. Their study found that children’s emotional resilience increased, becoming more relaxed and less aggressive, because this educational game focuses on recognizing objects in the environment by displaying automatically generated images that can adjust to the condition of aggressive or non-aggressive children. The expert system with forward chaining determines that the puzzle will automatically produce results according to the condition of young children, i.e., divided into young children with special needs and normal children; interests of young children are the flora and fauna, numbers, or incorporated over the three. In addition to that, this game needs the guidance of parents who know their children’s condition. Specialized in young children with special needs, the game can only perform with an entire body (such as a hand that is not disabled) because it fully uses the touch of hands-on media tablets. Parents have a crucial role in choosing a game. The appropriate choice can help children to develop their cognitive ability. In several cases, children with special needs learn more slowly than children with average cognitive skills.
Wathoni et al. (2021) developed digital puzzles to improve visual–spatial abilities and religious character. Based on this study, digital puzzle provides visualization in animation adapted to the type of each prayer movement regularly based on three-dimensional image characters. The ability of young children to survive and rise when experiencing difficulties and failures in the orderly sequencing of each prayer movement is a process by which young children build their resilience. The results of their research show that visual–spatial stimulation promoted the ability to perceive image patterns and colors, and religious characteristics consist of values, moral feelings, and moral values of action through images of prayer movements.
Recently, Asmawati (2023) developed a digital puzzle based on the local wisdom of Banten culture. She found that digital puzzles improved the cognitive development of young children. Resilience in young children develops when children can solve problems when arranging the picture pieces into one mosque object and naming the order of the puzzle pieces 1–20. In the context of this research, digital puzzles are a series of activities that include problem-solving processes, religious character, and moral development.
Discussion
Physical distancing restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic led to home confinement and school closures that encouraged online education and significantly reduced access to early learning and play opportunities (Chaabane et al., 2021; Dong, 2023). This change resulted in a significant shock to early childhood education as children were unprepared for online education and its challenges. This fact hurts child development (Jalongo, 2021). Trauma in early childhood, without protective buffering, can result in permanent changes to lower-level neural circuits that essentially embed the traumatic experiences into the functional architecture of the brain (Forkey et al., 2021). The evaluation of the Right to Play program reports that play can support children’s healthy, resilient development when effectively facilitated (Right to Play UNESCO, 2018).
Based on the research findings of Kristianti, Wathoni, and Asmawati, the digital puzzle is an educative and fun learning medium that can develop resilience in young children by growing cognitive, emotional, and religious areas of development. Conway and McDonough found that emotional resilience during preschool relates to behavior problems and low levels of concurrent anxiety and depression in young children (Conway and McDonough, 2006). Apart from Conway and McDonough’s study, numerous researchers have focused on understanding the role and relationship of emotional–behavioral resilience to anticipate and overcome anxiety and depression in young children (Bernard and Pires, 2006; Cabaj et al., 2014; Giallo et al., 2018), particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic (Pedrosa et al., 2020; Essler et al., 2023). Young children being religious impacts their emotions, resilience, and well-being (Edara et al., 2021). Wahyuningrum and Setiyani (2022) found a positive correlation between religiosity and resilience in COVID-19 survivors. According to their findings, religiosity is one component that encourages the development of resilience in young children. As stated by Asmawati, Tchombe examines resilient cultural practices informed by cultural values for cognitive development in socialization during early childhood within the learning pathways model. Tchombe revealed that resilient cultural practices build young children’s resilience through multiple processes based on cultural beliefs and actions to help them develop appropriately against all odds. Resilient cultural practices include personal survival skills, responsible leadership, and morals (Tchombe, 2022).
Corresponding to the COVID-19 pandemic, digital puzzles can be a part of learning transformation and represent a type of creative play experience that uses a fun activity to improve the development of physical, mental, and cognitive abilities in young children (Wang et al., 2023). These games are enjoyable for young children, and by providing guidance and examples, they can develop cooperative social skills by working with their friends to arrange shapes and colors or apply logic (Nugraeny and Mukminin, 2019; Virawanti and Sugiarto., 2022). On the other hand, puzzles are a more solitary form of play, a pastime that adults and children relish for the same motives. They provide a challenge in themselves rather than against competitors, yet they promise enormous satisfaction when completed. Playing puzzles is often relaxing and a favorite to return to many times and is still fun (May, 2011).
Creative play through digital puzzles is a concept related to the theory of creativity by Vygotsky (2004), which states that all human beings, even the young, are creative and that creativity is the foundation of art, science, and technology. In this challenging time, research and development of digital puzzles to increase resilience after the COVID-19 pandemic have become widespread in early childhood education in Indonesia. Young children become a priority for consideration of how all elements of education must be able to design innovative learning tools.
Recent developments in instructional design indicate tremendous research growth. Eileen Scanlon finds this fascinating for two reasons. First, the potential of new instructional design: teachers may facilitate their student’s success. Second, teachers are under increased pressure to enhance student learning outcomes (Scanlon, 2021). As a benefit, the emergence of various research on digital puzzles as a creative play medium might provide teachers with understanding and opportunity to build innovative and interactive learning for young children’s resilience to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the past few years, researchers have embarked on systematic research efforts to develop theories and models to support research on technology integration in learning (Angeli et al., 2016). Thus, their statement corresponds with the utilization of digital puzzles in early childhood classrooms in today’s digital era.
We propose combining the power of play as a pathway to build resilience and provide opportunities for young children to explore playing creatively after the COVID-19 pandemic. Creative play is pressing because distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a learning loss effect for young children, making it difficult for them to adapt and demonstrate strong resilience. Digital puzzles offer a playful learning experience. Learning to deal with failure in puzzle games is a crucial component of resilience. We believe digital puzzles as a creative play medium can support young children in developing skills that will make them happier and more resilient in overcoming life’s hardships. They can become individuals who successfully and creatively reconstruct themselves after experiencing bad conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Author contributions
RD: Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing. MS: Writing – review & editing. YN: Writing – review & editing.
Funding
The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This work was supported by Direktorat Riset dan Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat (138/E5/PG.02.00.PL/2023).
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
Publisher’s note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
References
Alexander, M., Smith, H., Healy, A., Giardina, G., Petetin, L., Poole, R., et al. (2019). The Resilience Games—Creating resilient societies for the future: Exploring the opportunities for games-based learning in childhood education. In: Research funded via the GW4 Crucible Programme.
Alvarez, A. V. (2020). The phenomenon of learning at a distance through emergency remote teaching amidst the pandemic crisis. Asian J Dist Educ 15, 144–153. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.3881529
Angeli, C., Valanides, N., and Christodoulou, A. (2016). “Theoretical considerations of technological pedagogical content knowledge” in Handbook of technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) for educators. eds. M. C. Herring, M. J. Koehler, and P. Mishra. 2nd ed (New York: Routledge), 11–32.
Asmawati, L. (2023). The development of puzzle games for early childhood based on the Banten local culture. J Ilmiah Peuradeun 11, 531–550. doi: 10.26811/peuradeun.v11i2.895
Aussie Childcare Network Team . (2022). Importance of puzzles in early childhood. Aussie Childcare Network. Available at: Available at: https://aussiechildcarenetwork.com.au/articles/teaching-children/importance-of-puzzles-in-early-childhood
Avgitidou, S. (2016). Creativity and play in early childhood education: a socio-cultural perspective. Dial Theory Praxis Educ 2:9. doi: 10.12681/dial.10570
Bazhydai, M., and Westermann, G. (2020). “From curiosity, to wonder, to creativity: a cognitive developmental psychology perspective” in Wonder, education, and human flourishing: Theoretical, empirical, and practical perspectives. ed. A. Schinkel (Amsterdam: VU University Press)
Beal, J. A. (2021). Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on mental health of children, adolescents, and young adults. Am. J. Matern. Child Nurs. 46:237. doi: 10.1097/NMC.0000000000000726
Bernard, M. E., and Pires, D. (2006). “Emotional resilience in children and adolescence: implications for rational-emotive behavior therapy” in Rational emotive Behavioral approaches to childhood disorders: Theory, practice, and research. eds. A. Ellis and M. E. Bernard (New York, NY: Springer), 156–174.
Bhamra, R., Dani, S., and Burnard, K. (2011). Resilience: the concept, a literature review and future directions. Int. J. Prod. Res. 49, 5375–5393. doi: 10.1080/00207543.2011.563826
Bhushan, D., Kotz, K., McCall, J., Wirtz, S., Gilgoff, R., Rishi Dube, S., et al. (2020). The roadmap for resilience: The California surgeon General’s report on adverse childhood experiences, toxic stress, and health. Sacramento, CA: Office of the California Surgeon General. 1–404.
Brooks, R., and Goldstein, S. (2001). Raising resilient children: Fostering strength, hope, and optimisme in your child. West Touhy Avenue, Lincolnwood, IL: Contemporary Books.
Burke, A., Kumpulainen, K., and Smith, C. (2023). Children’s digital play as collective family resilience in the face of the pandemic. J. Early Child. Lit. 23, 8–34. doi: 10.1177/14687984221124179
Cabaj, J. L., Mcdonald, S. W., and Tough, S. C. (2014). Early childhood risk and resilience factors for behavioural and emotional problems in middle childhood. BMC Pediatr. 14, 1–11. doi: 10.1186/1471-2431-14-166
Cardullo, V., Wang, C. H., Burton, M., and Dong, J. (2021). K-12 teachers’ remote teaching self-efficacy during the pandemic. J Res Innov Teach Learn 14, 32–45. doi: 10.1108/JRIT-10-2020-0055
Catalano, H. (2018). The importance of free play in early childhood and primary school education: critical analysis for Romania. Educ Res Applic 2018, 1–6. doi: 10.29011/2575-7032/100050
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . (2020). Preventing adverse childhood experiences. CDC. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/fastfact.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fviolenceprevention%2Facestudy%2Ffastfact.html
Chaabane, S., Doraiswamy, S., Chaabna, K., Mamtani, R., and Cheema, S. (2021). The impact of covid-19 school closure on child and adolescent health: a rapid systematic review. Children 8, 1–17. doi: 10.3390/children8050415
Choudhury, S., Yeh, P. G., and Markham, C. M. (2022). Coping with adverse childhood experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic: perceptions of mental health service providers. Front. Psychol. 13, 1–14. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.975300
Conway, A. M., and McDonough, S. C. (2006). Emotional resilience in early childhood: developmental antecedents and relations to behavior problems. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 1094, 272–277. doi: 10.1196/annals.1376.033
Costa, S. A. (2017). Puzzle-based learning: an approach to creativity, design thinking & problem solving. Proc Can Engineer Educ Assoc, 1–5. doi: 10.24908/pceea.v0i0.7365
De Lorenzo, A., Lattke, L. S., and Rabaglietti, E. (2023). Creativity and resilience: a mini-review on post-pandemic resources for adolescents and young adults. Front. Public Health 11, 1–6. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1117539
Dong, P. I. (2023). “Children’s emerging play and experience in the covid-19 era: educational endeavours and changes in South Korea” in Play in a covid frame: Everyday pandemic creativity in a time of isolation. eds. A. Beresin and J. Bishop (Cambridge, UK: Open Book Publishers)
Dyrfjoro, K., and Hreidarsdottir, E. (2022). “Dora’s doll got sick: preschool children’s wellbeing and play during the COVID-19 crisis” in Early childhood education and Care in a Global Pandemic: How the sector responded, spoke Back and generated knowledge. eds. L. Henderson, K. Bussey, and H. B. Ebrahim (Sacramento, CA: Routledge)
Eagle, S. (2012). Learning in the early years: social interactions around picturebooks, puzzles and digital technologies. Comput. Educ. 59, 38–49. doi: 10.1016/j.compedu.2011.10.013
Edara, I. R., Del Castillo, F., Ching, G. S., and Del Castillo, C. D. (2021). Religiosity, emotions, resilience, and wellness during the COVID-19 pandemic: a study of taiwanese university students. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 18, 1–21. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18126381
Enochsson, A. B., and Ribaeus, K. (2021). “Everybody has to get a chance to learn”: democratic aspects of digitalisation in preschool. Early Childhood Educ. J. 49, 1087–1098. doi: 10.1007/s10643-020-01117-6
Ernst, J., and Burcak, F. (2019). Young children’s contributions to sustainability: the influence of nature play on curiosity, executive function skills, creative thinking, and resilience. Sustainability 11, 1–22. doi: 10.3390/su11154212
Essler, S., Christner, N., and Paulus, M. (2023). Short-term and long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on child psychological well-being: a four-wave longitudinal study. Eur. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry 33, 909–922. doi: 10.1007/s00787-023-02215-7
Ethridge, E. A., Malek-Lasater, A. D., and Kwon, K. A. (2022). Fostering play through virtual teaching: challenges, barriers, and strategies. Early Childhood Educ. J., 1–11. doi: 10.1007/s10643-022-01419-x
Fadlillah, M., and Setyowahyudi, R. (2021). Ultaco game development as a media to introduce COVID-19 health protocol in early childhood. AL-ISHLAH J Pendidikan 13, 485–496. doi: 10.35445/alishlah.v13i1.532
Fairclough, M. (2022). Rewilding childhood: Raising resilient children who are adventures, imaginative, and free. Carlsbad, CA: Hay House.
Fernández-Díaz, J. R., Gutiérrez-Ortega, M., Llamas-Salguero, F., and Cantón-Mayo, I. (2021). Creativity and resilience as predictors of career success. Sustainability 13, 1–16. doi: 10.3390/su13084489
Folostina, R., Tudorache, L., Michel, T., Erzsebet, B., Agheana, V., and Hocaoglu, H. (2015). Using play and drama in developing resilience in children at risk. Procedia. Soc. Behav. Sci. 197, 2362–2368. doi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.07.283
Forkey, H. C., Griffi, J. L., and Szilagyi, M. (2021). Childhood trauma & resilience: A practical guide. Itasca, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics, 1–224.
Fragkiadaki, G., Fleer, M., and Rai, P. (2021). “Innovation in early childhood and primary education” in Educational innovation in society 5.0 era: Challenges and opportunities. eds. Y. W. Purnomo and A. Herwin (Leiden: Routledge)
Furu, A., Chan, A., Larsson, J., Engdahl, I., Klaus, S., Navarrete, A. M., et al. (2023). Promoting resilience in early childhood education and care to prepare children for a world of change: a critical analysis of national and international policy documents. Children 10, 1–14. doi: 10.3390/children10040716
Garrett, M. (2014). Play-based interventions and resilience in children. Int J Psychol Counsel 6, 133–137. doi: 10.5897/IJPC2014.0283
Giallo, R., Gartland, D., Woolhouse, H., Mensah, F., Westrupp, E., Nicholson, J., et al. (2018). Emotional–behavioral resilience among children of first-time mothers with and without depression across the early childhood period. Int. J. Behav. Dev. 42, 214–224. doi: 10.1177/0165025416687413
Gidado, I. H., and Tosin, S. H. (2022). The influence of child-initiated play on resilience skill of children in me Dinna/Gaaosibi community. J Early Childhood Assoc Nigeria 11, 1–19.
Gil-Madrona, P., Pascual-Francés, L., Jordá-Espi, A., Mujica-Johnson, F., and Fernández-Revelles, A. B. (2020). Affectivity and motor interaction in popular motor games at school. Apunts. Educ Fisica y Deportes 139, 42–48. doi: 10.5672/APUNTS.2014-0983.ES.(2020/1).139.06
Ginsburg, K. R., and Jablow, M. M. (2020). Building resilience in children and teens: Giving kids roots and wings (4th Edn.). Itasca, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics.
Glover, T. D. (2022). “Playing with the city: leisure, public health, and placemaking during COVID-19 and beyond” in Creative resilience and COVID-19: Figuring the everyday in a pandemic. eds. I. Gammel and J. Wang (London: Routledge), 157–165.
Grotberg, E. (1995). A guide to promoting resilience in children: strengthening the human spirit. Early Childhood Dev Pract Reflect 8:56.
Guirguis, R. V., and Longley, J. M. (2021). “Play and trauma in young children during a pandemic” in Dimensions of early childhood. ed. W. Robles-Melendez , vol. 49. 1st ed (SECA: Southern Early Childhood Association)
Hartati, S., Safitri, D., Marini, A., and Wahyudi, A. (2020). Bullying behavior in early childhood: study at early childhood education institution in East Jakarta in Indonesia. Talent Dev. Excell. 55, 55–63.
Herndon, M., and Waggoner, C. (2021). “Building resilience: reducing the impact of adverse childhood experiences” in Dimensions of early childhood. ed. W. Robles-Melendez , vol. 49. 1st ed (SECA: Southern Early Childhood Association)
Hughes, B. (2006). Play types: Speculations and possibilities. London: The London Centre for Playwork Education and Training.
Iasha, V., Sumantri, M. S., Sarkadi, S., and Rachmadtullah, R. (2018). Development media interactive learning in education Pancasila and citizenship education to improve tolerance of students in elementary school. In: Annual Civic Education Conference (ACEC 2018), 311–313.
IICBA (2019). “Play & resilience: a toolkit for teachers, caregivers, and other stakeholders” in UNESCO-IICBA (Addis Ababa: UNESCO-IICBA)
Jalongo, M. R. (2021). The effects of COVID-19 on early childhood education and care: research and resources for children, families, teachers, and teacher educators. Early Childhood Educ. J. 49, 763–774. doi: 10.1007/s10643-021-01208-y
Jelle, B. P. (2017). Reviewing the learning process through creative puzzle solving. Creat. Educ. 8, 2009–2035. doi: 10.4236/ce.2017.813137
Karta, I. W., Rasmini, N. W., Widiana, I. W., and Ujianti, P. R. (2022). The effect of remote learning, family condition, and mental resilience on depression symptoms of early childhood. Emerg Sci J 6, 1430–1443. doi: 10.28991/ESJ-2022-06-06-013
Kauffmann, J., Hadani, H., Kennedy, K., and Regalla, L. (2020). Tech time with purpose: A creative approach to using digital devices with young children. Bay Area Discovery Museum. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/344013823
Kristianti, N., Purnawati, N., and Suyoto, D. (2018). Virtual education with puzzle games for early childhood: a study of Indonesia. Int J Engineer Pedag 8, 14–22. doi: 10.3991/ijep.v8i2.7943
LaBonte, A. (2016). The mathematics behind Sudoku and how to create magic squares [University of Maine]. Available at: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/honors/393
Lourenço, A., Martins, F., Pereira, B., and Mendes, R. (2021). Children are back to school, but is play still in lockdown? Play experiences, social interactions, and children’s quality of life in primary education in the covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 18, 1–15. doi: 10.3390/ijerph182312454
Maresch, I., and Kampman, H. (2022). Playing for resilience in a pandemic; exploring the role of an online board game in recognising resources. Int. J. Appl. Posit. Psychol., 1–33. doi: 10.1007/s41042-022-00069-z
Marsh, J., Plowman, L., Yamada-Rice, D., Bishop, J., Lahmar, J., and Scott, F. (2018). Play and creativity in young children’s use of apps. Br. J. Educ. Technol. 49, 870–882. doi: 10.1111/bjet.12622
Masten, A. S. (2001). Ordinary magic: resilience processes in development. Am. Psychol. 56, 227–238. doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.56.3.227
Masten, A. S. (2014). Global perspectives on resilience in children and youth. Child Dev. 85, 6–20. doi: 10.1111/cdev.12205
Masten, A. S., and Reed, M.-G. J. (2002). “Resilience in development” in Handbook of positive psychology. eds. C. R. Snyder and S. J. Lopez (New York: Oxford University Press)
Maududi, A., Purwanto, E., and Awalya, H. (2018). Influence of pictorial crossword puzzle media toward vocabulary mastery and initial writing skills of elementary school students. J Prim Educ 7, 318–323. doi: 10.15294/jpe.v7i3.24214
May, P. (2011). Child development in practice: Responsive teaching and learning from birth to five. New York: Routledge.
McKenzie, E. (2021). “Child resilience in a global pandemic” in Dimensions of early childhood. ed. W. Robles-Melendez , vol. 49. 1st ed (SECA: Southern Early Childhood Association)
Metzl, E. S., and Morrell, M. A. (2008). The role of creativity in models of resilience: theoretical exploration and practical applications. J. Creat. Ment. Health 3, 303–318. doi: 10.1080/15401380802385228
Moher, D., Liberati, A., Tetzlaff, J., Altman, D. G., Antes, G., Atkins, D., et al. (2009). Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement. PLoS Med. 6, 1–7. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1000097
Morgan, C. (2008). “Martin Gardner and his influence on magic” in A lifetime of puzzles: A collection of puzzles in honor of Martin Gardner’s 90th birthday. eds. E. D. Demaine, M. L. Demaine, and T. Rodgers (Wellesley, MA: A. K. Peters, Ltd), 3–14.
Muhdi, N., and Yuliejantiningsih, Y. (2020). The implementation of online learning in early childhood education during the Covid-19 pandemic. J Pendidikan Usia Dini 14, 247–261. doi: 10.21009/JPUD.142.04
Munawaroh, E., and Nurmalasari, Y. (2021). Student resilience after pandemic: learning loss recovery. Psikoeduko 1, 1–10.
National Association for the Education of Young Children . (2020). NAEYC COVID-19 statement. NAEYC. Available at: https://www.naeyc.org/resources/blog/naeyc-covid-19-statement
National Scientific Council on the Developing Child . (2015). Supportive relationships and active skill-building strengthen the foundations of resilience (working paper 13). Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. Available at: https://harvardcenter.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/The-Science-of-Resilience2.pdf
Nicholson, J., and Kurtz, J. (2023). Supporting young children to cope, build resilience, and heal from trauma through play: A practical guide for early childhood educators. New York: Routledge.
Nijhof, S. L., Vinkers, C. H., van Geelen, S. M., Duijff, S. N., Achterberg, E. J. M., van der Net, J., et al. (2018). Healthy play, better coping: the importance of play for the development of children in health and disease. Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev. 95, 421–429. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.09.024
Nugraeny, A. N., and Mukminin, A. (2019). The improvement of social care character through puzzle cards game. Early Childhood Educ Papers 8, 12–15. doi: 10.15294/belia.v8i1.29744
Nurani, Y., Pratiwi, N., and Hasanah, L. (2022). Digital media based on Pancasila values to stimulate character building in early childhood. J ReAttach Ther Dev Divers 5, 41–49.
Parker, R., Thomsen, B. S., and Berry, A. (2022). Learning through play at school: a framework for policy and practice. Front Educ 7:801. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2022.751801
Pearson, E., Umayahara, M., and Ndijuye, L. (2017). Play & resilience: Supporting childhood resilience through play (E. Meleisea, Ed.). OMEP and Victoria Charitable Trust Fund. Available at: https://omepworld.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Play_and_Resilience_-_A_facilitation_guide_for_early_childhood_practitioners.pdf
Pedrosa, A. L., Bitencourt, L., Fróes, A. C. F., Cazumbá, M. L. B., Campos, R. G. B., de Brito, S. B. C. S., et al. (2020). Emotional, behavioral, and psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Front. Psychol. 11, 1–18. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.566212
Ramlah Abadi, A. P., Aisyah, D. S., Lestari, K. E., and Yudhanegara, M. R. (2023). Digital puzzle worksheet for identifying metacognition level of students: a study of gender differences. Eurasian J. Educ. Res. 12, 795–810. doi: 10.12973/eu-jer.12.2.795
Right to Play UNESCO . (2018). Play and early learning during COVID-19. 1–2. Available at: https://en.unesco.org/sites/default/files/unesco-covid-19_ed-webinar-14-right_to_play.pdf
Rizkiyah, F., Ristanto, R. H., and Miarsyah, M. (2022). Development of plant-puzzle gtyles of junior high school students to increase learning motivation in plant classification materials. J Educ Sci 6, 225–235. doi: 10.31258/jes.6.2.p.225-235
Runco, M. A. (2021). “Creativity and human flourishing” in The Oxford handbook of the positive humanities. eds. L. Tay and J. O. Pawelski (New York: Oxford University Press)
Scanlon, E. (2021). Educational technology research: contexts, complexity and challenges. J. Interact. Media Educ. 2021, 1–12. doi: 10.5334/JIME.580
Schafer, E. S. (2022). Recognizing resilience in children: a review. Trauma Care 2, 469–480. doi: 10.3390/traumacare2030039
Sonnenschein, S., Stites, M. L., Gursoy, H., and Khorsandian, J. (2023). Elementary-school students’ use of digital devices at home to support learning pre- and post-COVID-19. Educ. Sci. 13, 1–11. doi: 10.3390/educsci13020117
Svendsen, S., Griffin, J., and Forkey, H. (2020). Using the attachment relationship and positive parenting principles to build childhood resilience. Adv. Pediatr. Infect. Dis. 67, 15–28. doi: 10.1016/j.yapd.2020.04.004
Syukur, A., Djahimo, S. E. P., and Leba, M. G. (2020). The implementation of puzzle as a learning media to introduce the color concept to class B students of Munatuan early childhood education (PAUD) in Kupang District. Digit Press Soc Sci Human 6, 1–10. doi: 10.29037/digitalpress.46378
Tchombe, T. M. S. (2022). Resilient cultural practices for cognitive development during childhood within learning pathways with support from mediated mutual reciprocal theory. Front. Psychol. 13, 1–17. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.994156
Tee, Y. Q., Nor, M. M., and Hai-Leng, C. (2017). Creative play in the Malaysian early childhood education. J Isu Dalam Pendidikan 41, 1–16.
Teichert, L., Anderson, A., Anderson, J., Hare, J., and Mctavish, M. (2021). Access and use of digital technologies in early childhood: a review of mixed messages in popular media. Lang Liter 23, 106–128. doi: 10.20360/langandlit29546
Tonéis, C. (2011). Puzzles as a creative form of play in metaverse. J. Virtual Worlds Res. 4, 1–21. doi: 10.4101/jvwr.v4i1.1901
Tonkin, A. (2019). “Playing in a digital world” in Play and playfulness for public health and wellbeing. eds. A. Tonkin and J. Whitaker (New York: Routledge), 146–159.
Ungar, M., Ghazinour, M., and Richter, J. (2013). Annual research review: what is resilience within the social ecology of human development? J. Child Psychol. Psychiatry Allied Discip. 54, 348–366. doi: 10.1111/jcpp.12025
Utami, A. D., Fleer, M., and Li, L. (2021). An analysis of a child’s experiences in playing a gendered character during playworld. Learn. Cult. Soc. Interact. 28:100454. doi: 10.1016/j.lcsi.2020.100454
Van Delft, P., and Botermans, J. (1995). Creative puzzles of the world. California: Key Curriculum Press.
Virawanti, T., and Sugiarto, C. (2022). Development of styrofoam media as puzzles to develop fine motoric children aged 3-4 at metro. J Childhood Dev 2, 21–27. doi: 10.25217/jcd
Vygotsky, L. S. (2004). Imagination and creativity in childhood. J Russ East Eur Psychol 42, 7–97. doi: 10.1080/10610405.2004.11059210
Wahyuningrum, D. P., and Setiyani, R. Y. (2022). The relationship between religiosity and resilience of Covid-19 survivors. J Health Sci Med Dev 1, 47–57. doi: 10.56741/hesmed.v1i02.103
Wang, C.-M., Lee, B.-T., and Lo, T.-Y. (2023). The design of a novel digital puzzle gaming system for young children’s learning by interactive multi-sensing and tangible user interfacing techniques. Sustain. For. 15, 1–43. doi: 10.3390/su15043036
Wardhani, W. D. L., and Kusumaningtyas, N. (2022). Kindergarten teachers’ understanding of the creative play. Int Soc Sci Human 2, 311–318. doi: 10.32528/issh.v2i1.153
Wathoni, H., Kustiono, K., and Ahmadi, F. (2021). Multimedia-based E-puzzle development to improve visual-spatial abilities and early childhood religious character. J Prim Educ 10, 141–150. doi: 10.15294/JPE.V10I2.47209
Whitebread, D., Basilio, M., Kuvalja, M., and Verma, M. (2012). The importance of play: A report on the value of children’s play with a series of policy recommendations. Cambridge: Toy Industries of Europe.
Widyatmoko, H. (2019). The development of educational puzzle game based on the local wisdom using flash media to educate the students’ character of primary school. Refleksi Edukatika 9, 192–198. doi: 10.24176/re.v9i2.3293
Winarsunu, T., Nurfadillah, T. H., and Fasikhah, S. S. (2022). Attention improvement through play puzzle therapy to promote self-regulation in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). J Educ Health Commun Psychol 11, 818–832. doi: 10.12928/jehcp.v11i4.23477
Woods, P., Boyle, M., and Hubbard, N. (1999). Multicultural children in the early years: Creative teaching, meaningful learning (Vol. 16). Clevedon: Multilingual Matters Ltd.
Yogman, M., Garner, A., Hutchinson, J., Hirsh-Pasek, K., and Michnick Golinkoff, R. (2018). The power of play: a pediatric role in enhancing development in young children. Pediatrics 142, 1–18. doi: 10.1542/peds.2018-2058
Yoleri, S. (2020). Factors affecting level of children resilience and teachers’ opinions about resilience. Int J Assess Tools Educ 7, 361–378. doi: 10.21449/ijate.780247
Zero to Three . (2020). How COVID-19 is impacting child-care providers. 1–3. Available at: https://www.zerotothree.org/resource/how-covid-19-is-impacting-child-care-providers/
Zhang, J., Smith, J., and Browne, D. (2023). Children’s activities, parental concerns, and child care service utilization in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Front. Public Health 11, 1–18. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1047234
Zolkoski, S. M., and Bullock, L. M. (2012). Resilience in children and youth: a review. Child Youth Serv. Rev. 34, 2295–2303. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2012.08.009
Keywords: resilience, early childhood education, creative play, digital puzzles, beyond the COVID-19 pandemic
Citation: Damayanti R, Syarif Sumantri M and Nurani Y (2024) Building resilience beyond the COVID-19 pandemic: can it work through creative play with digital puzzles? Front. Educ. 9:1329258. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2024.1329258
Edited by:
Ali Formen, State University of Semarang, IndonesiaReviewed by:
Pedro Gil-Madrona, University of Castilla-La Mancha, SpainCopyright © 2024 Damayanti, Syarif Sumantri and Nurani. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Ranie Damayanti, r.raniedamayanti_9920920003@mhs.unj.ac.id