<![CDATA[Bonding attachment is considered an important factor in supporting children's emotional and cognitive development. Previous studies have predominantly reported a positive relationship between attachment and children's cognitive abilities. However, evidence concerning the effect of bonding attachment on the thinking ability of children aged 5–6 years remains scarce and has produced inconsistent findings. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effect of bonding attachment on the thinking ability of children aged 5–6 years in Surabaya, Indonesia. The sample consisted of 27 children aged 5–6 years selected using total sampling. Data on bonding attachment were collected through questionnaires completed by parents, while data on children's thinking ability were obtained through observations. Supporting data were gathered through interviews and documentation. Data were analyzed using simple linear regression. The findings revealed that bonding attachment had no significant effect on the thinking ability of children aged 5–6 years (p > 0.05). Furthermore, the coefficient of determination (R² = 0.005) indicated that bonding attachment contributed only 0.5% to the variance in children's thinking ability, whereas the remaining 99.5% was influenced by other factors, including cognitive stimulation, exploratory experiences, social interactions, and the quality of the learning environment. This study provides empirical evidence that bonding attachment is not the primary factor determining children's thinking ability. Instead, children's thinking development is shaped by the interaction of multiple environmental and educational factors. These findings offer a different perspective from previous studies that predominantly emphasized the positive role of attachment in cognitive development and highlight the importance of providing adequate learning stimulation to optimize children's thinking abilities.]]>
