<![CDATA[ABSTRACT Early Childhood Education (ECE) is an educational level that plays an important role in optimizing children’s development during the golden age period. At this stage, children require stimulation that focuses not only on cognitive aspects but also on social and emotional development through appropriate guidance. One effort that can be implemented is integrating counseling roles into play activities. This study aims to describe the implementation of counseling roles in early childhood play activities at POS PAUD Suryo Suminar Surakarta and identify factors influencing its implementation. This study employed a qualitative approach with a descriptive design. The research subjects were selected through purposive sampling involving teachers, the school principal, and parents. Data were collected through participatory observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation, then analyzed using Miles and Huberman’s interactive model through data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing, with data validity ensured through triangulation. The results showed that counseling roles were integrated into play activities through child assistance, motivation, positive reinforcement, conflict resolution, and social-emotional development. The implementation was supported by teacher competence, school support, parental collaboration, and a conducive learning environment, while the main obstacles included diverse child characteristics, limited time, and the number of children requiring assistance. This study concludes that integrating counseling roles into play activities is an effective strategy to support children’s social-emotional development in early childhood education. ABSTRAK Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini (PAUD) merupakan jenjang pendidikan yang berperan penting dalam mengoptimalkan perkembangan anak pada masa golden age. Pada tahap ini, anak membutuhkan stimulasi yang tidak hanya berfokus pada aspek kognitif, tetapi juga perkembangan sosial dan emosional melalui pendampingan yang sesuai. Salah satu upaya yang dapat dilakukan adalah mengintegrasikan peran konseling ke dalam kegiatan bermain. Penelitian ini bertujuan mendeskripsikan implementasi peran konseling dalam proses permainan anak usia dini di POS PAUD Suryo Suminar Surakarta serta mengidentifikasi faktor yang memengaruhi pelaksanaannya. Penelitian menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan desain deskriptif. Subjek penelitian ditentukan melalui purposive sampling yang melibatkan guru, kepala sekolah, dan orang tua. Data dikumpulkan melalui observasi partisipatif, wawancara mendalam, dan dokumentasi, kemudian dianalisis menggunakan model interaktif Miles dan Huberman melalui tahapan reduksi data, penyajian data, serta penarikan kesimpulan dengan keabsahan data melalui triangulasi. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa peran konseling telah terintegrasi dalam kegiatan bermain melalui pendampingan anak, motivasi, penguatan positif, penyelesaian konflik, dan pengembangan sosial-emosional. Implementasi tersebut didukung oleh kompetensi guru, dukungan sekolah, kerja sama orang tua, dan lingkungan belajar yang kondusif, sedangkan hambatan meliputi keberagaman karakteristik anak, keterbatasan waktu, serta jumlah anak yang didampingi. Penelitian ini menyimpulkan bahwa integrasi konseling dalam kegiatan bermain menjadi strategi efektif untuk mendukung perkembangan sosial-emosional anak usia dini.]]>
