PENGARUH AKTIVITAS BERMAIN MENGGUNAKAN MEDIA PLAYDOUGH TERHADAP KREATIVITAS ANAK USIA DINI - Fifqi Fauziah Rohmah; Gia Nikawanti; Dhea Ardiyanti (Pusat Pengembangan Pendidikan dan Penelitian Indonesia, 2026)
ABSTRACT Creativity is an important aspect that should be stimulated from an early age because it contributes to the development of children's thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, and expression of ideas. However, learning activities in Early Childhood Education (ECE) institutions are still often dominated by structured activities, limiting children's opportunities to explore and express their creativity. This study aims to analyze the effect of playdough-based play activities on the creativity of children aged 3–4 years in a playgroup setting. The study employed a quantitative approach using a quasi-experimental method with a Nonequivalent Control Group Design. The participants consisted of children aged 3–4 years who were assigned to an experimental group and a control group. Data were collected through observations based on creativity indicators and activity documentation, and were analyzed using the Mann–Whitney U test and N-Gain Score analysis. The results revealed a significant difference between the two groups, with a significance value of 0.000 (p < 0.05). The experimental group achieved a Mean Rank of 17.92, which was higher than that of the control group (7.08), while the N-Gain Score of the experimental group reached 42.72%, categorized as moderate. These findings indicate that the use of playdough as a learning medium is effective in enhancing the creativity of children aged 3–4 years. ABSTRAK Kreativitas merupakan salah satu aspek penting yang perlu distimulasi sejak usia dini karena berkontribusi terhadap perkembangan kemampuan berpikir, pemecahan masalah, dan ekspresi ide anak. Namun, pelaksanaan pembelajaran di lembaga Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini (PAUD) masih sering didominasi oleh aktivitas yang bersifat terstruktur sehingga kesempatan anak untuk bereksplorasi secara kreatif belum optimal. Penelitian ini bertujuan menganalisis pengaruh aktivitas bermain menggunakan media playdough terhadap kreativitas anak usia 3–4 tahun di Kelompok Bermain (Kober). Penelitian menggunakan pendekatan kuantitatif dengan metode quasi-experimental melalui rancangan Nonequivalent Control Group Design. Sampel penelitian terdiri atas anak usia 3–4 tahun yang dibagi ke dalam kelompok eksperimen dan kelompok kontrol. Data dikumpulkan melalui observasi berdasarkan indikator kreativitas serta dokumentasi kegiatan, kemudian dianalisis menggunakan uji Mann–Whitney U dan N-Gain Score. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan adanya perbedaan yang signifikan antara kedua kelompok dengan nilai signifikansi 0,000 (p < 0,05). Kelompok eksperimen memperoleh Mean Rank sebesar 17,92, lebih tinggi dibandingkan kelompok kontrol sebesar 7,08, sedangkan nilai N-Gain kelompok eksperimen mencapai 42,72% dengan kategori sedang. Temuan ini menunjukkan bahwa penggunaan media playdough efektif dalam meningkatkan kreativitas anak usia 3–4 tahun.