<![CDATA[This study aims to examine the effectiveness of ethnomathematics-based learning in stimulating early childhood literacy and numeracy through culturally relevant activities. The study was conducted to address the gap between abstract mathematical instruction and children’s real-life experiences, which often limits meaningful learning in early childhood education. This research employed a qualitative descriptive approach conducted at TK Nusa Indah, involving 40 children aged 5–6 years. Data were collected through classroom observations, documentation, and field notes during the implementation of three main activities: playing the traditional game dakon, creating batik patterns, and designing geometric masks. Data were analysed using thematic analysis focusing on literacy and numeracy development indicators. The findings reveal that ethnomathematics-based activities significantly enhance children’s ability to recognise numbers, perform basic counting (1–10), identify geometric shapes, and understand simple patterns. In addition, children demonstrated improved language expression, storytelling ability, and symbol recognition. These results indicate that integrating cultural elements into learning provides meaningful and engaging experiences that support holistic development. However, this study is limited by its small sample size and qualitative design, which may restrict generalizability. The absence of quantitative measurement also limits statistical validation of learning outcomes. Future research is recommended to apply mixed-method approaches with larger samples to strengthen empirical evidence. In practice, this study suggests that early childhood educators can adopt ethnomathematics as a culturally responsive, play-based approach to improve literacy and numeracy skills. The integration of traditional games and local art into classroom activities can enhance student engagement and contextual understanding. These findings also support curriculum developers and policymakers in promoting culture-based learning models in early childhood education.]]>
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