<![CDATA[Taste recognition is an important component of young children's sensory and cognitive development. However, learning activities related to taste are often introduced through verbal explanations rather than direct sensory experiences. Simple experimental activities may provide children with concrete and engaging opportunities to explore and distinguish different tastes. This study aimed to examine the effect of simple experimental activities on early children's ability to recognize sweet and salty tastes. A quantitative experimental approach was employed using a two-group pretest–posttest design. The participants were 20 children aged 5–6 years who were assigned to an experimental group and a control group. Data were collected through structured observation and taste-recognition tests administered before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using one-way multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) with pretest scores as covariates, using Jamovi software. The results indicated a significant multivariate effect of simple experimental activities on children's taste-recognition abilities, as shown by Pillai's Trace = 0.588, p = 0.012. Follow-up univariate analyses revealed significant differences between the groups in the recognition of sweet taste (p = 0.006) and salty taste (p = 0.009) after controlling for pretest scores. The findings suggest that simple experimental activities can effectively enhance young children's ability to distinguish basic tastes. Hands-on activities, including taste-guessing games, also provide an engaging learning experience that encourages children to actively explore sensory stimuli and participate in the learning process.]]>
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