THE INFLUENCE OF ROLE PLAY ACTIVITIES ON THE SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF EARLY CHILDHOOD

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the influence of role-playing activities on the social development of early childhood, considering the importance of interaction skills, cooperation, empathy, and understanding of social roles as the foundation of child development. The method used is a quantitative approach with a quasi-experimental design shape nonequivalent control group design, with children aged 5–6 years divided into experimental and control groups. Data were collected through observation using a social development assessment sheet that included indicators of cooperation, communication, empathy, and compliance with social rules, then analyzed using a test independent sample t-test. The results of the study showed a significant influence of role-playing activities on children's social development, marked by a higher average score increase in the experimental group compared to the control group. Role-playing activities have been proven effective in improving the ability to interact socially, share, understand others' feelings, and carry out social roles in everyday life. Thus, it can be concluded that role-playing is an effective learning strategy to optimize the social development of early childhood, so it is recommended for educators to integrate it systematically into learning activities.