Juego temático y el control de emociones en niños de 4 años

Abstract

This research aims to analyze thematic play and emotional control in 4-year-old children, focusing on essential aspects of emotional development such as emotional identification, expression, and self-regulation. Proper emotional management in early childhood is key to fostering empathy and emotional control in the school environment. This research was conducted using a qualitative approach that sought to analyze how children experience emotional control during thematic game-based activities, using an interpretive paradigm. This study was framed within a nonexperimental, descriptive design. Two data collection techniques were used, along with their respective instruments validated by experts in the field. The first technique was an interview with a script of open-ended questions directed at three early childhood education teachers to determine emotional control in 4-year-old children. The second technique was direct observation, using an observation sheet with clear indicators and a scale of "always, sometimes, never" applied to 22 children from the Jerusalem Educational Unit. Through data triangulation, it was evident that thematic play is an effective teaching tool that allows children to represent, recognize, and manage their emotions in a playful and meaningful way.