Active methodologies applied for the development of the logical thought in the initial level

Abstract

Introduction: Early childhood education is a crucial stage for holistic development, where active methodologies can enhance logical thinking. However, there is limited systematic research on their impact on children aged 3 to 6 in Latin America, hindering evidence-based pedagogical decisions. Materials and methods: A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA methodology, searching Scopus, SciELO, and Research Rabbit for articles published in Spanish between 2015 and 2025. Ten articles that met the inclusion criteria (active methodologies applied to the development of logical-mathematical thinking in early childhood education) were included. Results: The most frequently used active methodologies were: project-based learning, play, gamification, cooperative learning, discovery learning, and scientific inquiry. The studies agree on their effectiveness in developing reasoning, analysis, interpretation, and problem-solving skills. Play was the most frequent and highly valued methodology. Most of the articles originated from Ecuador and Chile, employing qualitative or mixed-methods approaches. It was identified that success depends on the teacher's pedagogical mediation, contextualization, and intentional planning. Cooperative work fosters equitable environments, especially benefiting children with special educational needs. Discussion: The findings align with previous studies indicating that active methodologies, particularly those based on play, significantly impact cognitive and socio-emotional development. Insufficient teacher preparation hinders their effective implementation. Conclusions: Active methodologies (Problem-Based Learning, gamification, collaborative learning, discovery learning) have a decisive impact on the development of logical thinking in early childhood education, provided there is adequate teacher training and adaptation to the context.