Investigation of the Effect of Traditional Children’s Games on Problem-SolvingSkills

Geleneksel Çocuk Oyunlarinin Problem Çözme Becerileri Üzerine Etkisinin İncelenmesi

Havva Altınışık¹, Meryem Gülaç²

*Correspondence: Havva Altınışık
¹ Dumlupınar University, Graduate School of Education, Department of Physical Education and Sports, Master’s student, havva.altinisik@ogr.dpu.edu.tr Orcid: 0009-0004-15897508
² Dumlupınar University Faculty of Sport Sciences, meryem.gulac@dpu.edu.tr Orcid: 0000-0002-0261-3332

Doi: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18875050

https://www.ijoss.org/Archive/v3-i1/ijoss-Volume3-issue1-07.pdf

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Received / Gönderim: 10.12.2025 Accepted / Kabul: 14.02.2026 Published / Yayın: 28.02.2026

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of traditional children’s games on students’ problem-solving skills. The study was conducted with a total of 32 voluntary students (14 boys and 18 girls) enrolled at Zafer Primary School in Gediz district of Kütahya province during the 2024–2025 academic year. A quasi-experimental design was employed, with 16 students assigned to the experimental group and 16 to the control group. Data were collected using the Problem Solving Inventory for Primary School Children developed by Serin, Bulut Serin, and Saygılı (2010). To test the normality assumption, Kolmogorov–Smirnov and Shapiro–Wilk tests were applied, and the results indicated that the data were normally distributed. Therefore, a Paired Samples t-Test was used to analyze the difference between pre-test and post-test scores.

The analysis results revealed significant improvements in the experimental group’s scores for confidence in problem-solving, self-control, and overall problem-solving ability, while avoidance behavior scores significantly decreased (p < .001). These findings suggest that traditional game-based activities were highly effective in enhancing students’ problem-solving skills. Moreover, it was observed that students became more confident, conscious, and systematic in managing the problem-solving process.

Keywords :Traditional games, Problem-solving skills, Child development, Self-control, Self-confidence

Öz

Bu araştırmanın amacı, geleneksel çocuk oyunlarının öğrencilerin problem çözme becerileri üzerindeki etkisini incelemektir. Araştırma, 2024-2025 eğitim-öğretim yılında Kütahya ili Gediz ilçesinde bulunan Zafer İlkokulu’nda öğrenim gören toplam 32 gönüllü öğrenci (14 erkek, 18 kız) ile yürütülmüştür. Çalışmada yarı deneysel desen kullanılmış; 16 öğrenci deney, 16 öğrenci ise kontrol grubunu oluşturmuştur. Veri toplama aracı olarak Serin, Bulut Serin ve Saygılı (2010) tarafından geliştirilen İlköğretim Düzeyindeki Çocuklar için Problem Çözme Envanteri kullanılmıştır. Verilerin analizinde normallik varsayımını test etmek amacıyla Kolmogorov-Smirnov ve Shapiro-Wilk testleri uygulanmış; elde edilen sonuçlar verilerin normal dağılım gösterdiğini ortaya koymuştur. Bu nedenle, ön test ve son test puanları arasındaki farkı belirlemek için Bağımlı Gruplar t-Testi yapılmıştır. Analiz bulgularına göre, deney grubundaki öğrencilerin problem çözme becerisine güven, özdenetim ve genel problem çözme becerisi puanlarında son test lehine anlamlı artışlar; kaçınma davranışı puanlarında ise anlamlı azalmalar saptanmıştır (p<0,001). Bu sonuçlar, geleneksel oyun temelli etkinliklerin öğrencilerin problem çözme becerilerini geliştirmede etkili olduğunu göstermektedir. Ayrıca, öğrencilerin problem çözme sürecinde daha planlı, bilinçli ve kendine güvenen bir yaklaşım sergiledikleri belirlenmiştir.

Anahtar Kelimeler: Geleneksel oyunlar, Problem çözme becerileri, Çocuk gelişimi, Özdenetim, Özgüven

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