The Role of Dramatic Play in Early Childhood Development: A Systematic Literature Review of Theoretical Foundations, Pedagogical Practices, and Learning Outcomes
Keywords:
Dramatic play, Early childhood education, Learning outcomesAbstract
ABSTRAK:
Background/purpose. Although dramatic play has long been recognized as a crucial component of early childhood education, the supporting literature remains fragmented across various disciplines and educational contexts. This lack of coherence hinders educators, researchers, and policymakers from fully understanding the potential of dramatic play as an effective learning strategy. Therefore, this study aims to conduct a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) to synthesize the theoretical foundations, pedagogical practices, and learning outcomes associated with the use of dramatic play in early childhood education.
Materials/methods. This study employed an SLR approach guided by the PRISMA protocol. Articles were retrieved from major academic databases Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, and ScienceDirect—covering the publication range from 2010 to 2024. A total of 42 eligible articles were thematically analyzed, focusing on theoretical frameworks, pedagogical implementations, and measurable learning outcomes. Data analysis included manual coding, data extraction, and methodological quality appraisal.
Results. Findings indicate that dramatic play is grounded in socio-cognitive developmental theories (Vygotsky, Piaget, Erikson) and contributes significantly to language acquisition, socio-emotional development, executive function, and disaster preparedness. Effective pedagogical practices are strongly influenced by teacher facilitation, scenario design, and cultural relevance. Moreover, the integration of local values and disaster simulation within dramatic play enhances children's resilience and adaptive behaviors.
Conclusion. Dramatic play is affirmed as a meaningful and impactful instructional strategy for fostering holistic development in early childhood. The study recommends embedding dramatic play into early childhood curricula and strengthening teacher training and locally contextualized policy support.
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