El juego cooperativo para el desarrollo de la autonomía en niños de 4 a 5 años

Abstract

This research focuses on cooperative games as a fundamental strategy to promote autonomy in children aged 4 to 5 years, a crucial stage for children’s comprehensive development. The main objective was “To determine the importance of cooperative games in the development of autonomy in children aged 4 to 5 years.” Autonomy is understood as the capacity of children to make decisions, solve problems, and act independently in their environment. To achieve this purpose, a qualitative, descriptive, and bibliographic study was conducted, employing both deductive and inductive methods to analyze and synthesize relevant information. The research included a systematic literature review of academic databases from the Catholic University of Cuenca, with a special emphasis on indexed journals such as SciELO and Redalyc, among other recognized sources. The results show that cooperative games not only foster the development of cognitive, emotional, and social skills but also enhance essential competencies, including self-regulation, teamwork, and empathy. Based on these findings, an educational proposal that incorporates cooperative play activities aimed at stimulating autonomy from a participatory and inclusive approach was designed, promoting integration and respect among children. In conclusion, cooperative games are consolidated as an effective pedagogical tool that, when systematically integrated into the teaching-learning process of early education, contributes significantly to the formation of independent, confident, empathetic children capable of actively participating in their social environment.